Using Flash Characters in Anime Studio

[highrise955]

Hi everyone!

I'm brand new to these forums and relatively new to Anime Studio Pro 9. I've learned a lot already but of course, still have a million and one questions. I saw another post in this forum that you can't convert Flash characters into Anime Studio. However, I wasn't sure if they meant the bones/rigging won't convert or the actual character images.

What I want to know is can I purchase Flash characters from Cartoon Solutions http://www.cartoonsolutions.com/store/c ... c-279.html and convert those images that I can bring into Anime Studio and set up my own bones?

If the answer is 'Yes', does anyone know of an graphic conversion app that will convert the flash format into the formats Anime Studio can use?

If the answer is 'No', does anyone know of more pre-made Anime Studio characters I can get besides those found on ContentParadise?

Thanks for any assistance.

[jahnocli]

"What I want to know is can I purchase Flash characters from Cartoon Solutions...and convert those images that I can bring into Anime Studio and set up my own bones?"

Yes. These characters are composed of lots of different components - heads, mouths, arms etc. You can export these components to AS as Illustrator files, and then rig them as normal. HOWEVER, you will find that these vector files contain many more nodes/points etc. than you need. If you don't get rid of these points they will slow down your animation. But getting rid of them is a pain.

I have done this in the past, and the easiest path for me was to import these characters into Xara, and then export them into AS. That seemed to cut down the node count a bit, somehow.

And no, Flash bones will not import into AS. Different systems.

[highrise955]

"What I want to know is can I purchase Flash characters from Cartoon Solutions...and convert those images that I can bring into Anime Studio and set up my own bones?"

Yes. These characters are composed of lots of different components - heads, mouths, arms etc. You can export these components to AS as Illustrator files, and then rig them as normal. HOWEVER, you will find that these vector files contain many more nodes/points etc. than you need. If you don't get rid of these points they will slow down your animation. But getting rid of them is a pain.

I have done this in the past, and the easiest path for me was to import these characters into Xara, and then export them into AS. That seemed to cut down the node count a bit, somehow.

And no, Flash bones will not import into AS. Different systems.

Thanks for the info. I'm not familiar with Xara so I looked it up. Which specific Xara app are you referring to? And can I do the same thing using Paint Shop Pro or PhotoShop Elements?

[jahnocli]

Thanks for the info. I'm not familiar with Xara so I looked it up. Which specific Xara app are you referring to? And can I do the same thing using Paint Shop Pro or PhotoShop Elements?

Sorry -- Xara Xtreme is the one I've got. And, although I don't use Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop Elements, I think both of these apps are for manipulating raster images, not vectors; if so, you won't be able to use either of them.

[highrise955]

Thanks for the info. I'm not familiar with Xara so I looked it up. Which specific Xara app are you referring to? And can I do the same thing using Paint Shop Pro or PhotoShop Elements?

Sorry -- Xara Xtreme is the one I've got. And, although I don't use Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop Elements, I think both of these apps are for manipulating raster images, not vectors; if so, you won't be able to use either of them.

Thanks again! I'll give it a shot and see how it works out.

[jahnocli]

Go for it! Good luck -- and we'd love tosee any results...

[maxie-online]

Hm, Highrise, but why do you want to buy the Flash characters? Cartoonsolutions.com offers the same chars also for AnimeStudio, rigged and ready for use in AS.
http://www.cartoonsolutions.com/store/c ... c-290.html

[highrise955]

Hm, Highrise, but why do you want to buy the Flash characters? Cartoonsolutions.com offers the same chars also for AnimeStudio, rigged and ready for use in AS.
http://www.cartoonsolutions.com/store/c ... c-290.html

Not nearly as many. Plus there are a lot more props available for flash and PS than for AS.

[wizaerd]

The thing I don't like about the Cartoon Solutions characters is that their 3/4 view is a hybrid between a eral 3/4 view, and a front view. In the 3/4 view, one foot points sideways while the other foot always faces forwards. Making a 3/4 walk cycle is difficult, you have to go for the side view, and I'm not a fan of the full side view. A full 3/4 view would be of the most use, and yet they don't really have one.