<p>Select the motion keyframes &amp; copy. Now create a new mask on the layer on which you have the stroke effect, any old mask shape will do. Set its mode to none. Now select the mask's <strong>Mask Path</strong> property and paste. The mask can now be used to provide the path for the stroke effect (it's the first property in the stroke effect). You have to directly select the <strong>Mask Path</strong> property, just pasting it on the layer will paste it to the position property of the layer.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/FZQp7.png" alt="paste on the mask path"></p>

<p>Because there's always more than one way of doing things in AE:</p>

<p>You can also create a shape layer with the pen tool. Once you've done expand the new shape layer until you see the <strong>Contents>Shape 1>Path</strong> property (it could be called Shape 2, 3 etc) and paste the motion path on to it. Then you can use it as a normal stroked shape layer.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/JI0YI.png" alt="select this and paste"></p>

<p><strong>Note</strong> As Alyssa points out below, when pasting a motion path to some other property you have to explicitly select that property, otherwise AE will just paste it on to the layer's position. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-02T21:25:35.737Z
Like stib said, make a shape layer and get to that shape 1/path 1/path spot, make sure you've selected path, and paste the keyframes. ***make sure when you copy the path go to EDIT then COPY. If you straight up ctrl/cmmd C it'll only let you paste in position.
Alyssa Gardner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-17T13:35:09.223Z
2018-03-12T13:51:06.983Z
2018-03-12T13:51:06.983Z
stib
<p>Not sure how to do this with the stroke effect.</p>

<p>But you can use a particle generator set the movement and physics to  0  and link the particle source to the trackpoint. This will generate a stroke of particles, and if you ramp up the amount of particles you can make a solid line.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-17T13:36:20.153Z
That could be used to generate interesting particle effects, but it's a very computationally intensive way to draw a stroke, given that there's a couple of methods for drawing strokes built-in to AE.
stib
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-14T15:58:24.530Z
2014-11-14T15:58:24.530Z
guus
<p>In After Effect, I tracked a moving object in my Video with the Motion Tracker. There I got Keyframes, which I want to use.
Now, I would like to show the path of my object in the Video. I thought to use the stroke effect, to get one stroke that is builded when it "follows" my object. The goal is, that the stroke shows in the end the path of my object.</p>

<p>Do you know how to accomplish this task? 
I don't now how to modify the position keyframes from motion tracker that I can use them in "stroke". (Thought also to interpolate them with bezier, but what's next?)</p>

<p>Thanks for your help!</p>

<p>Max</p>

<after-effects><motion><tracking>
After Effect: Create Stroke from Motion Track Path
MaxAE
# After Effect: Create Stroke from Motion Track Path

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-13)

In After Effect, I tracked a moving object in my Video with the Motion Tracker. There I got Keyframes, which I want to use.
Now, I would like to show the path of my object in the Video. I thought to use the stroke effect, to get one stroke that is builded when it "follows" my object. The goal is, that the stroke shows in the end the path of my object.

Do you know how to accomplish this task?
I don't now how to modify the position keyframes from motion tracker that I can use them in "stroke". (Thought also to interpolate them with bezier, but what's next?)

Thanks for your help!

Max

**Tags:** after-effects, motion, tracking


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-11-17. Score: 3

Select the motion keyframes & copy. Now create a new mask on the layer on which you have the stroke effect, any old mask shape will do. Set its mode to none. Now select the mask's **Mask Path** property and paste. The mask can now be used to provide the path for the stroke effect (it's the first property in the stroke effect). You have to directly select the **Mask Path** property, just pasting it on the layer will paste it to the position property of the layer.

![paste on the mask path](https://i.sstatic.net/FZQp7.png)

Because there's always more than one way of doing things in AE:

You can also create a shape layer with the pen tool. Once you've done expand the new shape layer until you see the **Contents>Shape 1>Path** property (it could be called Shape 2, 3 etc) and paste the motion path on to it. Then you can use it as a normal stroked shape layer.

![select this and paste](https://i.sstatic.net/JI0YI.png)

**Note** As Alyssa points out below, when pasting a motion path to some other property you have to explicitly select that property, otherwise AE will just paste it on to the layer's position.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Like username_1 said, make a shape layer and get to that shape 1/path 1/path spot, make sure you've selected path, and paste the keyframes. ***make sure when you copy the path go to EDIT then COPY. If you straight up ctrl/cmmd C it'll only let you paste in position.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2014-11-14. Score: 1

Not sure how to do this with the stroke effect.

But you can use a particle generator set the movement and physics to 0 and link the particle source to the trackpoint. This will generate a stroke of particles, and if you ramp up the amount of particles you can make a solid line.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: That could be used to generate interesting particle effects, but it's a very computationally intensive way to draw a stroke, given that there's a couple of methods for drawing strokes built-in to AE.  

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