Changing opacity on individual frames?

[Cloakndagger]

Drew my animation, I want a fade in effect over a number of frames, so I'm looking for the ability to change the opacity on each frame independently of others in the sequence. I can't seem to find anything that doesn't effect the entire layer. Any shortcuts?

Thanks.

[Svengali]

Look in the FXStack Panel for Transition > Fade...

[slowtiger]

If I want to make something transparent in just one or a fwe frames, I use the rectangle tool in erase mode and reduced opacity. This way I can even use paper structure, if I want to.

[Paul Fierlinger]

Both Sandra and I use this effect in our work; she in her brush strokes, I in my drawings. We make transparency erasers -- simple erasers that have less than 100% power and the effect is that of a kneading eraser. I am opposed to reaching for mechanical shortcuts because it'll show in the over all appearance of your work.

Eventually, as I got tired of erasing, I learned to control my pen to simply draw that way. You have to find a good balance between the weight of your hand, the sensitivity level of Wacom's tip softness, and the Profile curve of your TVP pen. But there are times when erasing is more effective so I switch between the two.

[slowtiger]

I often have to have an exactly defined opacity of elements, so using that rectangle is the best way for that. This is not really for animation but for creating assets which I will use in AS.

[Cloakndagger]

Look in the FXStack Panel for Transition > Fade...

Thanks for the suggestion guys.

Youtube and Google haven't turned up any tutorials on using the FXStack Panel. Any link you have to an explanation of this tool and its functions would be the best. Thanks guys.

[Paul Fierlinger]

And then of course there is the need for a mechanical fade in and out (done with key framer) because hand rendered fI/FO flickers too much and there is nothing more natural looking than a well executed, mechanical fade. For that I took my lessons from the Oxberry stand camera; the fades must first start in large increments a tighten at the end, whether it's an in or out. The human eye doesn't discern a fade when it starts but certainly follows every nuance on the out. I start my fades at 10%, not zero.

[Cloakndagger]

Oh, and I tried the Opacity/erasing technique but I'm doing this fade over several layers at different times and over the course of a few hundred frames, so anything that would do it in sweeping strides would be best.

[Paul Fierlinger]

Then you need KeyFramer and you can streamline your work by first executing all the fade ins and then all the fade outs. You can use the same key bar, only reverse it. All you need to do is open KF and use the Opacity window under the Render Tab.

[Cloakndagger]

Thanks for the tips Paul. Any information you have on maybe a tutorial explaining the various functions of the tools you're describing?

[Paul Fierlinger]

Sorry, no. I've learned everything I know from trial and error and the conversations on these forums. There are many threads around here on how to use the KeyFramer. What you want to do is quite simple -- maybe the simplest of functions of the KeyFramer. You place your cursor at the biginning of your fade and set the opacity to zero (or 10, as I do)an create a key by pressing the letter C (for Create). Then you go to the frame where you want the fade to end and, set the value of opacity to 100% and you will see you have create a key frame bar. Highlight tose frames and hit Apply Stack at the very bottom of the FX panel. Your fade will render. If you need the fade to be shorter or longer, just grab the white handle at the end of the bar and stretch it.

[Svengali]

Once the Fade Out effect is created, the set of keyframes can be named and saved with commands right inside the FX panel. Likewise, you can create, name and save a keyframe set for a Fade In effect. Then, as Paul said, any time you reload either effect you can slide it into position and STRETCH it to extend or contract the fade duration.

It can't be emphasized enough how useful the FX panel effects are... it would be worth your while to experiment on a COPY of a single frame or a sequence of frames to build you own library of processes.

Sven

[Paul Fierlinger]

to build you own library of processes.

Or perhaps in the future the FX Stack could come with a small set of presets. This would make it easier to initiate the newcomer into experimentation; a combo of tutorial and self examination.

[slowtiger]

OK, one very fast way to do a fade: have a 2 frames long layer with 1 frame with content, and 1 frame empty. Grab the layer handle and expand to desired length, select "stretch" and "interpolate" in the dialogue, return.

[Paul Fierlinger]

OK, one very fast way to do a fade: have a 2 frames long layer with 1 frame with content, and 1 frame empty. Grab the layer handle and expand to desired length, select "stretch" and "interpolate" in the dialogue, return.

Duh... I never thought of doing it that way -- it makes a lot of sense.