After Effects Draw & Animate Responsive Panel

Draw and animate inside After Effects using vector brushes!
By converting your art into editable shape layers in your timeline, drAEw facilitates the workflow of motion designers, animators, and storyboard creators.

Core Features

Grab the current view into drAew whenever you need
Draw vector paths directly on drAew and convert to editable AE shapes
Frame duration control for precise animation pacing
Stroke, fill and alpha customization, live
Onion skin overlays for consistent frame-by-frame motion
Simplify and smooth tools to refine your lines
Automatic Mode and Manual Mode for flexible output
Respect comp size and coordinates
Timeline-ready exports with preserved attributes
Responsive and dockable.

In Action

Draw, Animate and send to your Comp
Sketch storyboards and animatics directly in your comp
Dive in fast frame-by-frame animation
Play with opacity and trace above your art, one layer after another
Layer annotations, callouts, and notes visually
Instant back and forth between the viewport and your canvas
Export layers or keys with one press or shortcut

User Interface (with displayed info Panel):

	drAEw	AE Paint Tool
Setup Speed Undo/Redo Experience Reusability Editing After Drawing Frame-by-frame animation	🟩 Fast panel-based access 🟩 Intuitive, UI-driven 🟩 High (shapes can be reused) 🟩 Fully non-destructive 🟩 Native onion skin, timelines	🟧 Slower, tool switching 🟧 Cumbersome (undo brush steps) 🟧 Low (baked into footage) 🟧 Very limited 🟥 Manual layer duplication

drAEw

AE Paint Tool

Setup Speed

Undo/Redo Experience

Reusability

Editing After Drawing

Frame-by-frame animation

🟩 Fast panel-based access

🟩 Intuitive, UI-driven

🟩 High (shapes can be reused)

🟩 Fully non-destructive

🟩 Native onion skin, timelines

🟧 Slower, tool switching

🟧 Cumbersome (undo brush steps)

🟧 Low (baked into footage)

🟧 Very limited

🟥 Manual layer duplication

When you push your art to timeline:

For single layers: 
CTI progresses naturally.
For multiple layers: 
CTI returns to the correct starting position.
For keyframe sequences: 
Animations now start exactly where you set the CTI.
 ↳ No more manual math or repositioning.
↳ Your layers and keyframes now appear exactly where you expect them.
↳ This update is live and works with your existing workflow.

Keyboard shortcuts in drAEw aren’t just convenience — they’re a speed interface for artists who don’t want to interrupt their flow.

⌘ or Ctrl + Tab =  Grab Frame:
Capture the current comp frame and bring it onto your canvas as a visual reference.
Alt/Option + Shift  =  New Layer:
Instantly adds a new canvas layer — useful for evolving motion passes or layered breakdowns.
Alt/Option + Enter = Send:
Push canvases as a keyframed layer or layers to AE timeline
⌘ or Ctrl + Enter =  Alternative way to send

...For hands-on artists who live between pen and timeline.
No clicking through layers, no menus, just quick moves.