create growing shoots

ulf · Post by **ulf** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 12:59 am

Hello to everybody,
I'm a newbie of AS and I do experiments to learn better the program before turning to a serious project. Doing that, I was trying to make an animation showing spiral shoots growing. (you can see results here http://vimeo.com/36252350 ).

After various attempts with a covering layer moved point to point to reveal little by little the image layer below (failed),
the only way I found was to make a shape for each of the spirals and patiently animate point to point each shape to achieve that effect. (I don't know if I'm explaning well, so in this video you will see how it look "from the program" http://vimeo.com/36252923 ).

I'm -not- quite satisfied by my results, mainly because I guess there is some cleaner way to do that work....

What do you think about?

uddhava · Post by **uddhava** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:52 am

If you have version 8 try using stroke exposure. It is explained in the manual.

hayasidist · Post by **hayasidist** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:02 pm

Hi. I couldn't view the vimeo vid (I seem to have a problem seeing anything on that site) so sorry - can't see what you ended up with.

I did a seedling growth some while back - this was the try-out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdH0069VKS4 (It was before blend morph - so that might be a better option in AS8 but I haven't tried it)

I drew the seedling at its "finished" position - call that layer N. Then copied that vector layer and on the copy - called N-1 - I moved points to give a new image that was earlier in the growth cycle. Copy that to N-2 and edit the copy ... etc etc etc. For variety (not in this tryout) copy layer N more than once and have different N-1 ...

in the last stage (earliest in the growth cycle) all the points are crammed into a tiny space... the leaf - for example - at the earliest growth stage - all the points are in the same place on the screen. I did it this way as it's easier to move points INTO a tiny space than it is to move them out.

then create switch layers - smooth interpolation - with selected vector layers in it. this only works when the layers have the same number of points and are directly in the switch..

e.g.
Switch 1: Layer N-6, N-5a, N-4, N-2, N-1b, N
Switch 2: Layer N-6, N-5b, N-4, N-3, N-1a

etc ...

then in the timeline contol the interval between the transitions...

Note that points move along "short" path not "best" path, so you may need several intermediates (the example has 9 vector layers per switch). Again not in the try-out, bones in the switch layer will "waggle" the stem / leaves etc...

There are a few ideas in this forum on 360 turns which might be useful if you need to swing the leaves around the stem. I like this one: viewtopic.php?t=20069 But note that this uses multiple layers so you won't be able to use the single switch for smooth interpolation.

uddhava · Post by **uddhava** » Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:18 pm

Hi again,

check out this video on You Tube,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OVA6QB09NQ

I think it could be helpful for you.

ulf · Post by **ulf** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 2:47 pm

Thanks for your kind answers,

@uddhava
I have version 8 debut, and I read that manual and the official book of version 6 (Kelly Murdoch's).
In both the feature of Stroke Exposure is not covered, but after your advice I saw a tutorial or two and actually it seems to be the best way for what I'm doing! It's time to upgrade I think

Even the tut on variable line widths it is very useful!

@hayasidist
I uploaded the video here, http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulfgard/6835531317

there are some screenshots "from the inside"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ulfgard/6835569739

(if you can see) it have to be very simple and linear (almost graphical), your technique is very interesting but I think it isn't the ideal in this case. Too much points to move... exactly as now! maybe I'm wrong...

Anyway ( I have to do some try first) but I think it can be used for a whole of different purposes! thanks for sharing!
Is there a way to automatically reverse keyframes?

foundmarble · Post by **foundmarble** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:56 pm

Here's my try.

I used masking. The hardest part was finding a shape to use as a mask so you can easily move/rotate/scale it. After finding the shape, it was easy to minipulate it.

Take a look at the masking shape. I used layer rotate/translate/scale to move it.

After making and using one of the curly masks...the other should be a breeze.

Hope this helps.

hayasidist · Post by **hayasidist** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:49 pm

now I've seen your video

...

you might also like to take a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE15qQHVA7k and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO_sUImALsQ which shows a moving mask technique.

there's a simliar disucssion on http://www.kelleytown.com/forum/animato ... PIC_ID=821

ulf · Post by **ulf** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 11:16 am

foundmarble wrote:Here's my try.

I used masking. The hardest part was finding a shape to use as a mask so you can easily move/rotate/scale it. After finding the shape, it was easy to minipulate it.

This is the clever version of mine

@hayasidist
very useful your links, two forums in which to learn is better than one

Thank you very much for your ideas!

slowtiger · Post by **slowtiger** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 11:42 am

foundmarble: Thx for that, I'm facing that very same problem and your solution works just fine!

Post by **Víctor Paredes** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:36 pm

foundmarble wrote:

Very smart, thanks!