I’ve got a few layers that I would like to move together so I encapsulated them. Only problem is that I had them blend onto layers which are now outside the encapsule so they’re not blending with those layers anymore.
Is there some other way to group layers to move them together and still be able to blend with other layers? (and being able to animate the different layers on their own within the group)
Out of curiosity, which blending methods didn’t work like that?
Did you look at the grouping feature? Don’t use it much myself…
G.
Let me describe your initial and end situations:
Initial situation
Layer# Blend Mode
Layer1 Onto
Layer2 Onto
Layer3 Onto
Layer4 Composite
What you have now
Layer# Blend Mode
Paste1 Composite
Layer1 Onto
Layer2 Onto
Layer3 Onto
Layer4 Composite
The problem is that the Paste canvas layer (Paste1) what you obtained from the encapsulate operation has its own blend method scope. So the layers inside the paste canvas is trying to blend Onto… nothing, so they are invisible.
In this case the solution is to change the blend method of the paste canvas and its child layers like this:
What you want
Layer# Blend Mode
Paste1 Onto
Layer1 Composite
Layer2 Composite
Layer3 Composite
Layer4 Composite
With this modification, all the layers (1,2,3) are composed Onto the layer 4 (first are composited normally and the result composited Onto layer 4).
Although I’m not sure what you mean with the question here is a trick.
Imagine that you create one layer that want to move as a solid riggid with the group where it belongs, animate its parameters individually and also blend it over one stack of layers, outside the scope of the group the layer belongs to. To do that you can create a second layer and link all the parameters to the original layer (or only the parameters you want to clone), except the blend method. Then place the duplicated outside the scope of the group layer and blend it with your favourite blend method.
If the number of layers to clone are high or simply you want to clone the complete content of the paste canvas, then you can export the paste canvas layer parameter. Then create a paste canvas layer in other place and select the exported canvas using the paste canvas parameter by clicking on it. That would clone a complete group of layers anywhere. Of course the blend method of the cloned can be different!. Or its Time Offset parameter, or its Amount, or its Zoom,…
Did that help? 
-G
Thanks,
I guess I was too fast asking here, I figured it out with using different blend modes.
It was a little too early in the morning with me stressed and tired…