A Guide on Layer Parenting and Null Objects in Alight Motion.

Are you tired of spending hours on animation projects and adding keyframes to every single layer? I know that it is very difficult to manage all the layers, especially when you’re creating a complex animation. To ease this process, our team has conducted thorough research on Alight Motion tools that help you to manage all the layers under one layer and create hierarchical structure. In this article, we will guide you on how to use Layer Parenting and Null Objects in Alight Motion and what is the difference between them.

Layer Parenting and Null Objects.

In video editing and animation, Layer Parenting is a technique that allows one layer to control the position, rotation, and scale of another layer. For instance, we can create a parent layer to manage the movements of all the child layers. Any changes made to the parent layer will also reflect on child layers. It is like how a parent controls their child. Layer Parenting is extremely useful, especially when working on bigger projects, and when you want to manage all the layers with ease.

On the other hand, Null Objects, also known as an Empty layer, doesn’t have any visible content of its own, but it is useful to manage all the layers under one layer. For example, if you have multiple layers in your timeline and you want to manage all of them under one layer, you can do it with the help of a nulled or empty layer.

Feature	Layer Parenting	Null Objects
Definition	Allows one layer to be the parent of another layer, influencing its position and properties.	A layer that has no visual content of its own, but can be used to control other layers.
Hierarchy	Creates a hierarchical structure where child layers inherit properties from parent layers.	Does not create a hierarchy but instead acts as a control layer for other layers.
Functionality	Changes in the parent layer affect the child layer’s position and properties.	Used to control other layers’ transformations, such as position, rotation, and scale.
Flexibility	Parenting can be changed and modified after it has been set up.	Null Objects are more rigid and cannot be modified once created.
Use cases	Ideal for creating complex animations or organizing large numbers of layers.	Useful for creating intricate animations that require precise control over multiple layers.

How to parent layers in Alight Motion?

To create a parent-child relationship in Alight Motion, you need to have at least two layers in the timeline or composition. It’s important to note that a selected layer cannot be declared as its own parent. Instead, the selected layer will become the parent to the next layer. For example, if you have two layers in Alight Motion and you want to create a parent-child relationship, select the layer you want to use as the parent and tap on it. Then, on the upper right corner, you will find the layer parenting option. Click on it and select the layer you want to create a child relationship with. Once you have created a parent layer, you will see the arrow icon on the button indicating the parent-child relationship.

How to unparent any layer?

To unparent a layer in Alight Motion, you need to select the layer and click on the layer parenting button. Then, select the “None” option and the layer will be unparented.

Learn how to group layers in Alight Motion and tips about layer grouping.

How to use the parent layer in Alight Motion?

To use the parent layer in Alight Motion, you must have more than one layer in the timeline. You can only create one parent layer, and under the parent, you can create an unlimited number of child layers. This is the best way to chain the layers and create a hierarchical structure. In Alight Motion, if you make any change to the parent layer, it will reflect on the child layers. However, if you want to make changes to the child layer, it will not affect the parent layers.

While making changes to the parent or child layers, you can also apply different effects. When browsing effects, you will find an effect with a layer parent tag that will affect the child layer as well. However, if you want to control the impact of Alight Motion effects, you can apply the “Parenting Helper Effect.” With the help of this effect, you can control the behavior of the child and parent layers separately.

How to apply Null Objects in Alight Motion.

To apply Null Objects in Alight Motion, you need to click on the “+” button and go to the “Object” tab. In the object tab, you will find “Null” – just click on it and the layer will be added to the timeline. The Null layer will allow you to use the Move & Transform tools and apply different effects.

Conclusion

Layer parenting and null objects are useful tools in Alight Motion for managing and creating hierarchical structures of multiple layers. With layer parenting, you can establish a parent-child relationship between layers, and any changes made to the parent layer will also apply to the child layers. Null objects, on the other hand, are empty or invisible layers that enable you to control multiple layers with just one layer. By using these tools, you can create advanced animations and better control the behavior of your layers.