Caroline

I use photoshop elements as well - it's not quite so alpha channel friendly as photoshop, but it works for my little projects. 1. Create a new blank file in PSE 2. Create a new layer. 3. Delete the background. - Now you just have one transparent layer. 4. Create a white circle using the shape tool (or brush paint your decal). 5. If you used the shape tool, or text, or another vector tool, right click the layer and click Simplify. 6. Control Click the layer thumbnail picture on the layer panel. - this creates a selection. 7. Click Select Menu > Save Selection 8. Name the selection and click OK. 9. Click File Menu > Save As and save as 32 bit tga file. Import into A:M, drag onto the model as a decal, and the transparent area should show the model's diffuse colour through it.

More details? We might be able to help you with that. To get a rotoscope onto the model - first import the image, then drag the image onto the model screen, then choose rotoscope. Have you tried different types of image? jpg, png, tga, etc? You could try Colin's Uber Eyes: http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22404 And you could try a search for "eyes" - don't do "eye" because it is is too short.

Thanks - I never realised that you could apply an image to the hair like that - I always apply it as a decal and change the type of decal to Other > Hair > Diffuse Colour. I wonder which is better. I would have thought you could apply the decal more accurately.

After each extrusion, you need to move the splines and control points to match the picture. To move a whole spline, click on the spline between two control points, and press the comma key. This will select all the control points along the spline so that you can move it sideways in the front view, and forwards and backwards in the side view. Have you done exercises 8, 9, 10 and 11? Because they should help with modelling expertise.

It is not working for me in v15, and I don't think it did for me in v14 either, as I have put in a couple of reports - the same project does in v13. However, as thefreshestever says, the decal method works well. Applying it is a bit confusing - you may need to revisit the wookie exercise in TAOA:M. test.prj This project renders correctly for me in v13 but not v 15.

Have a look at the Technical Manual: http://www.hash.com/Technical_Reference/Te...l_Reference.htm Click the Search tab, and type in Constraints. The first articles that come up are About ones, for example "About Kinematic Constraint Objects". Many of the articles have specific examples. And http://www.hash.com/2007web/vm.htm at the bottom of the page for a video on how to use several constraints.

One way I have seen this done is on Sir Nigel, if you have that model - it's in the extra data that comes with A:M. Instead of having a body under the jumpsuit, you could make the jumpsuit the body. That might be a lot easier than cloth, depending on how realistic you want.

Oh, I haven't tried that yet. If you want it that simple, the pagoda looks fairly easy - just extrude a circle and scale each spline as you go up. The water could be a DarkTree material applied to a modelled waterfall.

Welcome to a new fun world! Definitely what Robert says - do the tutorials in The Art of Animation Master first. I am surprised that you say that the David Rogers book does not have much modelling - it shows how to model and rig a complete person, who can be modified to look anime. Then the Toon Render will finish off the look. I think the book is very good. When I think of anime, which I know nothing about, except I like some of Miyazaki's movies, I think of this tutorial: http://dement3d.com/tutorials/

I like the whites of the eyes. The clouds are an improvement too.

Just curious, why did you choose to have such a dense mesh on the mountain instead of something like this?

What stage are you at, Dhar? It's looking great. A hard clip to get much out of. But you are so improving every time. I guess you haven't got to the eyebrows / eyes / blinks yet? My main observation is that I find the cheekbones distracting - they go up and down with the lip sync - is that intentional?

I get it now - anti-fringing. Thanks.

To summarise - decals will stretch, materials will stay put. I asked myself that very same question yesterday - in that tread movie the material stayed put. But decals will stretch with the patches, as the decal is stamped to a patch.

Get well soon. Looking forward to seeing the next stage.

I like the cutout style on the orange - it is very effective - you could have much more complicated lacy type characters too.

I always regard this as a challenge, as I don't have Photoshop, but the way cheaper Photoshop Elements, and I don't like buying plugins, as I would not know where to stop. I thought I would share, as in a year's time I will be searching for the answer and find this I'm not sure if I got it exactly, but I think I got the same effect on the alpha: 1. Draw a black circle (vector) - this creates a new layer. 3. Filter Menu > Gaussian Blur - (simplify layer when asked) - slide to haziness wanted. Click OK. 4. Control Click on the layer picture to select the layer 5. Select Menu > Save Selection 6. Name selection and click OK. 7. Delete the circle layer. 8. Save as Tga 32 bit. I reckon it would work in Photoshop too, although there is the Quick Mask too, which would probably be quicker.

