Timeline Panel

Once added to a Composition in the Timeline panel, images or solids become a layer inside of that comp. In fact, any item added to a Composition becomes a new layer, including text, cameras, null objects, solids, and compositions. One of the aspects you’ll get used to when working in After Effects is that every item in the Timeline panel is its own independent layer.

Normally, double clicking on one of these layers takes you into further compositions, depending on whether it’s a nested composition or an independent layer. For example, double-clicking an image layer in the Composition panel opens it in the Layer panel as a new window adjacent to the Composition panel . An image layer contains a file that has been imported into the Project panel, as opposed to an item that is created in After Effects, such as text or a composition.