ryans method + saber duel = ???

How would you use ryans photoshop method in a movie? I see how you could do it one way buy putting a rounded part at the end of every single saber (for every frame) but that woud take just too long. Anyone know of another way?

 

After Effects, perhaps?

 

Welcome to our world

That's basically what you do, rotoscope (or paint) every frame of a photoshop filmstrip, and away you go. Obviously you only have to apply the glow settings etc once to the entire filmstrip, you don't have to repeat that part over and over.

It's actually not so bad once you get into it. Personally I know prefer the After effects method, I find it quicker and easier, but not everyone does.

 

well, i asked for the photoshop method way because im kinda short 6 or 7 hundred dollars of being able to afford Æ

 

uh, Daft, i have rotoscoped before, i just used a different method for my first 2, and now that i know how good ryans method works, i was gonna use a varient of his on my movie.

So i was wondering if i had to draw the line on the saber then paint the rounded tip, or if there was an easier way

 

Paint your saber cores onto a black screen layer, and then once you're done, apply a median filter to it.

 

Oh okay.

So you could try using the pen tool, and then the beziers to make a rounded tip by pulling the handles if you like, or (again using the pen tool) create five points (the top three forming a triangle where you want the round over to go) and then using the tool that looks like > click the apex point, and then it will curve over that top edge for you.

EDIT: I'm sorry, I seemed to have got the wrong end of the stick - or sabre - or whatever

 

hmmmmm... sounds like the easiest way would be to just use the biggest paintbrush circle and paint the tips on every one...

 

If it's only thin blades you want to round (so no fanning etc) Ryans 'median' method is ideal. I thought you where talking about a way to create the big old triangular fan shapes, and how to get those to look rounded.

 

If you apply a gaussian blur about equal to the line width, then play with the levels, you can turn a squared line into a rounded line. The problem is both ends get rounded. Maybe mask one end first...

What we need is a 'rounded-line' tool...

 

where is this "median" filter, i dont seem to have it (plus im using Photoshop 5.0 LE and 6.0 tryout, ugh)

I totally agree with you, Kohai...

 

Go to FILTER > NOISE > MEDIAN

 

If I'm using the line tool I just do a gausian blur of about 1px. Seems to round it out okay. Most of the time I just use the poly lasso anyway.

 

What we need is a 'rounded-line' tool...

In Photoshop, there is one, sorta. Get your paintbrush out. Click where you want the blade to start. Now, hold shift and click where you want the blade to end.

 

I tried playing with those methods a bit earlier since I needed to round out my blades. Couldn't you use the median filter for all the thin blades, and keyframe it so you could use the beziers or fifth point in the mask on the fans (in AE)? Basically anything that keeps me from using those beziers on every frame is good. Seems to me that the median filter would be fine for the times when the sabers don't fan very much as well. I'll try playing with it more once I manage to get myself fired but has anyone tried using a similar system?

 

Just found this topic...

If anyone still cares, the EASIEST way to get a rounded edge is to use a round paintbrush from the get-go, instead of the line tool.

Click once to set where you want the blade to start, hold down the shift key, and click where you want it to end. Boom. Straight line, automatic rounding. Feather the edges of the brush a little for best results (saves a Gaussian blur command).

M. Scott

 

this is in photoshop yes? might just have to try the photoshop method, since i can't make the beziers in ae work right for the fans. or hell, maybe i'll just leave the fans sharp and angular and call it a "style choice"

 

Use a six-point mask. I assume you're using AE 5, and that makes Beziers tougher to use.

If in AE 5, define each end of the saber with three points, and CTRL-click the center one to make it rounded. That'll get you through the roto process.

M. Scott

 

*boggles* I still cant fuigure out how people have problems with using the bezier curves in AE4 or 5. You simply have to click the two end points with the bezier tool or command click, and then grab the control handle and pull it out a bit running the oposite handle a long the line of your sabres edge, works great.

 

I'm used to 4, works great. 5 is tougher. CTRL-clicking the control point rounds BOTH sides. In 4 I'm used to just clicking the line I want to curve and pull it. AE5 don't work that way.

Oh well. I'm used to it now.

M. Scott

 

Yeah it was nice when you could just grab the line, dunno why they screwed with that in 5.0