A useful tool for creating animated Neon Path effects. You can use a Text Layer or a Mask to define the shape of the effect, and then control the position and movement of the Neon line on the selected path.
- Preset: Use this menu to choose from one of the built-in presets.
- Path From: Neon path effects take their shape from another layer. Choose the kind of source to be used.
- Mask: Allows you to sue the Masks from a different layer on the timeline.
- Text: Allows you to use the shape of a text layer as the path source.
- Layer: Choose another layer from the timeline, to be used as the path source.
Path
- Start Width: Set the width of the path, in pixels, at its starting point.
- End Width: Set the width of the path, in pixels, at its ending point.
- Start Alpha: Sets the opacity of the path at its start point.
- End Alpha: Sets the opacity of the path at its end point.
- Falloff: Shifts the transition between the Start Width and End Width. Positive values increase the influence of the Start Width. Negative Values increase the influence of the End Width.
- Evolution: Shifts the position of the effect along the source path.
- Extension: Adjusts the length of the neon path effect, as a percentage of the total length of the source path.
Core
The core is the central part of the effect, which is typically the brightest.
- Width: The Width of the core can be adjusted, as a percentage of the width values set in the Path controls above.
- Color: The core Color should generally be set sightly off white, in the direction of the color that will be used for the glow. You can use the eyedropper to choose a color from the viewer, or click the swatch to open a color picker and choose any color you prefer. You can also manually enter the color values for the red, green, and blue channels.
- Feather: The edges of the core can be softened with the Feather control.
- Mask Mode: Enable, Disable, or Invert Mask mode using this menu.
- Stability: Lowering the Stability causes the core shape to fluctuate in size.
Distortion
The Core Distortion controls allow you to procedurally alter the shape of the core to create a variety of animated results.
- Distortion: Controls the strength of distortion that is applied to the core.
- Type: There are four types of distortion available, each of which gives a different result.
- Energy: A pattern of thin, energetic strings.
- Fluid: Replicates a pattern similar to the caustics created by looking through a volume of water.
- Heat: Replicates the haze and diffusion created by heat waves.
- Smoke: Soft, billowing distortion, like the texture of smoke.
- Noise: The noise that defines the shape of the distortion can be modified using these properties. They correspond to the controls in the standalone Distortion effects.
- Animation: The movement of the noise that defines the shape of the distortion can be modified using these properties. They correspond to the controls in the standalone Distortion effects.
- Blend on Top: Enabling this option will apply the glow above the core, potentially altering the core’s color.
- Use in Glow: Enabling this option will adaptively shift the shape of the glow of the effect to match the distortion of the core shape.
Flicker
The Flicker controls will affect the movement of the overall effect.
- Amount: Controls the amount of flicker applied to the effect.
- Probability: Adjusts how regular the flicker is. Higher probability settings will make a more regular flicker.
- Frequency: Adjusts the timing between the flickering, Higher values will increase the speed of the flicker.
- Mode: Choose how the flicker will be generated.
- Per Path: The entire effect flickers as a whole.
- Per Character: Each character flickers independently.
- Seed: Changing the seed will randomize the pattern of the flicker.
Inner Glow
Two glows are built-in to the effect. This makes it possible to create an intense inner glow, with a low width so that it is close to the core, and a wider, diffuse, less bright outer glow.
- Width: The width of the inner glow can be adjusted, in pixels.
- Color: The inner glow color should generally be set to a bright, vibrant color.
- Alpha: Adjusts the transparency of the inner glow layer.
- Stability: Lowering the stability causes the glow shape to fluctuate in size.
- Flicker: Sets the intensity of brightness flicker applied to the glow. This does not alter the shape of the glow.
- Falloff: Alters the range over which the glow edges are feathered. Lower numbers will create a harder edge to the glow.
- Mask: Controls whether masks applied to the layer affect the glow.
- Disable will allow the glow to naturally wrap around the mask edges, for a softer result.
- Enable will cut the glow off exactly at the edge of the mask.
- Invert will reveal the glow outside the mask, while removing it inside.
Distortion
The Inner Glow Distortion controls allow you to procedurally alter the shape of the inner glow to create a variety of animated results.
- Distortion: Controls the strength of distortion that is applied to the inner glow.
- Type: There are four types of distortion available, each of which gives a different result.
- Energy: A pattern of thin, energetic strings.
- Fluid: Replicates a pattern similar to the caustics created by looking through a volume of water.
- Heat: Replicates the haze and diffusion created by heat waves.
- Smoke: Soft, billowing distortion, like the texture of smoke.
- Noise: The noise that defines the shape of the distortion can be modified using these properties. They correspond to the controls in the standalone Distortion effects.
- Animation: The movement of the noise that defines the shape of the distortion can be modified using these properties. They correspond to the controls in the standalone Distortion effects.
Outer Glow
Two glows are built-in to the effect. This makes it possible to create an intense inner glow, with a low width so that it is close to the core, and a wider, diffuse, less bright outer glow.
- Width: The width of the outer glow can be adjusted, in pixels.
- Color: The outer glow color can be set to a similar color to the inner glow color, for a traditional look, or to an entirely different color to create a gradient in the glow.
- Alpha: Adjusts the transparency of the inner glow layer.
- Stability: Lowering the stability causes the core shape to fluctuate in size.
- Flicker: Sets the intensity of brightness flicker applied to the glow. This does not alter the shape of the glow.
- Falloff: Alters the range over which the glow edges are feathered. Lower numbers will create a harder edge to the glow.
- Mask: Controls whether masks applied to the layer affect the glow.
- Disable will allow the glow to naturally wrap around the mask edges, for a softer result.
- Enable will cut the glow off exactly at the edge of the mask.
- Invert will reveal the glow outside the mask, while removing it inside.
Distortion
The Outer Glow Distortion controls allow you to procedurally alter the shape of the outer glow to create a variety of animated results.
- Distortion: Controls the strength of distortion that is applied to the outer glow.
- Type: There are four types of distortion available, each of which gives a different result.
- Energy: A pattern of thin, energetic strings.
- Fluid: Replicates a pattern similar to the caustics created by looking through a volume of water.
- Heat: Replicates the haze and diffusion created by heat waves.
- Smoke: Soft, billowing distortion, like the texture of smoke.
- Noise: The noise that defines the shape of the distortion can be modified using these properties. They correspond to the controls in the standalone Distortion effects.
- Animation: The movement of the noise that defines the shape of the distortion can be modified using these properties. They correspond to the controls in the standalone Distortion effects.
Mask
- From: Choose the layer which will be used to mask the Neon Path Effect.
- Use Source: Enable or disable masking from the selected source.
- Use Text Alpha: When the Path From property is set to a text layer, this Property will appear, so you can enable or disable masking based on the Text alpha.
Background Distortion
The Background Distortion controls allow you to procedurally distort the image behind the Neon Path, to improve the realism of the effect’s integration into the scene.
- Distortion: Controls the strength of distortion that is applied to the background.
- Type: There are four types of distortion available, each of which gives a different result.
- Energy: A pattern of thin, energetic strings.
- Fluid: Replicates a pattern similar to the caustics created by looking through a volume of water.
- Heat: Replicates the haze and diffusion created by heat waves.
- Smoke: Soft, billowing distortion, like the texture of smoke.
- Noise: The noise that defines the shape of the distortion can be modified using these properties. They correspond to the controls in the standalone Distortion effects.
- Animation: The movement of the noise that defines the shape of the distortion can be modified using these properties. They correspond to the controls in the standalone Distortion effects.
- Blend: Choose how the effect is combined with the layer to which it is applied.