Aescripts Paint Stick V2.1.2c For After Effec...

Example: Removing a Gobo Shadow from an Actor’s Face

Let’s use AEScripts Paint Stick v2.1.2c to solve the classic "bouncing ball" problem, where the ball stretches horizontally and vertically.

Step 1: Setup Create a standard 1920x1080 comp. Select a solid layer (any color) and open the Paint Stick panel (Window > Extensions > Paint Stick).

Step 2: Rough Sketching Enable the "Pen Pressure" toggle. On frame 1 (ball at apex), draw a small circle. On frame 12 (ball smashing into ground), draw a flat pancake shape. On frame 24 (rebound apex), draw a tall, thin ellipse. Don't be perfect; the script cleans the lines.

Step 3: Apply the Script Select the layer containing your three drawings. Click "Generate Vector Sequence" in Paint Stick v2.1.2c. In the modal, set Trace Mode to Smooth (High) and enable Interpolate Missing Frames. AEScripts Paint Stick v2.1.2c for After Effec...

Step 4: The Magic The script will analyze the stroke count. Because v2.1.2c uses Topological Matching, it knows the circle on frame 1 correlates to the pancake on frame 12. It generates 11 in-between frames (frames 2-11) where the vector paths gradually morph.

Step 5: Refinement Open the generated Shape Layer. Twirl down Contents > Group 1 > Paths > Path 1. You will see keyframes at every frame. Slide the keyframes forward/backward to adjust timing. Because it is vector, you can scale the whole bounce to 400% without pixelation.

AEScripts Paint Stick v2.1.2c is available exclusively through aescripts.com (and their resellers). Pricing is typically $49.99 USD for a single license, with volume discounts for studios. Upgrades from v1.x to v2.x cost around $29.99, while minor point updates (like 2.1 to 2.1.2c) are free for existing v2 license holders. A free trial is available, which adds subtle watermarks to strokes but allows full functionality for 14 days.

Combine Paint Stick with Turbulent Displace. Paint a fire effect onto a dragon. Because the stroke is driven by tracked data, the fire texture slides with the scales rather than floating in space. Example: Removing a Gobo Shadow from an Actor’s

AEScripts Paint Stick retails for approximately $49.99 USD (Upgrades from v1.x are $15). Version 2.1.2c is a free update for v2.x owners.

Verdict: If you do rotoscoping or animated doodles for 2+ hours a week, the plugin pays for itself in the first project. If you need to paint a subtle motion trail once a year, you can get by with the native Brush tool.

However, the MFR support in 2.1.2c is the killer feature. In 2024, rendering without MFR is unacceptable. This update future-proofs the tool.

Paint a stroke over a microphone boom mic. Set blend mode to "Difference." Track it. You now have a moving garbage mask ready to be filled with content-aware fill. Step 2: Rough Sketching Enable the "Pen Pressure" toggle

Problem: "The stroke jumps off the object at frame 150." Solution: The tracked texture moved out of frame or overlapped with a shadow. Use the "Split Track" tool. Select frame 149, click "Hold Here." Retrack from 150 to 200 separately.

Problem: "Brush lags when drawing." Solution: Turn off "Live Brush Preview" in the Paint Stick settings dropdown. This is a known quirk when working with 8K EXR sequences.

Problem: "Expression error: ‘paintStickTrackingData’ undefined." Solution: This happens if you rename the solid layer containing the paint. Paint Stick uses the Layer ID. Undo the rename, or click "Re-link Tracker."