Tutorial prep: AMVs sought for pen tool examples

DriftRoot · Post by **DriftRoot** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:20 am

Yola all, as some might know, I'm creating a pen tool tutorial for AMVers to be posted at a-m-v.org. While it's 90% done, it's come to my attention that some people may scratch their heads and wonder why the heck they should bother earning about the pen tool at all, since it's not something that really springs out at the casual AMV viewer. What will I do with AMVs chosen for the tutorial? With permission of the editor(s), I will include a link to the videos in my tutorial and/or a screenshot of the area of interest (aka pen-tooled area).

So here's what I'm looking for from editors who feel their use of the pen tool is a good example of its kind. (AMV bits and pieces that maybe didn't make it to a-m-v.org, but still would serve as good examples of pen tool use, are welcome.)
1. AMVs with very obvious use of masks created (at some point) with the pen tool. Any graphics/video editing program is fair game.
2. AMVs with very obvious use of the pen tool in After Effects. This includes both closed and unclosed workpaths as well as filters to animate these workpaths.
3. AMVs (from editors!) that did not use the pen tool to create masks or other kinds of shapes and suffered for it. Basically I'm looking for a few "Use the Pen Tool or THIS Could Happen to Your AMV" poster children.

If anyone at all actually offers up their AMVs, please make sure you give me the following information:
1. Obviously, a link to your vid.
2. Clear description of what you used the pen tool for and what programs you worked with (Photoshop, PaintShopPro, Inkscape, After Effects, Premiere, Vegas, etc.)
3. Where the results of the pen tool work can be found in the AMV, including a time stamp.

Please do not post your AMV info here - PM is fine.

p.s. If there's an ambitious editor out there who'd like to show off his/her skill animating workpaths in cool ways with After Effects, please contact me. I am planning to include a brief video about this in the tutorial, but I'm kind of crunched for time at the moment and if someone else could make it, that would be fantastic. Thanks all!

Minion · Post by **Minion** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:37 am

i'll throw together some examples for ya. gimme like an hour

DriftRoot · Post by **DriftRoot** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:53 am

lol wow, so deadline oriented

I should have added that there's no rush on this. I won't be wrapping up the tutorial for a few weeks. At some point I'll also be looking for volunteers to test out the tutorial and make sure it's all good to go. PM me at any time if you're interested in joining the beta testing ranks - both pen tool newbies and intermediate users are welcome.

Minion · Post by **Minion** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:54 am

idk who the soccer guy is. grabbed the source pic from google.

this is howto make a trace of an object.

your start point in marked by the purple dot. first click there, because it's where the curve begins.

then click and hold the end of the curve (marked with green)

without letting go, drag your mouse in the opposite direction of the curve.
you will see a curve being made. let go when it lines up with the picture's curve.

hold crtl and click away. now do that to the next curve.

if therre is no curve, then just click the start point, then the end point.

make your trace with as few paths as possible. takes some practice.
go find some random images on google and try tracing them for practice. don't stop till you have it down.

Minion · Post by **Minion** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:55 am

DriftRoot wrote:lol wow, so deadline oriented

i'm a graphic artist. my industry is nothing but deadline. it becomes second nature :/

Minion · Post by **Minion** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:59 am

maybe i should have used a different area on his body. the curve isn't very noticable :/

if the pen tool can't make a "round" enough arch, drag in up when making the start point. (assuming thats the direction of the curve).

Minion · Post by **Minion** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:00 am

Minion wrote:your start point is marked by the purple dot.

Minion wrote:if the pen tool can't make a "round" enough arch, drag it up when making the start point. (assuming thats the direction of the curve).

Minion · Post by **Minion** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:02 am

fixed typos. can a someone merge my posts?

DriftRoot · Post by **DriftRoot** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:25 am

What the heck! Stop making a tutorial!! No tutorial here! What are you doing?!

Minion · Post by **Minion** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:32 am

just something for you to use