With this new axis comes a plethora of additional Transform properties, including Z information for Position, Anchor Point, and Scale. Again, the 3D switch essentially adds a third dimension (Z-axis) to a layer. If you can’t see the 3D layer switch, press the Toggle Switches/Modes button located at the bottom of the Timeline panel. To convert a layer from 2D to 3D, simply select the 3D layer switch in the Timeline or go to Layer > 3D Layer.

Let’s have a closer look at how to achieve this.

We’re essentially creating a third dimension (Z space) to our project and adding Z attributes to our 2D layers. While we will call these layers “3D”, they’re still flat images. There will be no 3D objects with any kind of extrusion. It’s important to realize that when working in the Classic 3D renderer workspace we’ll simply be manipulating 2D layers in 3D space. To get started with a 3D project, we first need to have a few 3D layers with which to work. However, since this is a beginner’s guide I’m going to stick with the Classic 3D renderer workspace. To access and change the renderer, go to Composition > Composition Settings and select the 3D Renderer tab. If you’ve been using the program for a while, this feature can help bring your motion graphics to the next level.įor more advanced features such as extruding text and shape layers, you can work in the Cinema 4D or Ray-traced 3D renderer. You can create and customize virtual lights and cameras for some interesting and dynamic results. This feature provides a number of tools and settings which allow you to change the AE workspace from 2D to 3D.

The application has many features that often go overlooked, such as the Classic After Effects 3D renderer. I believe it’s much more powerful than most people think. After Effects is an extremely powerful program.

Group layers after effects