How to Use This Help System                          CreativEase plugins main help page

Welcome! This help guide holds everything you need to know about Pixelan Software's CreativEase effects. This help guide includes basic info, tutorials, and tips. To access this help while using CreativEase effect, click FxHelp button at the top of the effect interface.

Contents

•How to Apply CreativEase Plugin in Adobe After Effects
•Basics Within CreativEase
•CreativEase Saved Settings and Presets
•Detailed CreativEase Help and Tutorials

CreativEase effects plugin is applied like any plugin effect in Adobe After Effects. Simply drag-and-drop CreativEase effects plugin on a timeline layer, from the Pixelan folder of the Effects and Presets panel of After Effects. Effect's interface will appear in the Effect Controls panel of After Effects. See below for the basic steps to using the plugins.

(1) Click Click here to load a preset... to visually choose from hundreds of pre-made effects (plus saved favorites) in an animated Effects Browser window. Click Recent to quickly load a recently used preset. Click Menu to quickly load an effect via a pop-up menu. Or Open for standard Open dialog box.
To create a new effect or modify a preset, do the steps below...
(2) To make initial changes towards a desired look, use the top section of the plugin to adjust its main settings. BlurPro is shown as an example here. To try several pre-made settings, click its Section Presets menu. Use the Split Preview menu to compare adjustments side-by-side to your source footage.
(3) If needed, untwirl other sections of the CreativEase plugin to tune further. For detailed help per control, see below on this web page. A Section Presets button is conveniently at the top of each expanded section to quickly explore and combine handy pre-made settings -- another Pixelan exdusive.
(4) To save your new/modified look in our large visual Effects Browser for easy future re-use, click the Save button. We recommend saving in the "My Favorites" subfolder provided. Done!

Most CreativEase plugins has two or three types of presets -- Effects Browser presets, Section presets and Spice Library presets (in some plugins only). After Effects additionally can create Animation presets in its Effects & Presets panel.

Effects Browser presets

This is the most powerful and visual way to access presets and is where HUNDREDS of presets are located. Click the Click here to load a preset... button at the top of CreativEase to open a wonderful large Effects Browser window to visually choose/compare from many pre-made presets (including those you have made and saved for future re-use). To explore presets, click a folder in the left pane, then click a thumbnail image to see animated preview. Double-click to apply. nTo save your own custom presets in the Effects Browser, use effect controls to set up the desired look, then click the Save button in the main effect control area.

Time-saving tips to load presets faster:
The Effects Browser is fast, but sometimes you may already know which preset you want to use, such as when you are applying the same preset repeatedly in a project. In that situation, selecting a preset by one of the following methods can be faster...

To see recently chosen Effects Browser presets, click the Recent button. For a drop-down menu of Effects Browser presets, click the Menu button. To use a standard Open file dialog box, click the Open button.

Spice Library presets

Each 'spice' is a specially-designed grayscale map that guides the effect. It's simple in concept but incredibly flexible and organic in its creative possibilities compared to the usual hard-edged, limited-adjustment, standard algorithmic effects.
Click the large Choose Spice File button located in Spice section (if present) to open a Spice Library window and visually choose/compare from 600+ spices.
Click a subfolder in the Library's left pane, as shown below. Thumbnail-size previews of available effects will then play in the right pane so you can visually compare and choose the best effect design for your segment.
Double-click a thumbnail in the Library's right pane to select the effect and close the Library.
To choose a spice but bypass the Library, Alt-click the Choose Spice File button to get a standard Open dialog box. Then navigate to and select the file. This is how you can load an image you have created.
Shift-click the Choose Spice button to quickly load a spice via a multi-level menu. Cmd-click the Choose Spice button to quickly load a recently used spice.

Handy tips while working within the Effects Browser and Spice Library:
• To scroll through presets in a folder while keeping your eye on the top preview image for comparison, click a thumbnail in the right pane then use arrow keys.
• To increase/decrease the thumbnail image size, use the Size button at the bottom of the Effects Browser.
• To copy a favorite preset into the My Favorites folder located atop the left column of preset folders, Control-click any preset image and choose Copy to My Favorites. To copy the preset into a subfolder within that folder (such as if you want to organize presets per project or per client), Control-click the preset and choose Copy to My Favorites >> [new subfolder]. You can then name the subfolder as desired. After the subfolder is created, it will also appear in the Control-click menu.
• To rename a preset that is in the My Favorites folder, Control-click the preset there and choose Rename this preset. To remove a My Favorites preset, Control-click and choose Delete this preset.
• To hide any preset, Control-click the preset and choose Hide this preset. To show all hidden presets in a folder, Control-click any preset in that folder and choose Restore all hidden presets from this folder. To temporarily view the folder's hidden presets, which can be handy if you just want to momentarily browse them, choose Temporarily show hidden presets.

Section presets

Unlike the Effect Browser presets, these change ONLY the controls in ONE section of CreativEase controls. Within any section (aka "twirly") of controls, choose from the Preset menu. Mixing presets from several sections is a quick and easy way to try hundreds of fresh blur effect variations.

 

AE Animation presets

If you prefer, you can save CreativEase presets as animation presets in the usual place within After Effects, by selecting CreativEase effect, then choosing Save Animation Preset from the Animation menu in After Effects or from the Effects & Presets panel menu.

 

Color Effects Pack
PosterWise™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
A creative break-through in "posterize" effects, easily creating everything from color-accurate cartoon looks in video to beautiful abstract imagery.
ChromaWarp™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
Ideal for creative and unique color effects -- from subtle/film-style blends to strong cutting-edge looks -- with full creative control of where it appears within the image.

Blur Effects Pack
OrganiBlur™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
Unlike overused standard blur effects, enjoy fresh organic blurs and fluid looks via technology borrowed from our popular SpiceMASTER plug-in.
BlurPro™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
Blurs and unique blend/mask tools synergized, making it easy to selectively soften/sharpen your clips and create fresh animated blur effects.

Depth Effects Pack
RiseShine™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
Instantly and easily add beautifully realistic depth, creative organic looks, AND glossy/wet treatments -- to titles, logos and graphics and to regular video clips!
FlowTexture™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
Create fully-adjustable realistic water drops AND an almost infinite array of other liquid-like depth effects -- from abstract 'etchings' to amazing organic flows.

Grain Effects Pack
GrainPlus™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
From subtle FILM grain to visual buzzing, dynamic weaving patterns, random brightness/hue changes, and more creatively -- easily applied only where desired within your scene.
SpatterFlex™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
A dynamic, flexible, softenable spatter effect to add a highly artistic touch to your video and animation. A great visual effects plug-in for titles, too!

Time Effects Pack (not available for all systems)
StepMotion™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
Create image ghosting, trails, and other time-delay effects in high-motion footage -- but with a more attractive progressively-dissolved style.
StepTime™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
A unique blended stop-action effect that also can selectively echo light or dark pixels for unique stutter and echo looks.

Extras
KaleidElastic™	Features	Tutorial	Controls in Detail
Create unique image shifts, distortions, patterns, broken mirror, and other fractured look effects.