Rotoscoping

[AMkyle]

Hey, i really dony quite understand the concept of rotoscoping, does anyone, by any chance, have a tutorial that could help me all about rotoscoping and how to do/use it.

[robcat2075]

Hey, i really dony quite understand the concept of rotoscoping, does anyone, by any chance, have a tutorial that could help me all about rotoscoping and how to do/use it.

 

That giraffe tut show you how to import an image as a rotoscope to base a model on.

 

Rotoscoping for animation generally means that you have a som evidoe footage of a person doing some action, and you've converted that into an image sequence that A:M can import. That is put into a side or front view like in the giraffe tut and then you match your CG character to the image, frame by frame.

[AMkyle]

alright, thanks for the help

[Dale_The_Bold]

Rotoscoping for animation generally means that you have a some video footage of a person doing some action, and you've converted that into an image sequence that A:M can import.

What are the formats that A:M can import?

 

 

I was just thinking of trying this method and happily found this thread.

[Rodney]

What are the formats that A:M can import?

 

I assume you are talking images for rotoscoping here.

You can rotoscope using 3D models and animation as well (but that is a different topic!).

Hopefully I won't miss anything but...

A:M imports the following image and movie formats for use with rotoscoping:

 

Images

- BMP/DIB

- JPG

- PNG

- TGA

- PCX

- PIC (Macintosh only)

- TGA

- EXR

 

Movies

- MOV

- AVI

 

Of course just about any other image or movie format you can convert into one of these formats.

Rare is the image you cannot use in A:M.

 

Edit: Added a screenshot of the import window.

Note the checkbox to the left for importing sequential images.

If you don't check that you may get only the first image in a sequence of individual images.

Of course if you only want the one image... don't check that box!

.MOV and .AVI files automatically import the whole sequence.

[Rodney]

Hey, i really dony quite understand the concept of rotoscoping, does anyone, by any chance, have a tutorial that could help me all about rotoscoping and how to do/use it.

 

Kyle,

After running through the Giraffe exercise if you still don't understand rotoscoping let us know and we'll explore with you more.

[AMkyle]

Ok, im almost done with the giraffe tut, anyways, im completely stuck on making the ears and horns. I tried making seperate horns, but, it just looked like it went through it, it didnt look like it was part of it, How in worlds name am i suppose to make these ears and horns, im not sure how to make enough control points around it to connect, without messing up the whole head.

[Rodney]

How in worlds name am i suppose to make these ears and horns, im not sure how to make enough control points around it to connect, without messing up the whole head.

 

The solution will most likely require 4 - 5 Point patches for each horn.

Most people just flair the bottoms of the horns and position them so they look like they attach.

 

You are welcome to design them into the main mesh but honestly I think if you are at that point the main lessons of this exercise have sunk in.

 

If you think about real horns though... they don't exactly attach to a giraffes skin.

That might help you decide how to proceed.

 

The ears... if you want to be more accurate you'll have to attach.

Messing up the head doesn't need to be all that messy if you have a plan going in.

 

By all means if you want to work to that level of detail... we are here for you.

[Caroline]

Conceptually, this is how I would attach a horn (although, as Rodney says, for the giraffe exercise I am pretty sure I just stuck them in the head without attaching ):

 

Basic mesh without horn:

 

Add base of horn unconnected:

 

Add splines (you will have 5 point patches that you will eventually fill with the 5 point patch tool):

 

Select the base of horn and extrude:

 

Make excess splines into hooks:

[Rodney]

Nice example Caroline.

[seany242]

what is rotoscoping anyway?

[Rodney]

Others will chime in here with more accurate definitions and explanations but I like the way Rotoscopes are described in the A:M Technical Reference (page 72):

 

Rotoscopes

For those of us who are not natural artists, modeling can be difficult. It takes talent to draw a human face, and sculpting it in three dimensions makes it even more challenging. All of us, however, have traced over an existing picture with satisfactory result. Therefore, you can load a rotoscope image or animation in any window, over which you can draw or animate.

In very simplistic terms, rotoscoping is tracing.

Of course there are good reasons for even accomplished artists and animators to use Rotoscopes. If you want accuracy using a reference image (ala rotoscoping) is a really good way to work.

Rotoscoping has generally become know as a style whereby artists trace over images to obtain a more realistic effect.

In modeling the use of rotoscopes is essential to keep a model on design.

Most people can't just 'wing it' and expect all the splines and patches to show up in the right place.

