Answers.Body: <p>Probably a dumb question, but is your circle the same colour as the rocket?
  Then it would appear to obscure the rocket...</p>
  
  <p>Alternatively - 
  There could be some kind of <a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/alpha-channels-masks-mattes.html" rel="nofollow">matte</a> on one of the layers? 
  Click on the Toggle Switches/Modes button at the bottom of the list of layers in the timeline, and see whether any mattes are switched on.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-03T10:29:58.467Z
Answers.Text: That was it - white on white!  Thank you so much.  Wish I could upvote x10!
Answers.UserDisplayName: Sabuncu
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-03T10:44:56.603Z
Answers.Text: No worries at all - if you're ever not sure about something like that, switching the "Mask and Shape Visiblity" button on and off can help to see what's going on.  It's Cmd + Shift + H on a mac (ctrl + shift + H on a PC I assume).
Answers.UserDisplayName: tomh
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-03T11:44:53.393Z
Answers.Text: I switched back to white on white to see the effects of toggling "Mask/Shape Visibility".  It did not help.  Sometimes only knowledge from someone experienced as yourself works.  Thank you again. (No wonder BBC production values are high!)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Sabuncu
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-03T10:23:13.277Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-05-03T10:23:13.277Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: tomh
Body: <p>I am following an AE tutorial.  As part of its exercise files, the tutorial provides an .ai file that has two layers: a rocket and a black background. The .ai file is then imported into AE as a composition, thereby retaining the two layers.</p>
  
  <p>The tutorial then creates a circle as a shape layer.  It places the shape layer below the rocket but above the background:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/MZ4Gh.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/MZ4Gh.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>and the following is displayed:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/RMVUE.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/RMVUE.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>When I do the same, the circle obstructs the rocket layer:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/4Oxlm.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/4Oxlm.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>The only way I can get the rocket layer to be visible is by moving the circle layer all the way to the vertical bottom:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/buKSr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/buKSr.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>It's as if the two layers of the original .ai file are behaving as one.  What could be the problem?</p>
  
Tags: <after-effects>
Title: After Effects - Shape layer obscures graphics layer unless positioned at bottom
UserDisplayName: Sabuncu
ThreadText: # After Effects - Shape layer obscures graphics layer unless positioned at bottom
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-05-03)
  
  I am following an AE tutorial. As part of its exercise files, the tutorial provides an .ai file that has two layers: a rocket and a black background. The .ai file is then imported into AE as a composition, thereby retaining the two layers.
  
  The tutorial then creates a circle as a shape layer. It places the shape layer below the rocket but above the background:
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/MZ4Gh.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/MZ4Gh.png)
  
  and the following is displayed:
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/RMVUE.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/RMVUE.png)
  
  When I do the same, the circle obstructs the rocket layer:
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/4Oxlm.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/4Oxlm.png)
  
  The only way I can get the rocket layer to be visible is by moving the circle layer all the way to the vertical bottom:
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/buKSr.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/buKSr.png)
  
  It's as if the two layers of the original .ai file are behaving as one. What could be the problem?
  
  **Tags:** after-effects
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2016-05-03. Score: 1 | Accepted answer
  
  Probably a dumb question, but is your circle the same colour as the rocket?
  Then it would appear to obscure the rocket...
  
  Alternatively -
  There could be some kind of [matte](https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/alpha-channels-masks-mattes.html) on one of the layers?
  Click on the Toggle Switches/Modes button at the bottom of the list of layers in the timeline, and see whether any mattes are switched on.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: That was it - white on white!  Thank you so much.  Wish I could upvote x10!  
  > **username_1**: No worries at all - if you're ever not sure about something like that, switching the "Mask and Shape Visiblity" button on and off can help to see what's going on.  It's Cmd + Shift + H on a mac (ctrl + shift + H on a PC I assume).  
  > **username_0**: I switched back to white on white to see the effects of toggling "Mask/Shape Visibility".  It did not help.  Sometimes only knowledge from someone experienced as yourself works.  Thank you again. (No wonder BBC production values are high!)  
  
  ---
  
  