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stencil / mask advise?

Posted: 23 Jul 2008, 11:19
by sandra
Can anyone explain some things about using stencils/masks?
I (student, and enjoying this forum) already worked with stencillayers before in a previous project and I understsnd the way to use them.
Like in a post of 'ZigOtto' in the subject 'watercolouring' I kinda follow his set-up, I quote:

Basically here's a tvpaint more or less equivalent process :
1- load your black&white outline drawing (of course, you can draw it directly in tvpaint as well),
2- add a layer, paint roughly the pumpkins area, then set this layer as Stencil and hide it,
3- add a layer, (the 1rst color layer), set it in Multiply mode,
4- set your custom-brush as you want (connections, wet profile*, set your choosen paper ON, ...),
5- choose your color in the palette panel (Lemec's PPalette plugin is a must-have in this domain),
and paint the background.
6- disable the Stencil, repeat 3-4-5 and paint the pumpkins, on one or several layers
(paint mode = Alpha-Diff, brush mode = Alpha Stamp),
7- repeat 6, but set the layer in Screen mode, (or Light mode), to paint the high-light,
8- tweak the layers opacity, make the final touches, sign it at the bottom, and export.


Although I wouldn't know how to set a layer to 'multiply' and for my previous project I only needed to paint the stencil in a layer above the linetest which I gave colour with a custombrush.

Now I have a new project in wich I need the stencil option.
In stead of 'filling' the made stencil with colour I want to play an animation behind it.
(there is a shape wich animates and in this shape there must be a different shape -lines- moving)

First I wanted to make af shape out of the linetest with the paintbucket. I dublicate the linetest layer and I fill the open lines with a colour but how much I tweak the settings of the paintbucket, it won't fill nicely.(any tips?)
After that I actually want either to get rid of the lines and keep the colour, or distract the line from the colour: the line only visible as cut from the shape. How should I do this?
(I surely hope I am explaining myself clearly enough!)
I'm just trying to save time by this filling with the basket because there are many linedrawings which I otherwise have to re-draw as a shape. see picture 'how it should look like'

Second I did a test with a made stencil and I noticed a strange thing.
After I make a new frame in the layer where I draw the animation which has to move in the shape of the stencil, I still see the 'remains' of the previous frame: the outline of the stencil.
How did it get there?? see picture of the gost image

Hopefully someone can advise me with this and please ask for details if my writing isn't clear enough.
I work in TVp 8.5.4

Thank you!!!
Sandra

PS: Peter 'Tantalus' if you see this post you proberly now what I'm talking about :)

Re: stencil / mask advise?

Posted: 23 Jul 2008, 12:12
by sandra
I should be able to place the animation of the moving lines above the layer used as a stencil, and see the lines only in the shape of the stencil, right?
As soon as it is not one image but a sequence of images on which I want to apply the stencil, the stencil doesn't seem to work.
Anyone recognises this and knows what to do?
It is proberly something simple I am overlooking, but that's the way most problems are :P

Re: stencil / mask advise?

Posted: 23 Jul 2008, 12:58
by slowtiger
The stencil must cover the same number of frames as the animation does. You can use holds, repeats etc as usual.

Re: stencil / mask advise?

Posted: 23 Jul 2008, 13:09
by Fabrice
Although I wouldn't know how to set a layer to 'multiply' and for my previous project I only needed to paint the stencil in a layer above the linetest which I gave colour with a custombrush.
You need the v9.0 to do that.

Re: stencil / mask advise?

Posted: 23 Jul 2008, 13:09
by Manuel
In TVP 8.5, I see only "destructive" solutions (so work with copies of you layers) :
1) check stencil and reverse stencil
2) On the Animated lines layer, hit clear

or create a real mask over your moving lines :
1) check stencil and reverse stencil on your shape layer
2) Select your background color as COLOR B
3) create an anim layer, same length, and Right-clik on the clear button.

About the ghost lines : uncheck the stencil before you clear a frame.

Re: stencil / mask advise?

Posted: 23 Jul 2008, 16:42
by sandra
Fabrice wrote:
Although I wouldn't know how to set a layer to 'multiply' and for my previous project I only needed to paint the stencil in a layer above the linetest which I gave colour with a custombrush.
You need the v9.0 to do that.

I will absolutely get myself the version 9.0 this summer ;)

Re: stencil / mask advise?

Posted: 23 Jul 2008, 16:55
by sandra
Manuel wrote:In TVP 8.5, I see only "destructive" solutions (so work with copies of you layers) :
1) check stencil and reverse stencil
2) On the Animated lines layer, hit clear

or create a real mask over your moving lines :
1) check stencil and reverse stencil on your shape layer
2) Select your background color as COLOR B
3) create an anim layer, same length, and Right-clik on the clear button.

About the ghost lines : uncheck the stencil before you clear a frame.

Thank you, Manuel!
The gost lines indeed just needed this advise to disappear.
I am still trying out your tips about the lines, it almosts provides me what I was looking for, thank you!
Sandra