In animation the most effective rotoscoping tends to use the images as a starting place, presenting general guidelines from which to explore further.

Slavishly locking yourself into the original images too closely in animation will tend to produce robotic and artificial movement that cancels the benefits of using rotoscopes in the first place.

Similarly in modeling, not all images are optimized for use as rotoscopes. 2D images don't always translate precisely into 3D space.

So, always be prepared to deviate as necessary when rotoscoping/tracing.

[alano]

Rotoscoping (animation) is the devil's work.

 

Alan

[AMkyle]

alright, so thanks for the help and small tutorial caroline, im going to give that a shot, but one thing, how could i copy it to both sides?.

[Rodney]

Technically you wouldn't copy.

Instead you would import the image as a Rotoscope twice.

Once for the Left side and once for the Right.

 

In the Properties panel for each Rotoscope you'll find the place to set the location. (See image of dropdown menu)

[robcat2075]

but one thing, how could i copy it to both sides?.

 

Since you see thru the wireframe model anyway, and since you are going to copy one half of the model to the other side anyway, you really only need to import a side view to one side.

 

And if you did want to put it on the other side you'd have to flip it so it was oriented right. And the chances of aligning it exactly with the other view, that you can't see, are remote anyway.

[Rodney]

As others are sure to be interested in rotoscoping here's a link to the wikipedia writeup on it.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotoscoping

[AMkyle]

Well, anyways, a pat on the back for me, i got the tail, ears and horns done, they still look a tad bit like there coming from inside, but still pretty good.

 

Now the decals Got a huge huge huge problem. I can't scale the decal!!!.

 

I got a photo here of views here. I cant scale the decal from certain sides and this just sucks because, well, you know, i wont be able to size it properly. Anyways in this photo it shows 2 views, back view and side view. From side view (and front top and other side view and bottom) i cant see that yellow scaling box, but from the back view i can see it.

 

 

 

One other thing. my scaling box looks weird. it doesnt have those small points on th corners, top, bottom and sides to scale em. they're invisible, like i can grab em, but cant see em.

 

 

Hope you can help guys =)

[Rodney]

Now the decals Got a huge huge huge problem. I can't scale the decal!!!.

 

i cant see that yellow scaling box, but from the back view i can see it.

 

I believe that is your graphics card related problem that never got fully addressed.

I recall you had some success switching from OpenGL to Direct3D (I think it was you anyway).

 

Thats not a fix though... thats a workaround.

The fix is updating your display driver.

 

My graphics card is an Intel Integrated Graphics card.

The most recent driver is from earlier this year.

If you can figure out what card your system has I'm sure the manufacturer has a newer driver for that as well.

[AMkyle]

well, i dont know, i used to be able to see the scaling box from the right side view, but now i cant, and its really annoying.

 

is there anything i can do the fix this

[Rodney]

is there anything i can do the fix this

 

A short term work around might be to switch back and forth between OpenGL and Direct3D but why do this when you could just fix the problem?

 

Most display issues relate to graphic cards.

You -could- update your graphics card but that'd cost money. I don't recommend it.

Updating your graphics card -driver- is free.

 

If its not your graphics card driver at least you'll know after the install.

 

If you don't feel comfortable downloading and installing drivers from the manufacturer enlist the aid of someone locally to assist you in the process.

 

used to be able to see the scaling box from the right side view, but now i cant, and its really annoying.

 

This was before you changed your driver settings right?

[AMkyle]

actually, yes i could see them before i switched.

 

Alright ill try it, but one other thing, how can i update my graphics card driver

 

 

EDIT: ok, so anyways i tried that switch thing again, and it worked.

 

So i tried decaling it and weird things happened

 

This photo is of the giraffe decaled, i put the decal completely over the model, and then theres some spots still showing up white, in the middle of the model?!?!?

 

 

[AMkyle]

Sorry for the double post, but i just figured something out. when i rendered it most of it would dissapear, exept for the part in the very front, touching his neck. i guess i could try decaling again.

 

EDITED::::::::":::::"::::::::::"::::::::::::"::::::::::::":::::::::::":::::::::::::::":::::::::::::::":::::::::::::":::::::::::::":::::::::::

 

Alright, fixed it up as much as i could, fixed the front chest. im guessing its just something thats not letting it show up unrendered, anyways heres a picture of it finished>!!!!!

 

[Rodney]

Very nicely done Kyle!

 

I like the sound of that word... 'finished'.

Thats the sound of progress being made.

[AMkyle]

thanks very much, now to start on the making a face excersise