scaling a stroke mask in after effects?

Question

I have an imported illustrator image that I'm trying to create a stroke mask over so I can animate it's reveal (like someone writing it). Unfortunately, when I try to use the pen tool on the layer it keeps changing the cursor to the "add point" which then makes the next click a brand new path. It's basically impossible to make any kind of path this way.

So, I made an adjustment layer and drew the mask on top of that. But when I copy and paste the mask onto the illustrator layer it's scaled waaaay up. I can't find a way to scale the mask down. When I click on the mask it doesn't give me the box around it, only the actual stroke points (which just move that one point).

Is there not a way to scale a path?

Answer 1

To scale a mask as if you were using the group select tool in Illustrator either alt-click the mask, or hit cmd/ctrlT. It's truly perplexing how all the Adobe apps have different tools and shortcuts for the same tasks.

Answer 2

If you want to just create an animated writing effect, I use this script: http://aescripts.com/quickdraw/

It works better for complex shapes than the built in write-on effect in AE.

Alternatively, this script allows you to scale paths: http://aescripts.com/shapes-and-masks/

Have a look at the video from about 4m30s in: https://youtu.be/3SSsgdeMSmw?t=4m31s

But I think what you need is the first one from the sounds of it...