No - I didn't change anything, just did exactly as listed. What A:M version are you on? I was using 15. Could it be the QT compression? What does the format show in Quicktime, Windows > Movie Inspector? Have you tried rendering to a .tga sequence, and using that as the animation. (When you import it, you select Images > Import > Animation or Sequence, and just choose the first .tga in the sequence, not all of them.) Ohhhh - The movie does not show for me until render time. You could try Shift Q, Render Lock Mode, and right click drag a box around the area. At that time it will show the corresponding QT frame for the time.

Welcome to the A:M forum! You could look at A:M Films - many of these have been created by one person. Especially look at The Adventures of Briar Rose Trailer (under This Year). Remember Alien Song? I Will Survive? That movie was the first (or one of) sent around the internet in emails a gazillion times. Created in Animation:Master. You will also need a supporting texture program, such as Photoshop or The Gimp, or even Photoshop Elements, which is what I use. I haven't made a solo movie yet, and I've been learning about 18 months, but I believe that one day I will. (However, I also believe that I enjoy travelling more than reaching the destination) If you do it on your own, there's a lot to learn - modelling, rigging, textures, lighting, animation, camera direction, storyboarding, and others that I have forgotten. Animation is not easy - everybody would be doing it if it were. But if you enjoy it, or have a burning desire for fame, then go for it. Personally I think it is the most satisfying hobby I have ever had. Animation:Master makes it easy and affordable. I would never have been able to learn as much about animation as I have without A:M, and this forum. When you get stuck ask here for help and / or inspiration.

Not sure if I am understanding your problem, but this works for me: 1. Right click Images in PWS > Import > Animation or Sequence 2. Locate and import your QT. 3. Create a new model, with a surface. 4. Right click in the modelling window > New > Decal 5. Choose your QT. 6. Create a new choreography. 7. Drag the model into the chor The QT plays on the model. QTtest.mov

The manual could help you here: http://www.hash.com/Technical_Reference/Te...l_Reference.htm Try a search on "apply decal" Applying a decal: http://www.hash.com/Technical_Reference/Cu...ing_a_Decal.htm Although where it says "double click a decal icon", I just normally import the image, then drag it onto the model. Restamping: http://www.hash.com/Technical_Reference/Cu...ED_DECALING.htm There's a section on the different types of maps too: http://www.hash.com/Technical_Reference/Ge.../DecalClipP.htm

I like this. Do you have the alpha channel turned off in the rendering options? That would cause the black sky. The option is under Buffers. Edit: I meant alpha ON would cause the black sky

Johnl3d has described how to do it with materials, but, sorry for the heresy, John, you can also use decals for textures. It depends - some people find materials intimidating, and find decals easier. Materials are resolution independent, whereas if you zoom in on a decal it can look pixellated, or stretched. Materials take longer to render. A:M does texturing in much the same way as other 3d programs, using colour, bump, displacement, specular, etc maps. With a lot of practise, textures can make models look magnificent. Leigh van der Byl has some tutorials on texturing here: http://www.leighvanderbyl.com/tutorials.html The Texturing for Dummies will be of use to you, as it is explains bump mapping, and all the others, and does not reference any software in particular. UV mapping is another word for texturing. Rusty Williamson has written a very comprehensive A:M tutorial on mapping a face: http://www.virtualmediastudios.com/tuts/mapping/ It's a brilliant tutorial with lots of pics, and shows flattening in preparation to adding decals. He describes how to make groups and then flatten them in an action, so as not to change the base model.

"Master" - I guess I need a new tag phrase - what about "Pottering Piskey" in tribute?

An alternative method is animated displacement maps - I haven't really tried that, but here's the tutorial: http://www.mossor.org/Desktop/Tutorials/Footsteps/index.html I guess you'd just change the footprint decal to be a tank tread decal.