How to import pre-drawn charcter and animate w/ bone rigging

1979potatoes · Post by **1979potatoes** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 6:24 pm

I'd like to know how to import an already drawn character in the paint program, with a white background, into the animation and then do bone rigging to make the object move.

1. How do I insert the image; does it need to have its own layer? Is the category vector, ot object? This part confuses me

2. How do I do bone rigging for an inserted image?

Here's the example I'm working on:

I created cartoon images of Sperm. Each character has a pred-rawn head and tail. I'd like to use the original drawings because they're hard to redraw.

I'd like to be able to move their facial features, and wiggle their tails and make them move around in the main area, like swimming.

I know this is a long question, so I GREATLY appreciate anybody's help. Thank you in advance to all who read this and to those who help.

- Jennifer

slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 6:52 pm

When you create a new layer, you have these choices:
vector
image
(group)
bone
switch
(particle)
3D

Guess which one is for importing images?

Bone rigging for an image layer works the same way as it does for vector layers. See manual.

You may want to cut out your drawn characters and put each of them into an own image file. Important: you need to create transparency within your paint program, then save the image as PNG with millions+ colours, this preserves the transparency.

Nebil · Post by **Nebil** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 6:22 pm

I am also have the same problem

I have already my characters made with Inkscape, so I have them in vector EPS format

- does AS import vector files? if yes, what's the format? EPS or AI or SVG .... ?

- can I edit the imported vector files with AS?

thanks for the response in advance

nebil

slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 6:35 pm

EPS files from Inkscape cannot be imported into AS.

Nebil · Post by **Nebil** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 7:43 pm

thanks for the response

is there any other vector format that can be imported by AS ?

ulrik · Post by **ulrik** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:03 pm

You can export ai files from inkscape, AS will import them

Imago · Post by **Imago** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:07 pm

Wait a moment...
What version are you using? If I'm right, in AS Debut you cannot import external vector files...

ulrik wrote:You can export ai files from inkscape, AS will import them

If you can import file from InkScape... You are a genius!
I've tried many times, but the only thing I can obtain from importing an Inkscape file is a blank layer... And sometime crash...

ulrik · Post by **ulrik** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:04 pm

I'm using Inkscape v. 0.46 on mac osx, I built it from source and it can export illustrator v.8 files which AS Pro can import, unfortunately the imported result is not always so good, like gradients will not be imported