Colorize - Manual

select, click - voila!

Introduction

Colorize tool is a script for after effects that will significantly speed up your work with colors. Colorize comes packed with lots of handpicked color presets. Each preset is editable and you can modify your color swatches at any time. You can even export and import new presets or share them with colleagues or clients.

Colorize is build with lots of shortcuts that remind the workflow of Illustrator. As soon as you give them a try we belive they will change your way of working with colors in After Effects.

Also colorize tool works with all kinds of layers at the same time and even with multiple comps. Just make your selection and press the colorize button.

Tihomir Trifonov a.k.a. Mastermind (programming)
Jelio Dimitrov a.k.a. Arsek (design)

Installation

To install Colorize you simply need to follow these 2 steps:

  1. After unpacking the archive of the script, copy and paste the files contained in it to this specific folder of After Effects:
    • On Windows this folder is located at:
      "(after_effects_install_path)/Support Files/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels"
    • On Macintosh this folder is located at:
      "(after_effects_install_path)/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels"
  2. Allow Sweet to access the network so your copy can be registered. This option is found under "Preferences > General" tab of After Effects
    • On Windows this option is located in:
      "Edit > Preferences > General...
    • On Macintosh this option is located in:
      "After Effects > Preferences > General...
  3. Make sure the user that runs AE has permissions to read from and write to the ScriptUI Panels folder. If you have issues with your license file you can try to:
    • On Windows:
      run After Effects as administrator or change the permissions of that folder from Properties > Security > Edit..
    • On Macintosh:
      change the permissions of that folder from Get Info > Sharing & Permissions

User Interface

We did our best to blend in Colorize's interface with your current After Effects Workspace. From the bumpy CS 5 design through the flat version of CC 2015 to CC 2017 we've got you covered!

Draggable menus

All drop down menus and animation thumbnails now support dragging, scrolling or both depending on your version of AE and OS.

Colorize User Interface elements

1) Settings button

Opens Colorize Settings window. Check Colorize Settings section below.

2) Color swatches

Select color swatch from the drop down menu. After selection is made you can edit the combination or apply single or all colors to a different parts of the selected layers and compositions using combination of shortcuts. More information at the Shortcuts section below.

3) Edit current color group

Opens Colorize Color Group Selection window where you can preview and edit all colors. More information in the Color Group Window section below.

4) Add as new

Saves current color selection as new entry in your color swatch library.

5) Colorize button

Colorize all selected layers using all colors in the current color group. Shortcut combinations available - see Shortcuts section below.

6) Rn button - Random color group

Select random color group from your library and colorize all selected layers. Shortcut combinations available - see Shortcuts section below.

7) Extract from Layers

Extract all possible colors from the selected layers and create as much color groups as needed.

8) Extract from Comps

Extract all possible colors from the selected Compositions in AE's Project panel and create as much color groups as needed.

9) Extract from Project

Extract all possible colors from the entire project and create as much color groups as needed.

10) Show Available Shortcuts

Brings up the Colorize Shortcuts window.

Colorize Settings

Set the desired preferences for the colorize tool.

Colorize Settings window > General tab

1) General tab

All preferences concerning Colorize.

2) Color Swatch

Your current color library. You can import or export new colors at any time.

3) Add new palette

Show the "Colorize Color Group Selection" window with option to add new color palette.

4) Color group row

All colors in the current color group. Each color group can have up to 10 colors. All color groups have the option to be moved one position up or down using the arrow up and arrow down buttons; to be edited in the "Colorize Color Group Selection" window by pressing the "Edit" button; to be removed using the "Delete" button or to be exported to a file using the "Export" button.

5) Animation offset

The number of frames to offset each animation position on the timeline. Negative values are possible. You can drag the text slider control or click on it to set it to precise number.

6) Reset

Reset all settings for sweet and the colorize tool to their default state. This action won't affect your licenses.

7) Save

Save changes made on all tabs.

8) Cancel/Close button

Closes the Sweet Settings window. If any changes to the General tab or the Colorize tab were made pop-up window will ask to whether save or discard any changes.

9) Social links

Opens our social pages in your browser.

Colorize Settings window > License tab

1) License tab

2) License information

Shows your current license status. It will automatically give you option to "Uninstall" if the product is already active.

