Let's go over our tools! The tool panel is where you find all your tools to edit your layers. Here you can find tools to move your layers, and navigate around your composition.

• Selection Tool (V): Go to the top left side of the screen. This is called the tool bar:

The arrow icon on the far left is called the selection tool. 

• Hand Tool (H): The hand tool is to the right the arrow tool. This tool lets you move around in your composition:

Now select the hand tool or use the keyboard shortcut H. You can use the hand tool to move around in your view or navigate around in the comp.

• Zoom Tool (Z): The zoom tool is next to the hand tool. This tool will magnify your image in the composition. Select the zoom tool or use the keyboard shortcut Z and click on the image in the comp a few times.

Fig. Zoom tool

• Rotation Tool (W): The rotation tool is the circular tool next to the zoom tool is called the rotate tool:

Fig. Rotation Tool

Let's explore how to use the rotate tool. The center of the screen where your image is displayed is called the composition window. At the bottom left is an icon called the Magnification ratio popup. Choose fit to 100%. This will zoom out so we can see what's happening:

Select the rotate tool or use the keyboard shortcut W and adjust the image:

To undo an action, go to the top left corner and choose Edit | Undo Rotate Object:

• Pan Behind (Anchor Point) Tool (Y): I'll skip the camera tool for now. Next to the camera tool is the pan behind tool. Use this to move your anchor point. Things animate along the anchor point in After Effects. Its useful to know how to move the anchor point around as it gives you control over how things animate:

• Masking tool: To the right is our masking tools. The first shape in the list is the rectangle tool, with these masking tools you can click and drag to create a shape. Click on the triangle icon on the bottom left of this tool's button. You will find the rounded Rectangle Tool, the Eclipse Tool and the Star Tool:

• Pen Tool (G): Next to the rectangle tool is the pen tool. It is used to make custom shapes in After Effects.
• Type tool: To the right of the pen tool is the type tool.
• Brush tool: The next icon with the brush icon is our brush tool. 
• Stamp tool: The icon with the stamp icon is our clone stamp tool.

We will go over more of these tools later.

Hopefully, you are starting to get used to the interface in After Effects. Poke around and experiment with these tools to get comfortable with them. A little triangle next to a tool's button means you can access more options for that tool. If a tool is greyed out, just click on your comp and it will become active.