Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago
Did you know you can use After Effects expressions to dynamically rewrite your mask shapes on the fly? In this tutorial, I'll show you a cool experssion (createPath) which lets you use code (and maths) to draw masks and paths! This means we can set a starting point, give it a length and AE will create a line for us.
I came up with this because I was tired of trying to move or adjust path points. This way, I just use a point control and a slider and I'm done. But then, thanks to laziness, I also added code to have the line draw based on the layer's in-point, so I don't even have to add keyframes. All bundled up into a preset.
In this video, I cover:
- Getting a web page as an image (there's a couple of tricks I've picked up)
- The expression code for createPath
- The draw on expression for Trim Paths
- Adding Fractal Noise and Layer Styles to help make it look like a marker pen.
*⬇️ Download the preset here*
(Pay What You Want, including free):
- Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/s/bde6cd3193
*🎁 Bonus: Free step-by-step PDF:*
- Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/s/144246bb9f
#aftereffects #tutorial #text @AdobeVideo
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*🔖Chapters*
0:00 What we're makin'
1:13 Tweaking web pages
2:16 Creating a path and drawing it on
6:58 Finishing touches
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get ShiveringCactus VFX as phone cases, T-shirts, mugs: redbubble.com/people/ShiveringCactus/shop
Or buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/shiveringcactus
I'm an Adobe Community Expert - which means you can find me on the Adobe forums if you need any help. community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects/ct-p/ct-after-effects?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=all&tabid=all
#AdobeCommunityExperts
Did you know you can use After Effects expressions to dynamically rewrite your mask shapes on the fly? In this tutorial, I'll show you a cool experssion (createPath) which lets you use code (and maths) to draw masks and paths! This means we can set a starting point, give it a length and AE will create a line for us.
I came up with this because I was tired of trying to move or adjust path points. This way, I just use a point control and a slider and I'm done. But then, thanks to laziness, I also added code to have the line draw based on the layer's in-point, so I don't even have to add keyframes. All bundled up into a preset.
In this video, I cover:
- Getting a web page as an image (there's a couple of tricks I've picked up)
- The expression code for createPath
- The draw on expression for Trim Paths
- Adding Fractal Noise and Layer Styles to help make it look like a marker pen.
*⬇️ Download the preset here*
(Pay What You Want, including free):
- Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/s/bde6cd3193
*🎁 Bonus: Free step-by-step PDF:*
- Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/s/144246bb9f
#aftereffects #tutorial #text @AdobeVideo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*🔖Chapters*
0:00 What we're makin'
1:13 Tweaking web pages
2:16 Creating a path and drawing it on
6:58 Finishing touches
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get ShiveringCactus VFX as phone cases, T-shirts, mugs: redbubble.com/people/ShiveringCactus/shop
Or buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/shiveringcactus
I'm an Adobe Community Expert - which means you can find me on the Adobe forums if you need any help. community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects/ct-p/ct-after-effects?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=all&tabid=all
#AdobeCommunityExperts
