by Bending Spoons·Motion Graphics
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Picasso Shaper stands out in the Adobe Exchange library for pairing size and position expressions inside a shape layer that resizes itself to its content. The 2.0.0 update added Snug Fit, custom color palettes, and a refreshed UI.
Picasso Shaper, developed by Bending Spoons, generates a shape layer in After Effects. The layer carries expressions in both its size and position attributes, which is what allows the shape to automatically resize based on the content it holds. Expressions and shapes sit at the core of the tool.
Version 2.0.0, released on 19 October 2021, introduces a reworked UI along with two additions. Snug Fit makes the shape follow the lines of the text, while Colors lets you build your own palettes, from which Picasso then generates shapes using those colors.
The plugin is compatible with After Effects 17.0 and later. It appears in the Adobe Exchange library, where it currently ranks 72, and is listed here as free. For the latest licensing details, check the developer's page from Bending Spoons.
Picasso Shaper is best for after Effects users who want shape layers that auto-resize to their content, with options to follow text lines and generate shapes from custom color palettes.
Picasso Shaper is completely free to download and use.
Picasso Shaper is compatible with After Effects 17.0 and later, so it runs on that release and newer versions. If you're on an earlier build, you'd need to update to at least 17.0 to use it. The current release is version 2.0.0, last updated on 19 October 2021. For confirmation against your exact After Effects version, the developer's page from Bending Spoons on Adobe Exchange is the best place to check.
Picasso Shaper's Snug Fit option makes the shape follow the lines of the text. It was introduced in the version 2.0.0 update alongside a reworked UI. The tool's core function is to create a shape layer whose size and position attributes hold expressions, allowing the shape to automatically resize based on its content, and Snug Fit builds on that by fitting the layer to the text lines. For the full behaviour, refer to the developer's page.
Picasso Shaper's Colors feature lets you build your own palettes, and Picasso then generates shapes using those colors. It arrived in the version 2.0.0 update, together with the Snug Fit option and a reworked UI. This sits alongside the plugin's main job of creating a shape layer with expressions in its size and position attributes that automatically resizes to its content. Full details are on the developer's page.
Picasso Shaper is listed here as free. Prices and licensing terms can change, so for the current details it's best to check the developer's page from Bending Spoons. The entry covers version 2.0.0, last updated on 19 October 2021, and works with After Effects 17.0 and later. It appears in the Adobe Exchange library, where you can find the version described here.
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