Edit fill, outline, and feathering in Motion

After you draw a shape, you can adjust the fill, outline, and feathering to suit your needs. Because a line is really an outline, all Outline parameters in the Inspector apply to a line.

For information on adjusting shape and mask splines and controls points, see Intro to editing control points in Motion.

Turn a shape’s outline on or off

In Motion, select a shape in the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline.
In the Style pane of the Shape Inspector, select or deselect the Outline activation checkbox.

Note: You can also use the Shape HUD to turn the outline on or off.

Edit a shape’s outline

In Motion, select a shape in the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline.
In the Style pane of the Shape Inspector, do any of the following in the Outline controls:
- Turn a shape’s outline on or off: Select or deselect the Outline activation checkbox.
- Change the color of the outline: Select a different color from the Brush Color control.
- Change the width of the outline: Drag the Width slider.
  Note: You can also use the Shape HUD to change outline color, roundness, and width.
- Change how the outline’s sharp corners are drawn: Click the Joint pop-up menu, then choose an option.
- Change the shape of an outline’s start and end caps: Click the Start Cap or End Cap pop-up menu, then choose an option.
- Change whether the outline appears over or under a shape’s fill: Click the Order pop-up menu, then choose an option.
- Change the outline from the default solid to an editable paint stroke: Set Brush Type to Airbrush or Image. See Style pane controls in Motion.
To change the roundness of the outline, open the Geometry pane of the Shape Inspector and adjust the Roundness slider.

Edit a shape’s fill

In Motion, select a shape in the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline.
In the Style pane of the Shape Inspector, do any of the following in the Fill controls:
- Turn a shape’s fill on or off: Select or deselect the Fill activation checkbox.
- Change a shape’s fill mode from a solid color to a gradient: Click the Fill Mode pop-up menu, then choose Gradient.
  If the shape’s fill mode is set to a solid color, you can choose the color using the Fill Color control.
  If the shape’s fill mode is set to a gradient, you can choose a gradient from the Gradient preset pop-up menu, or click the Gradient parameter’s disclosure triangle to display the gradient editor and create your own custom gradient. For more information on using gradient editors, see Gradient editor controls in Motion.

Feather a shape

In Motion, select a shape in the Layers list, canvas, or Timeline.
If the shape’s outline is visible, deselect the Outline activation checkbox in the Style pane of the Shape Inspector.
Do one of the following:
- Adjust the Feather slider in the HUD or in the Style pane of the Shape Inspector.
  Positive values spread the feathering outward, while negative values feather the shape inward.
- Drag the outer edge of a simple shape inward or outward in the canvas.
  Note: You can only feather shapes that have the outline turned off.
Optionally, you can also adjust the Falloff parameter in the Style pane of the Shape Inspector, which controls how steep the feathering is.

Helpful?

Motion User Guide

Edit fill, outline, and feathering in Motion

Turn a shape’s outline on or off

Edit a shape’s outline

Edit a shape’s fill

Feather a shape