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Alpha Difference

Posted: 26 Mar 2014, 16:45
by meslin
David,

I think Niels sufficiently demonstrated with the original Plastic Animation Paper software that he knows how to make a clean interface and produce nice line qualities (unlike Flipbook or Pencil). I don't have the vaporware-fear that you are insinuating.

One thing that about the Plastic Animation Paper line that I've always liked is the lack of what I call "buildup scratchies." A single line of dynamic opacity seems to follow rules similar to the Alpha Difference blend mode - except Alpha Difference only seems to work between strokes.

I submit two images for demonstration purposes and I would love it if anyone can help me get the "no buildup scratchies" line quality in TVP.
In the Plastic Animation Paper image, I show that the opacity does not multiply on itself, and you can see the nice, low-contrast (low boil in animation) result.

In the TVP example, perhaps I should have used a hard, circular airbrush for better comparison...but I used a version of Mark Chong's lovely Natural Sketch brush, which behaves exactly as I would hope across strokes, but within a stroke, it builds up. Even just drawing a strong angle (so that the dab crosses onto itself) creates an unsightly, unnatural looking buildup, which is a 'signature' in an animation context.

I don't mean to offend anyone or take a side, and I do think that there is a place for both pieces of software to coexist in a pipeline.

Thoughts?

David

Re: Animation Paper Software

Posted: 26 Mar 2014, 16:57
by schwarzgrau
Have you tried turning on and off "Drying" in the brush settings?

Re: Animation Paper Software

Posted: 26 Mar 2014, 16:58
by D.T. Nethery
meslin wrote:David,

I think Niels sufficiently demonstrated with the original Plastic Animation Paper software that he knows how to make a clean interface and produce nice line qualities (unlike Flipbook or Pencil). I don't have the vaporware-fear that you are insinuating.

I didn't mean to imply that it is vaporware . I believe he will produce this software . What I'm saying is that it doesn't exist yet. Unless you know something I don't then I would say the screenshots of the GUI on the website are mock-ups of what it's intended to look like .

Re: Animation Paper Software

Posted: 26 Mar 2014, 17:04
by idragosani
D.T. Nethery wrote:
meslin wrote:David,

I think Niels sufficiently demonstrated with the original Plastic Animation Paper software that he knows how to make a clean interface and produce nice line qualities (unlike Flipbook or Pencil). I don't have the vaporware-fear that you are insinuating.

I didn't mean to imply that it is vaporware . I believe he will produce this software . What I'm saying is that it doesn't exist yet. Unless you know something I don't then I would say the screenshots of the GUI on the website are mock-ups of what it's intended to look like .
Yeah, it doesn't exist yet, so it is vaporware right now. He is trying to get investors to finance the development (according to the website), based on how many "early bird" adopters he can get signed up. I am surprised he is not going the crowdfunding route, at least to get initial development going.

Re: Animation Paper Software

Posted: 26 Mar 2014, 18:31
by Fabrice
David Meslin wrote:I submit two images for demonstration purposes and I would love it if anyone can help me get the "no buildup scratchies" line quality in TVP.
Super easy :
Try the "alpha max" setting in the custombrush panel.
It has been here since 4~5 years, specially created to answer Hisko needs for his film Junkyard. (http://vimeo.com/84024649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

Re: Animation Paper Software

Posted: 26 Mar 2014, 18:59
by Fabrice
btw David,

Please let me know the shape of your brush and I will build the tool for you with a small tutorial. :D

Re: Animation Paper Software

Posted: 26 Mar 2014, 19:46
by meslin
Fabrice,

I see - alpha max stamp with variable opacity pretty much does it.

But after playing for a minute - i see that, even with drying turned off, if I change tools or images, and go back to it, it builds on top of the image...
(Edit - have to set to Alpha Difference mode also...).

Is it possible to get the pencil brush variants (like lemec's "NaturalSketch") to behave like this?

Thanks,
David

Re: Animation Paper Software

Posted: 26 Mar 2014, 20:03
by Fabrice
(Edit - have to set to Alpha Difference mode also...).
Yes, I forgot to mention it.
Is it possible to get the pencil brush variants (like lemec's "NaturalSketch") to behave like this?
I need to check, but tomorrow. :)

Re: Animation Paper Software

Posted: 27 Mar 2014, 10:17
by Sewie
A little off-topic:
meslin wrote: (Edit - have to set to Alpha Difference mode also...).
Where can I find this 'Alpha Difference' setting?

Re: Alpha Difference

Posted: 27 Mar 2014, 10:28
by Elodie
I split the topic, as it didn't really have to do with PAP ;)

Alpha diff can be chosen in the drawing modes :
no alpha diff on the left | alpha diff on the right
no alpha diff on the left | alpha diff on the right
This feature was asked by Hisko Hulsing (If I remember well) many years ago :)
(2008 ?)

Re: Alpha Difference

Posted: 27 Mar 2014, 11:10
by Sewie
Okay.
Thanks, Elodie.

Re: Alpha Difference

Posted: 27 Mar 2014, 11:26
by Elodie
you're welcome :)

Re: Alpha Difference

Posted: 27 Mar 2014, 15:18
by Fabrice
Hi there,

Here is a panel with 2 tools I did quickly.

Btw, we are all wrong, it's an old stamp mode from Aura days (old C++ code which was written before 2000), but reworked a little bit for Hisko's Junkyard.
David_Meslin_Panel.tvpx
(240 KiB) Downloaded 1201 times
Panel.png
Panel.png (3.88 KiB) Viewed 31415 times
000.png

Please give me a link to download lemec's "NaturalSketch", it sounds like it's not in the "content sharing" section.

Re: Alpha Difference

Posted: 27 Mar 2014, 19:41
by D.T. Nethery
Fabrice wrote: Please give me a link to download lemec's "NaturalSketch", it sounds like it's not in the "content sharing" section.
I think this is the brush he's referring to:

http://forum.tvpaint.com/viewtopic.php? ... 491#p19498" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



.

Re: Alpha Difference

Posted: 31 Mar 2014, 16:05
by meslin
Fabrice, thanks for naming a panel after me!

David, thanks for posting that link -- yes, that's the brush. I wonder why the attachment name ("naturalSketch.tvpx") doesn't show up in search results...I think the key to the naturalSketch brush's appeal is the pencil brush's noise algorithm, which I haven't been able to replicate with a custom animbrush stamp set or paper texture.

David