Rotate or orient a 3D layer
You can turn a 3D layer by changing the layer’s Orientation values or by changing its Rotation values. In both cases, the layer turns around its anchor point. The Orientation and Rotation properties differ in how the layer moves when you animate them.
When you animate a 3D layer’s Orientation property, the layer turns as directly as possible to reach the specified orientation. When you animate any of a 3D layer’s X, Y, or Z Rotation properties, the layer rotates along each individual axis according to the individual property values. In other words, Orientation values specify an angular destination, whereas Rotation values specify an angular route. Animate Rotation properties to make a layer turn multiple times.
Animating the Orientation property is often better for natural, smooth motion, whereas animating the Rotation properties provides more precise control.
Donat Van Bellinghen provides a some expressions for placing and orienting a 3D layer in the plane defined by three points: www.adobe.com/go/learn_ae_donat3dlayer3points.
Rotate or orient a 3D layer in the Composition panel
- Select the Rotation tool
, and
choose Orientation or Rotation from the Set menu to determine whether
the tool affects Orientation or Rotation properties. - In the Composition panel, do one of the following:
-
Drag the arrowhead of the 3D axis layer control corresponding to the axis around which you want to turn the layer.
-
Drag a layer handle. Dragging a corner handle turns the layer around the z axis; dragging a left or right center handle turns the layer around the y axis; dragging a top or bottom handle turns the layer around the x axis.
-
Drag the layer.
Shift-drag to constrain your manipulations
to 45-degree increments. -
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