Which tool can be used to create vector shapes directly in After Effects?

The Shape Tool in After Effects is specifically designed for creating vector shapes directly within the application. This tool allows you to easily draw geometric shapes like rectangles, ellipses, polygons, and stars. Each shape created using the Shape Tool is a vector, meaning it can be scaled without losing quality, making it ideal for design work that requires flexibility in size and resolution.

Using the Shape Tool, you can customize the properties of the shapes, such as stroke and fill colors, as well as apply various effects and transformations. The versatility of the Shape Tool enables animators and motion graphic designers to create complex graphics and designs efficiently.

While the Brush Tool is more geared towards painting and creating freeform raster graphics, and the Pen Tool is primarily used for creating and editing paths (which can then be used as masks or outlines), the Shape Tool directly aligns with the need to create and work with vector shapes. The Mask Tool, on the other hand, is used for creating masks that define visible areas of a layer but does not create standalone vector shapes like the Shape Tool does.