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# Creating Text Layers

You can create a text layer with or without a matte. A text layer with a matte can be used to place a layer of text on a background. Create text layers with mattes when you are planning to use the text with a soft effect that requires a matte to composite a foreground on a background. You use the composited text as an input for Sparks or when adding an axis.

The transparency of the text's fill attribute receives special treatment when creating a text layer with a matte. By default, the transparency value is transferred to the matte. In the composite, this yields an image in which the text has the expected transparency.

To create a text layer:

1. Add a Text soft effect to a front layer on the timeline.
2. Add a background layer to the timeline.
3. Create text in the Soft Text editor.

   Image courtesy of Das Werk

4. Make a selection from the Alpha Processing Mode box to determine whether a matte is created from the text layer.

   Select: | To:
   --- | ---
   RGB | Create a text layer that does not include a matte.
   RGBA | Create a text layer that does include a matte.

5. Exit to the timeline and add an Axis key or Axis scale soft effect to the front layer.

   In the following example, the text layer is created with the RGB option. The layer on which the text was created is output in the result, composited over a background layer.

   Image courtesy of Casablanca, Das Werk

   In the following example, the text layer is created with the RGBA option. Only the matte of the text layer itself is output in the result, composited over the background layer.

   Image courtesy of Casablanca

   TipWhen you use the RGBA option with text to create a matte layer, select Context from the Preview Options box inside the Text editor to see the text layer with the matte.