### Properties Properties are the attributes of a layer or effect and are usually animatable by changing their value. After Effects has many different property types: floating-point numbers, number pairs and triplets, percentages, and colors The adjustable attributes of a layer shown in the timeline: the five Transform properties plus any masks, effects, text, and material options. Almost every property can be keyframed or driven by an expression. Press shortcut keys (P, S, R, T, U) to reveal them quickly. ### Transforms Transforms are specific properties common to all layers that determine a layer's appearance on the screen: The five core spatial/visual properties every layer has: *Anchor Point*, *Position*, *Scale*, *Rotation*, and *Opacity*. They define where a layer sits, how big it is, how it's rotated, and how transparent it is, and they're the foundation of most animation. *Transform under every layer in the Timeline* ![[Pasted image 20260606135519.png]] #### Anchor Point This is a point on the layer where the rest of the transforms have their **origin** of effect. This point is relative to the layer in X & Y, from the upper-left corner of the layer. If you adjust only the anchor point, the entire layer will move to keep the anchor point at the Position in the comp. In 3D space, the Anchor Point will have X, Y, and Z. ``` The Anchor Point is relative to the Layer. ``` *The Anchor Point in the Composite Window* ![[Pasted image 20260606135531.png]] We will use a special tool, the **Pan Behind tool**, to move both the Anchor Point and Position without moving the layer in the composition view. ![[Pasted image 20260606135539.png]] #### Position This is the point where the layer is in the composition. The position is used to move the layer through the composition, using the Anchor Point as its connection. The point is relative to the composition in the upper-left corner of the screen. Position normally has X and Y components that are represented by a pair of numbers that are keyframed together. These dimensions can be separated. In 3D space, the Position has X, Y, and Z components. Since X & Y represent screen dimensions, you can see their path in the Composition window. ``` The Position is relative to the Composition. ``` ![[Pasted image 20260606135552.png]] The ruler in the Composition window shows the 0, 0 pivot in the upper-left corner of the Comp #### Scale Scale is the percentage of the layer's size to its true pixel size. You will want to use source images or footage as large as or larger than the size it will appear on screen. Scaling an image past 200% may make it blurry! Scale is centered at the *Anchor Point*. #### Rotation Rotation is indicated in two numbers: **integers of whole rotations X *degrees* of partial rotation**. Once the degrees of partial rotation reach 360, whole rotations are incremented. You can treat rotation like a float, connecting it to any single value or percentage. #### Opacity (the inverse of Transparency) Opacity is the degree to which a layer blocks the view of the layers below it. 100% is completely opaque, and 0% is completely transparent, or see-through. It is the inverse of Transparency, where 100% is see-through and 0% blocks completely, or opaque. Opacity is affected by a Layer's ***Transfer Mode***, which determines how the colors of composited layers are combined. *Two Solids with Masks with different colors and property values for: position, scale, rotation, and opacity:* ![[Pasted image 20260606135558.png]]