3) Uninstall

If you're planning to transfer your animation packages to another machine you must first remove all license data from your current computer - each license serves only one machine. After uninstalling your packs contact our support for further instructions.

Colorize Editing/Adding colors

Set the desired preferences for the colorize tool.

Colorize Color Group Selection window

1) Color slots

Visualization of all color values. Right click on any color to open the "Colorize Color Selection" for the particular slot. Right Click + Shift to duplicate a slot. Right Click + Ctrl/Cmd to remove color slot.

2) Color slot values

Comma separated textual representation of the values of all color slots in different color spaces. Can be edited in realtime.

3) OK - confirm action

If in editing mode - save the changes; if in adding mode - add new palette to the library.

4) Close

Discard any changes made and close the window.

Colorize Color Selection window

1) Color slot

Visualization of the color value. Right click to open the platform specific color picker.

2) Color slot value

Textual representation of the value for the visualized color in different color spaces. Can be edited in realtime.

3) OK - confirm action

If in editing mode - save the changes; if in adding mode - add new color to the color group.

4) Close

Discard any changes made and close the window.

Colorize Shortcuts window

1) Left Click

Left clicking over any color will colorize the representing Fill and Stroke color properties of the selected layers and/or properties using single color.

2) Ctrl/Cmd + Left Click

Holding down Ctrl(Win)/Cmd(Mac) key and Left clicking over any color will colorize the representing Fill color properties of the selected layers and/or properties using single color.

3) Alt + Left Click

Holding down Alt key and Left clicking over any color will colorize the representing Stroke color properties of the selected layers and/or properties using single color.

4) Shift + Left Click

Holding down Shift key and Left clicking over any color will colorize the representing Effects and Styles color properties of the selected layers using single color.

5) Right Click

Right Click over any color to bring up the Colorize Color Selection window and edit it's value.

6) Ctrl/Cmd + Right Click

Holding down Ctrl(Win)/Cmd(Mac) key and Right clicking over any color will remove it from the color group permanently.

7) Alt + Right Click

Holding down Alt key and Right clicking over any color will disable the color and this color won't be used when colorizing the selected layers and/or properties using the Colorize or Rn buttons.

8) Shift + Right Click

Holding down Shift key and Right clicking over any color will duplicate the color and add it to the end of the current Color Group. Maximum allowed colors - 10.

9) Left Click

Left clicking over the Colorize/Rn will colorize the representing Fill and Stroke color properties of the selected layers and/or properties using all enabled colors in the color group.

Holding down Ctrl(Win)/Cmd(Mac) key and Left clicking over the Colorize/Rn button will colorize the representing Fill color properties of the selected layers and/or properties using all enabled colors in the color group.

11) Alt + Left Click

Holding down Alt key and Left clicking over the Colorize/Rn button will colorize the representing Stroke color properties of the selected layers and/or properties using all enabled colors in the color group.

12) Shift + Left Click

Holding down Shift key and Left clicking over the Colorize/Rn button will colorize the representing Effects and Styles color properties of the selected layers using all enabled colors in the color group.

Activation

After acquiring an Activation key for Colorize from aesweets.com you simply need to enter your purchase e-mail and the received Activation key in the Colorize Settings window > License tab and then press the Activate button.

How to Activate the Colorize tool

1) Enter your email

Enter your Activation email. The email is listed in your "Product Activation Keys" table and sent to you via email after successful purchase. If you can't find your email please contact our help center.

2) Enter your Activation key

Enter the received "Activation Key" from your purchase email.

3) Activate

Press the Activate button and wait for the process to finish. After successful activation your "License information" status will change to Active. Make sure that your firewall is is disabled upon activation and AE have access to aesweets.com

NOTE: Make sure your After Effects and your machine can access aesweets.com for the activation process to take place. If you have firewall or proxy add the needed exceptions or disable them before the activation. You can turn back on your firewall and proxy server after the process.

How to use Colorize

You can check our video guides on how to use colorize at aesweets.com/help-center/colorize/faq/

Applying animation preset

1) Select the desired layer in the Composition panel.

2) Select the desired Color Group from the Color Group drop down menu arrow.

3) Press the colorize button.

4) All selected layers will be colorize according to your Color Group selection.

Changelog

2017-06-28 - v1.0.1 - Fix/workaround for AE bug related to mouseout events for Mac OS (Disappearing UI).
2017-02-22 - v1.00 - Colorize release date.