Creating a Custom FX-Warp Button for Simple Deformation

[Svengali]

Here is a step by step procedure to create an FX Button for Warp deformation, suggested by Peter Wassink on another forum...

After loading the Distortion/Warp Grid option…
Warp Grid Default Setting - To create an FXDeform2x2.bin file, setup these default Values:
1. Warp Grid Box Unchecked
2. Speed Profile Unchecked
3. Grid Width 2
4. Grid Height 2
5. Interpolation Spline
6. Edit Grid Box Selected
7. Display Source
8. Source Tools x = 1280 (or the normal width dimension of your project)
Source Tools y = 720 (or the normal height dimension of your project)
9. Destination Tools x = 1280 (or the normal width dimension of your project)
Destination Tools y = 720 (or the normal height dimension of your project)
10. Aaliasing Best
11. Preview checked
12. HUD checked
13. Apply on Current Layer (left button)
14. Apply on Selection (middle button)
15. Apply On User defined (right button) check Layer's AutoBreak, or as appropriate)
16. Preview Full

Once setup, you can save the predefined FX Warp Grid
1. Click on the Preset Button and select EXPORT (save it to the FxBin subfolder (in TVPaint) using the name: FX-Warp2x2.bin
2. IMPORTANT: you must also press the Preset Button again and Add the FX to the list using the same name: FX-Warp2x2.

Create a Button to launch your newly defined template:
1. Add a button to your Panel for Special FX and name it FX-Warp2x2.
2. Edit the FX-Warp2x2 button by adding an action using the set FXStack Bin option and select FX-Warp2x2 from the list.
3. Press OK to close the button editor


How to Use the FX-Warp2x2 Button
1. Select a frame in your Project where you want to do simple deformation.
2. Press the FX-Warp2x2 button.
This opens the FX Stack interface with the predefined settings you setup before.
3. You will see a bounding box which needs to be resized to closely fit the image on the page.
4. click and drag on the lower right corner so the bottom and right edges are close to the image.
5. Now click and drag on the upper left corner so the top and left edges are close to the image.
6. Press the SD button - which will copy the source box's size and position to the destination box's size and position.
7. Press Display - Destination
8. Press Edit Grid Points button (nine small circles)
9. Check the Warp Grid box
10. You can now move any of the four corners of the Destination box and you'll see the image deform. You can also use the four handles attached to any of the corners to refine the image deformation. To use a different corner, click anywhere outside the boxes. Note that you can click outside the control corners, and drag a box around two control corners, then move them in unison by moving either control corner. Click outside the control box to release the paired control corners
11. When you are satisfied with the deformation, click Apply FX Stack to stamp the deformed version back onto the frame.

Future Use:
Click this predefined FX-Deform2x2 Button any time you want to make a Quick, simple deform to the current frame's image. Obviously, this can also be used over multiple frames for progressive deformations.

sven

[Peter Wassink]

Thanks Sven!

a very concise description of the steps.

indeed it would be great if the number of steps under: " How to Use" could be made smaller
...preferably by the introduction of a dedicated simpler FX

[D.T. Nethery]

Thank you for these precise instructions on setting up a Custom Warp FX button.

This should go into the User Manual.

[Svengali]

After I posted the step-by-step, I realized it might be scary or off-putting to the average user. The thought occurred to me to create a video SHOWING the steps which are actually quite easy. So, maybe I'll do that.

And as Peter says, a new, simple Distortion/Warp Grid FX version called "Easy Warp or Quick Warp" or something could reduce my whole How-to-use procedure-list to a single step:
A single button you press that automates the close-fit bounding box for Source and Destination and all the other preparatory steps needed to make ready for warping...

sven

[D.T. Nethery]

After I posted the step-by-step, I realized it might be scary or off-putting to the average user. The thought occurred to me to create a video SHOWING the steps which are actually quite easy. So, maybe I'll do that.

A video tutorial to accompany your written instructions would be most welcome ! I think everyone benefits from a video , along with the precise step-by-step written instructions.