Brush and Drawing tools wants list.

Nichod · Post by **Nichod** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 10:25 am

http://www.lostmarble.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1887

The above link is to an ongoing discussion of desired enhancements to the brush system in Moho as well as an investigation into the current implementation of Moho's brush system.

My personal summary on what I'd like to see as far as the brush system goes:

Vector brushes that work similar to the "Expression" system. Utilizing a system where you could set the brush to stretch between all points on a path or a new brush per two points, three points, etc. Brushes would blend between each other, and could be configured to curve with the path or merely follow it randomized (similar to current implementation). The user could draw a vector image and then add it to the "vector brush library" defining a region as the brush.

Raster brushes, as I've state a few times the morphing system in Moho for texturing via masking layers is incredible. I'd like to see an implementation of this within fill and outline. The raster image would be stretched to fill the area be it a fill or an outline. The outline could be configured similar to the vector brush concept with the brush stretching to fit the entire path, or a new brush every two points, three points, etc. Again brushes would blend between each other, and could be configured to curve with the path or merely follow it randomized (similar to current implementation). A lot would depend upon the quality of the brush. To me allowing the fill to be an image map would allow more flexibility with texturing and limit complications with masks. Yes we currently have this ability but it doesn't allow for object distortion or object movement. The texture exists in a global space, and not in the objects local space.

Brian

Nichod · Post by **Nichod** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 1:41 pm

Further suggestions:

Quoted from Toonz:

I draw a line, then I want it thicker. Say from (in the style menu) a line width of from 1 to 5 or 10 or 24 or any other width.
How does one do that?
If one selects the line with the Select Points tool then changes the number in the Style line width column, nothing happens. (Or I can´t get it to happen).

I thought maybe one could use the Select shape tools, but nothing happened there when I changed the number in the Style line width menu.

Yes, I know you can use the Line Width tool to adjust the line width, but there is no way to tell how thick the line width has changed; to 20? 3? 100? - the number in the Style line width menu does not change.

Perhaps a small numeric readout that changes beside the cursor as the user adjusts the thickness of a line.

Post by **Lost Marble** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 6:34 pm

Nichod wrote:I draw a line, then I want it thicker.

This isn't brush-specific, but here goes:

After a line (or fill) has been created and you want to modify it, you first need to select it. To do this, click on the line (or fill) with the Select Shape tool (the first tool in the Fill tool group). The line (or fill) will become highlighted with a checkerboard pattern. (On a thin line it may be hard to see the checkerboard - zooming in will make it more obvious.)

At this point, the Style window will be displaying the properties of the selected shape (fill color, line color, line width, etc.), and you can change any of these settings.

The Select Points tool is not used in this process - use the Select Shape tool. One of the unusual things about Moho is the separation between points and curves and the fill and outline shapes that are what appear in the actual rendered result.

Nichod · Post by **Nichod** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 5:24 am

Sorry LM. I know its not brush specific. Just trying to collect all the useful information about what people are wanting in relation to the drawing tools and brushes thread. I should change the thread title.

LM. Perhaps a way to help create a better synergy between the drawing tools and the fill tools is to give an option for the shape selection tools, and various drawing tools to be able to edit the style. So if you are editing a group of points with translate tool and realize that you want to change the width you could just resize it in the styles without having to select the area with the shape selection tool. Requires changing tools quite a bit when you are building your objects.

Beyond layering fill shapes/outlines is there a reason for the complete seperation of the drawing and fill tools?

I think if a drawing/shape has one fill and outline when selected with the drawing tools it would be useful if you could edit the style. If the drawing/shape has more then one fill/outline then only the top fill/outline could be edited in the style window when the selection tools are used. And if the user wants to change the other fills/outlines then he/she would have to use the fill tools.

Also, perhaps I missed it in the documentation but is there an easy way to switch between fill/outline layers? Something similar to switching between the drawing layers (down arrow, up arrow) ?

Thanks for listening.

Brian

appleanimator · Post by **appleanimator** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:55 pm

I'm curious as to whether these new outline brushes could help create lighting and shading within Moho characters?

My major complaint with MOHO is its characters look flat, Flat, FLAT !!!! That look's fine for WB and many other anime style shows, but for something athmospheric or naturalistic, it just doesn't work.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Of course it's possible to export the Moho animation and use AE or another compositor to light it, but that's a lot of extra work.

MarkBorok · Post by **MarkBorok** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 5:57 pm

Message deleted

MarkBorok · Post by **MarkBorok** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:05 pm

appleanimator wrote:I'm curious as to whether these new outline brushes could help create lighting and shading within Moho characters?

My major complaint with MOHO is its characters look flat, Flat, FLAT !!!! That look's fine for WB and many other anime style shows, but for something athmospheric or naturalistic, it just doesn't work.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Use bitmaps. Also combinations of shading, HSV images and the "splotchy" fill style to create irregularities in the rendered shape if you use vector shapes. Finally, create a more volumetric look by combining vector shapes for highlights and shadows (and use fuzzy edges on your shadow and highlight shapes so they appear to blend seamlessly into the underlying shape).

It would help if Moho had a slightly more powerful gradient feature, with the ability to have a noisy/dithered gradient (and shading) to make the fill a bit more irregular and give it a "handmade" look.

Nichod · Post by **Nichod** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:53 pm

Bringing this back up.

muchachotron_v2 · Post by **muchachotron_v2** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 9:30 am

hi folks, i just wanted to bump this thread and link to the post i just made in the above-linked "how do i..." discussion about animated brush issues:

http://www.lostmarble.com/forum/viewtop ... 5284#25284

sorry if this is regarded as spamming. if people disapprove i will refrain from doing it again in the future. i just thought my post there was relevant for this feature request forum, but since that thread about the topic was already quite developed, i posted it there.