Moho Forum

I've been trying to emulate the growth of a root system, using the point tool encountering problems when wanting to include the sub roots (auto weld used) and sub sub roots, the invisible line tool only recognises individual lines so making the lines disappear is OK but on moving to key frame and wanting lines to reappear, just get a fragmented result. Tried working it out in Illustrator so far the results have not resulted in the much used effect you find of root growth, any tips would be appreciated or is it a case of each line of growth plus sub growth etc with its own vector layer.

I'd try either masking or stroke exposure. Maybe even Scripts>Draw>Animated Strokes...

Thanks synthsin75, I've tried the stroke exposure, works with the primary roots, but falls apart on the sub roots, as the 'welded lines' do not form one shape. But its occurred to me that if I can get the soil texture png I'm using to be applied, could use the 'delete shape tool' leaving the root system as a 'mask' and then key frame a drop down vector layer behind it, that over time reaches the bottom of the shape and filling the 'mask' simulating the growth, will give that a try.

You could increase the stroke width at the same time and a little overall transform points.
Stroke exposure works fine, just start the branches later

If I was a clever scripter (which I really m not) I'd try to do something with recursion for this. I saw something like that scripted in Flash Actionscript a lime time ago, and it rally worked well.

I think I would recommend the stroke exposure method too.

Here's the file: https://www.animestudiotutor.com/shared_files?id=493

Are these lines made with the point tool, and if so did you weld the sub-roots onto the main root system and then use the time-line to sync the growth, or leave the sub-roots as separate layer vectors, surprisingly I'm still working on this task, its in the 'to improve later tray' now.

Freehand tool, merged shapes, One Layer
Nice example jezjones, mine was very sloppy and rushed, nice