In Motion, select the Bezier tool in the canvas toolbar (or press B).
Note: The Bezier Mask tool is located in the mask tools pop-up menu in the canvas toolbar.
The Bezier Tool HUD (or Bezier Mask Tool HUD) appears. (If it doesn’t appear, press F7.) To change the parameters of the shape (or mask) before you draw it, adjust the controls in this HUD.
Note: You can also edit the shape parameters after you draw the mask.
Click in the canvas to draw the first point.
To add points to further define the shape, do one of the following:
- Click in the canvas to make a linear corner point.
- Drag in the canvas to make a curved Bezier point, adjusting it to the shape you want.
Press and hold the Shift key while making a curved point to constrain its tangents to 45-degree angles. Press and hold Command–Equal Sign (=) to zoom in for a closer look and Command-Hyphen (–) to zoom out. You can scroll around by pressing the Space bar as you drag in the canvas. If you have a trackpad, it’s even easier: pinch open or closed to zoom in or out, and use a two-finger swipe to scroll around.
To finish the shape, do one of the following:
- Click the first point you drew to create a closed shape.
- Press C to close the shape, joining the first point you created to the last.
- Double-click anywhere in the canvas to create the last point of an open shape.
- Press Return to create the last point of an open shape.
Note: Before a shape is closed, you can press Esc to cancel the entire operation, deleting the shape.
Immediately after finishing a shape, the Shape HUD appears and the Edit Points tool is selected, which lets you edit the shape you’ve just created.

Draw a B-Spline shape or mask

In the canvas toolbar in Motion, click and hold the path shape tools pop-up menu, then choose B-Spline.
Note: If the Bezier tool is selected, pressing B once selects the B-Spline tool. If another tool is selected, such as the Text tool, pressing B twice selects the B-Spline tool. The B-Spline Mask tool is located in the mask tools pop-up menu in the canvas toolbar.
The B-Spline Tool HUD (or B-Spline Mask Tool HUD) appears. (If it doesn’t appear, press F7.) To change the parameters of the shape (or mask) before it is drawn, adjust the controls in this HUD.
Click in the canvas to draw the first point.
Continue clicking in the canvas to draw additional points to define the shape you need.
Tip: While drawing a shape, you can move and adjust the control points you’ve created before finishing the shape. You can adjust any control point except the first one you created, because clicking the first point closes the shape. Press and hold the Shift key while making a curved point to constrain its tangents to 45-degree angles.
As you create new B-Spline control points, keep the following in mind:
- The control points you draw influence the shape of the curve from a distance. They do not lie directly on the surface of the curve.
- To create more detailed curves, create more points. However, it’s best to use the fewest number of points necessary to create the amount of detail you need. Shapes with an excessive number of points can be difficult to edit later on.
- In many instances, it’s easier to create a loose group of control points first and then adjust them afterwards to create the precise curve you need in a later step.
When you’re ready to finish your shape, do one of the following:
- Click the first point you drew to create a closed shape.
- Press C to close the shape, joining the first point you created to the last.
- Press Return to finish an open shape at the last point you made.
- Double-click anywhere in the canvas to define the last point of an open shape.
Note: You can press Esc to cancel the entire operation and delete the shape.
Immediately after finishing a shape, the Shape HUD appears and the Edit Points tool is selected, which lets you edit the shape you’ve just created.

Draw a freehand mask

Freehand masks create a mask shape in one movement, rather than in a point-by-point fashion (like a Bezier or B-Spline shape). For best results, use a stylus and tablet when drawing freehand masks.

In the Layers list in Motion, select the layer to mask; then in the canvas toolbar, click and hold the mask tools pop-up menu and choose Freehand Mask.
The Freehand Mask Tool HUD appears. To change the parameters of the mask before you draw it, adjust the controls in this HUD.
Do any of the following:
- Using a mouse: Drag in the canvas to draw a shape, finishing the mask at the starting point.
- Using a tablet: With a stylus, draw on the tablet, finishing the mask at the starting point.
A small circle appears when the pointer is over the starting point.
Note: If you don’t close the mask at its starting point, the mask is closed when you release the mouse button or lift the stylus.
The mask is completed.
Edit your control points to fine-tune the mask.

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Helpful?

Motion User Guide

Draw complex shapes and masks in Motion

Draw a Bezier shape or mask

Draw a B-Spline shape or mask

Draw a freehand mask