What Are Drop Shadows In After Effects?ĭrop shadows in After Effects (and in general design) are used to add depth and dimension to an object in your video, which ultimately accentuates the appearance that a foreground element is positioned above another element. This could be text in front of a plain background, or even a transparent object nestled In front of other layers. Usually, drop shadows aren't meant to be realistic looking as they are only used for decoration, however, if you're trying to achieve a real-life look, you can do so by using separate black or dark solid layers as a drop shadow instead of the drop shadow effect itself. This method of drop shadow creation may also require knowledge about After Effects 3D cameras and light positioning. How To Add Drop Shadow In After Effectsįor text, PNGs and other simple motion graphics, shadows can be achieved easily using the drop shadow effect.Open the effects panel and search for 'drop shadow'.apply the drop shadow effect onto the desired layer by selecting the layer, then double clicking the effect.You can also drag the drop shadow effect directly onto the layer.Adjust the direction, opacity, softness and other effect controls of the drop shadow to your preference.Some of the variables you can control with the drop shadow effect are:.Direction: Changes where the shadow points towards.Color: Adjust the color of the shadow (we recommend sticking to either black, grey or white).Opacity: Controls the transparency of the shadow.
![add easy drop shadow after effects add easy drop shadow after effects](https://madebyloop.co.uk/images/products/slider/highline/hatched-drop-shadow-after-effects.jpg)
Distance: Moves the shadow further away or closer towards your layer.You also have the ability to animate any parameter of the drop shadow effect by keyframing certain properties. See the templates below to find inspiration on how direction among other properties are adjusted to create eye-catching designs. Layer Styles Method For Creating Better Shadowsīegin by creating a new composition in After Effects. Once you have done this, click on the “T” text function and type the text you want. Next, select the Layer tab and navigate to Layer Styles > Drop Shadow. This method offers more property adjustments compared to the first method. Within this menu, you can make even more adjustments to your drop shadow effect. For instance, you can choose the Blend Mode that works best for your shadow, such as Linear Burn or Multiply. You can also add “noise” to your shadow to give it a gritty appearance with the Noise Shadow setting.
![add easy drop shadow after effects add easy drop shadow after effects](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/81/e8/c4/81e8c46ca65c0e12cb0cb93a5848ef43.png)
![add easy drop shadow after effects add easy drop shadow after effects](https://illustratorhow.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-add-drop-shadow5.png)
If you want to ensure that the light sources for all objects correspond and the shadows align, use the Use Global Light setting. On the other hand, if you're dealing with transparent text or objects, the Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow setting stops the shadow or allows it to be seen through the object. With the Size Shadow setting, you can adjust the size of the shadow. If you want to change the angle of the shadow, use the Angle setting. Lastly, if you want to make the shadow spread wider than the original object, you can use the Spread setting. Use a Light and camera layer to create a realistic 3D shadow.Use the CC Radial Fast Blur to create a more subtle shadow.Use a Gradient Fill to create a realistic shadow. Realistic Drop Shadow After Effects - 3 Simple Tricks If these tips seem to difficult to design on your own, here are three easy-to-customize presets and templates that you can use to achieve a better looking drop shadow in After Effects. The first one is free to download and the following two will require a Motion Array subscription.Step 2: Adjust the settings of the shadow if you’re not happy with the default one. There are a few things that you can change, including blending mode, the opacity of the shadow, X and Y offsets, Blurriness, and color of the shadow.