How to vector trace an area
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VERY well put, crsP! You stated it SO much better than I ever could have.
Yes, Painter and Photoshop ARE primarily raster tools, BUT, both possess rudimentary vector pen tools, WITH bezier handles, which perform quite admirably in creating paths, lines, and fills. I also own Illustrator and Flash, but do little with the more advanced tools both offer, as my history is more raster-based, hence I use vector tools for accuracy, and raster for "organic" color shading and manipulation...
I learned the value of bezier handles in extracting images, and am only now starting to appreciate the control as I learn to create and fill vector shapes in AS. It aggravates me to have to dance around trying to create a simple angle, for example, when I should be able to just create 3 points and have it, without needing to drag my mouse back and forth to then tweak a curve into shape and have it smooth, without the "stuck pin" look that you so accurately describe...
I also like bezier curves so that when I try to eliminate unneeded points in a path, I can more quickly and easily readjust the shape, which currently is so time consuming, I often just say "screw it," and move on, "ugly" as it may look (to my eye...).
Let us not forget that the more points in a path, the larger the file. AS files can already be quite large. The ability to use points more effectively would certainly help (in some cases) to reduce file size...
Yes, Painter and Photoshop ARE primarily raster tools, BUT, both possess rudimentary vector pen tools, WITH bezier handles, which perform quite admirably in creating paths, lines, and fills. I also own Illustrator and Flash, but do little with the more advanced tools both offer, as my history is more raster-based, hence I use vector tools for accuracy, and raster for "organic" color shading and manipulation...
I learned the value of bezier handles in extracting images, and am only now starting to appreciate the control as I learn to create and fill vector shapes in AS. It aggravates me to have to dance around trying to create a simple angle, for example, when I should be able to just create 3 points and have it, without needing to drag my mouse back and forth to then tweak a curve into shape and have it smooth, without the "stuck pin" look that you so accurately describe...
I also like bezier curves so that when I try to eliminate unneeded points in a path, I can more quickly and easily readjust the shape, which currently is so time consuming, I often just say "screw it," and move on, "ugly" as it may look (to my eye...).
Let us not forget that the more points in a path, the larger the file. AS files can already be quite large. The ability to use points more effectively would certainly help (in some cases) to reduce file size...
~M
Change is inevitable, growth is optional.
Life is short, enjoy the adventure!
Change is inevitable, growth is optional.
Life is short, enjoy the adventure!
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Interesting stuff...
thought I'd toss in that since asking this, I've come across a program called Vector Magic which does a MUCH better job of tracing than photoshop, or even illustrator. It's pretty amazing what it can do with complex photos as well.
I'm not sure about the steps necessary to import into AS, though.
Maybe eps into illustrator, and then AS? Dunno. It only does the trace anyway, so if you had stuff to clean up, you'd want to take it into illustrator or something else anyway.
thought I'd toss in that since asking this, I've come across a program called Vector Magic which does a MUCH better job of tracing than photoshop, or even illustrator. It's pretty amazing what it can do with complex photos as well.
I'm not sure about the steps necessary to import into AS, though.
Maybe eps into illustrator, and then AS? Dunno. It only does the trace anyway, so if you had stuff to clean up, you'd want to take it into illustrator or something else anyway.
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I am not a programmer, so don't shoot me!
But in some 3D program I can use the bezier curve to create a model and get the shape I want then freeze it to produce a model with all the necessary polygon to keep the same shape.
Is this something that could be use to create the line and then freeze it with automatically giving you all the points needed to keep that shape?
Is this an idea that could be use in a plug-in tool?
But in some 3D program I can use the bezier curve to create a model and get the shape I want then freeze it to produce a model with all the necessary polygon to keep the same shape.
Is this something that could be use to create the line and then freeze it with automatically giving you all the points needed to keep that shape?
Is this an idea that could be use in a plug-in tool?
I guess that's effectively what you when you draw your shapes in Illustrator and import them into AS, so I guess it would be possible with a very high-level plugin. However, since AS is an animation program you would also want to use the bezier handles to move the points, and not just create them.ruscular3d wrote:I am not a programmer, so don't shoot me!
But in some 3D program I can use the bezier curve to create a model and get the shape I want then freeze it to produce a model with all the necessary polygon to keep the same shape.
Is this something that could be use to create the line and then freeze it with automatically giving you all the points needed to keep that shape?
Is this an idea that could be use in a plug-in tool?
- neeters_guy
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This might shed some light on the issue of Bezier curves:
Crisp Brush and Bezier Curve tool
Note the links in Fazek's last posts, where he describes AS's unique implementation of Bezier curves in AS (warning: math and programming heavy). If I infer correctly, adding handles would require recoding the way curves are handled in AS and, by extension, other tools in the process. A non-trivial task at best.
Crisp Brush and Bezier Curve tool
Note the links in Fazek's last posts, where he describes AS's unique implementation of Bezier curves in AS (warning: math and programming heavy). If I infer correctly, adding handles would require recoding the way curves are handled in AS and, by extension, other tools in the process. A non-trivial task at best.
Actually, Fazek's post shows that AS uses Bezier curves at it's core, so it would be quite straight-forward to allow direct control of the Bezier handles as well as letting AS calculate them. This is why it was possible to totally change the way curves were calculated in AS7.neeters_guy wrote:This might shed some light on the issue of Bezier curves:
Crisp Brush and Bezier Curve tool
Note the links in Fazek's last posts, where he describes AS's unique implementation of Bezier curves in AS (warning: math and programming heavy). If I infer correctly, adding handles would require recoding the way curves are handled in AS and, by extension, other tools in the process. A non-trivial task at best.
Wow, it's clear from those posts that Fazek was a really smart guy! I hope he comes back to AS one day!
Just checked his post history and no reason was given. Actually he was only active here for less than a year. I suspect his studio, Firkafilm, was planning to use AS for a project and he created those tools to improve their work flow. I suspect he has just moved on to using other software. I did a quick Google and his named recently popped up on some Blender forums, so maybe he's doing more 3D animation work now.PARKER wrote:
Why did he leave the forum??
Thanks for the info.Rudiger wrote: Just checked his post history and no reason was given. Actually he was only active here for less than a year. I suspect his studio, Firkafilm, was planning to use AS for a project and he created those tools to improve their work flow. I suspect he has just moved on to using other software. I did a quick Google and his named recently popped up on some Blender forums, so maybe he's doing more 3D animation work now.
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- Víctor Paredes
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Just create a new vector layer, make a big semitransparent white square and put it over the image layer.lovebiscuit wrote:how do you make the image you are tracing in AS7 lighter, so that it's barely perceptible - just enough to trace?
Other option is to go to View>Select tracing image. It's faster but gives you less freedom. you can't change the position, scale, rotation and transparency level.
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