STACK3D

STACK3D is a professional After Effects panel that automates the entire 3D logo and artwork pipeline. Convert vectors, trace rasters, extrude with custom geometry and materials, apply face colors, clean problem paths, and rig everything to a null controller — all without leaving your comp.

STACK3D transforms flat vector and raster artwork into full 3D shape layers in After Effects — in seconds.

Built for motion graphics artists who work with 3D logos, sports graphics, broadcast titles, and any project where flat artwork needs to live in 3D space.

Features:

Smart Conversion

STACK3D automatically detects your layer type and applies the right workflow. Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG) convert directly to shape layers. Raster images (PNG, JPG, PSD) open AE's native Auto-Trace dialog with one click. Masked layers extract directly to clean shape groups. No guesswork, no manual setup.

Split by Color

Split a complex shape layer into individual layers organized by fill color — automatically. Each layer is named with a tri-code prefix and color label so your timeline stays organized at scale. Works on both vector conversions and Auto-Trace results.

Break to Individual Layers

Need per-shape control? Break splits every shape group in a layer into its own individual layer, respecting your Center Anchor settings. Perfect for when you need to animate each element independently.

Make 3D

One button extrudes every selected shape layer using AE's Advanced 3D renderer. Extrusion depth, bevel style, bevel size, hole bevel, ambient, diffuse, specular, shininess, and metal — all configurable from the panel with a full preset system. Geometry and Material presets save and load instantly.

3D Face Colors

Go beyond a single flat material. Apply independent colors to the Front, Bevel, Side, and Back faces of every shape group. Use the Detect Colors palette to sample fill colors from your selected layers, then push any detected color to any face in one click. Select all layers with a specific color across your entire comp instantly using the Sel buttons.

Null Controller

STACK3D automatically creates a null controller positioned at the exact geometric center of your artwork — using the union bounding box of all selected layers. The null inherits the label color of your layers and positions itself directly above them in the timeline stack. One pivot point, perfectly centered, every time.

Center Anchor Point

Center every layer's anchor point to its own visual bounds — with correct scale compensation so your artwork never jumps. The Z anchor is set to the midpoint of the extrusion depth, so your rotation pivot lives in the center of the slab, not on the face.

Stack Sequence

The full pipeline in one click. Configure your sequence — Make Shapes, Split by Color, Make 3D, Add Null Controller, Add Environment Light — check the steps you want, and hit Stack. STACK3D runs each step in order and hands you a finished, rigged comp.

Clean Palette: 

Real-world vector artwork is messy. The floating Clean palette fixes the geometry problems that crash AE's renderer before they become your problem:

Smooth & Simplify

Two additional passes designed specifically for Auto-Trace artwork: Simplify reduces redundant vertices, and Smooth generates smooth bezier handles — turning jagged traced edges into clean curves.

Beyond Logos — 3D Modeling in After Effects

STACK3D isn't just a logo tool — it's a full 3D construction kit hiding inside After Effects. Because it works on any shape layer artwork, you can build surprisingly complex 3D objects from simple Illustrator geometry. Draw a rounded rectangle and a few circles, run them through STACK3D, and you've got a realistic-looking smartphone in minutes. Stack a handful of simple shapes with different extrusion depths, stagger them in Z-space, and you've got Lego-style blocks with physical depth and dimension. The key insight is that After Effects' Advanced 3D renderer — combined with STACK3D's null rigging, face colors, and material controls — gives you genuine 3D construction capabilities without ever leaving your timeline. It's not 3D in the traditional Cinema 4D sense, but for motion graphics work where you need something that reads as dimensional and tactile, STACK3D gets you there faster than any external 3D application would. If you can draw it flat, STACK3D can make it stand up.

Vector Artwork

Final

Vector Artwork

Final

• 00:00 Layout
• 01:00 Overview
• 03:48 Make 3D
• 04:24 Stack
• 05:30 Anchor & Z-Stagger
• 06:36 Geometry
• 07:45 Materials
• 08:50 Color
• 11:23 Examples
• 13:42 Using Raster Images
• 17:21 Extract & Presets
• 19:45 Clean

FAQ SECTION

Does this work with any vector artwork? Yes — AI, EPS, SVG, and PDF files all work with the Shape button. For raster images (PNG, JPG, PSD), use the Shape button to trigger Auto-Trace.

Does it require a specific renderer? Yes. STACK3D's 3D features require the Advanced 3D renderer (also called Calder), available in After Effects 2025+. The panel automatically switches your comp to Advanced 3D when you click Make 3D.

Can I use this for text layers? Yes, STACK3D automatically detects text layers and works to convert the text to shape layers and then extrude those shapes with the current geometry settings. Note that the text will no longer be editable. 

Will it work on complex logos with many layers? Yes — STACK3D is built for production-scale work. The Stack Sequence and Clean palette are specifically designed for handling complex multi-layer logos with path issues common in real-world artwork.

Does it work on Windows? Yes — Mac and Windows are both supported.

REQUIREMENTS

• Adobe After Effects 2025 (v25.0) or later
• Advanced 3D renderer (Calder) — set in Composition > Settings > Advanced
• "Allow Scripts to Write Files and Access Network" enabled in AE Preferences > Scripting & Expressions
• Mac or Windows

INSTALLATION

1. Copy Stack3D.jsx to your After Effects ScriptUI Panels folder:
   Mac: /Applications/Adobe After Effects [version]/Scripts/ScriptUI Panels/Win: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects [version]\Support Files\Scripts\ScriptUI Panels\
   
2. Restart After Effects
3. Open via Window > Stack3D.jsx
4. Dock the panel anywhere in your workspace