morph between two models ?

[Vegan]

Sorry if this is a F.A.Q.
Can MOHO take two completely different models ...no... uh..drawings ... um ..... whatever, and morph them together ?

( By creating in between images )


Also, can I have a layer fade in ?
( This could be used to create 'tween images for scenes in which there is a lot of change in the face . ( For example a plain face on frame one, and a scowling one on frame 15.

Thanks !

[myles]

Sorry if this is a F.A.Q.
Can MOHO take two completely different models ...no... uh..drawings ... um ..... whatever, and morph them together ?

( By creating in between images )

As such, no. There are workarounds - manually distorting both shapes to a relatively similar intermediate, or distorting one shape to closely match the other, before switching between them.

Also, can I have a layer fade in ?
( This could be used to create 'tween images for scenes in which there is a lot of change in the face . ( For example a plain face on frame one, and a scowling one on frame 15.

Yes, this one is easy - layer opacity. It could also be a group layer, with lots of sub-layers.

I assume you're thinking of something like (possibly switch-grouped) image layers for this, because for vector layers it would probably be easier to take advantage of Moho's strengths in bone, point, or switch animation to animate the change rather than fading it in.

Regards, Myles.

[Vegan]

( You lost me there with the last paragraph )

Some new very basic ( and lazy ) questions :
1) Lets say I create an eyeball and have the iris green. How do I then change it to brown ? I don't see a paint bucket tool, and when I select the iris and change the color in the menu ( From green to brown ) nothing is happening.
What am I doing wrong ?

2) Any tips on keeping the layers managable besides naming them ?
It gets cumbersome scrolling for an object layer ( Is there perhaps a way to specify a text color to differentiate the object layers ?
Head = Brown text , Eyes = Blue text , Teeth = White text .... and so on.)
What about seperate folders for the layers ( "Backgound " " Trees " " Bunny Rabbit " etc .)

3) How do I show ( and select ) all the key frames at the same time vs. just the layer that I am on ? ( Hmmm .... uh ... look in the manual ?! )

4) So how can I animate that opacity that you speak of ? ( I'll try to find it in the manual - but I'll ask just in case I can't find it right away.

Thanks !

[Víctor Paredes]

4) just go to the timeline. if you want, for example, that a layer start invisible, just go to the frame 1 and go to the propeties of the layer (double click on layer), there writte 0% in opacity.

if you want that this layer be shown in the next second, just go to the frame 24, go to the propieties of the layer and put 100% opacity.
in the frames between 1 and 24, your layer will become to appear.

its the same process if you want to change color or anything.

(see the timeline, there are icons and keyframes with all you has made)

[Vegan]

Thanks - I found the oppacity button . It works great.


Now how about changing the color of objects after they have already been given a color ?



Thanks !

[myles]

Hello Vegan,

( You lost me there with the last paragraph )

Sorry about that.
Moho allows you to move points and lines around (on a vector layer), so it easy (and very common practice) to move lines (either by moving points directly, or using bones to move several points) to change an expression - lift the end of the eyebrow, drag down the corner of the mouth, etc. You can also use preset placements of those points to quickly change between various mouth positions or other expression elements you set up earlier (switch layers) or even to set up facial changes for multiple elements (actions).

If you're using image layers instead of points and lines, you can also set up existing facial expression images as sublayers of a switch layer, enabling you to easily change between them, although you may have to individually keyframe opacity for each expression.

1) Lets say I create an eyeball and have the iris green. How do I then change it to brown ? I don't see a paint bucket tool, and when I select the iris and change the color in the menu ( From green to brown ) nothing is happening.

Optional step 0: Change the frame on the timeline if you want to change it over time. Otherwise, stay on frame 0.
1. Make sure the layer the iris is on is selected in the Layers window.
2. Using the Select Shape tool , click on the iris shape. The colour should turn into a small checkered pattern.
3. Select a new colour - the iris should change to match.

What about seperate folders for the layers ( "Backgound " " Trees " " Bunny Rabbit " etc .)

Yes, you can do that. Create group layers (basically folders) in the Layers window and drag other layers into them, then close up the group layers. You can nest layers within layers within layers.

3) How do I show ( and select ) all the key frames at the same time vs. just the layer that I am on ? ( Hmmm .... uh ... look in the manual ?! )

Not yet possible. I believe Lost Marble is seriously considering some version of this, but I'm sure there are all sorts of problems in the implementation and usability details.
However, I personally think Lost Marble has a great talent for implementing usable interfaces over complicated concepts, so I'll wait and see what develops.

Regards, Myles.

[Vegan]

Optional step 0: Change the frame on the timeline if you want to change it over time. Otherwise, stay on frame 0.
1. Make sure the layer the iris is on is selected in the Layers window.
2. Using the Select Shape tool , click on the iris shape. The colour should turn into a small checkered pattern.
3. Select a new colour - the iris should change to match.

Regards, Myles.[/quote]

I must have screwwed with the settings or something. I do just as you say with no result.
I even tried just creating an empty circle with only an outline. I then selected the circle using the Create shape tool since I only get the shape to have the checkered pattern after using the ' Create Shape ' tool vs. the 'Select Shape ' tool. I then change the color in the menu, press the space bar ...and ... nothing.
BTW i am at frame zero the entire time .
Pretty wierd isn't it ?

So... it is not possible to move multiple keyframes at once ?
So if I have a jaw opening and want to retime it , I must try to match the timing for all of the element that make up that object ?
( The jaw, gums, teeth, tongue etc ? )
Yikes !!
So will adding a bone that is attached to all of the objects that make up a head ( eyes , nose , ears , eyebrows / lashes teeth , lips ..etc ) will it make it possible to quickly move around the entire head and all its' parts ?

Thanks !

[tonym]

Regarding changing the color...

Try one more time, following these steps...

Use the Select Shape tool and click on the shape. The shape should go all checkered.

Look at the two small rectangles with color in them in the Style Window. Click in the top one. A window should now appear where you can pick your color from the entire rainbow of possibilities.

Once you have settled on a new color, click OKAY.

Then press the RETURN button your keyboard.
That should do it.

Does this work?

Tony M

[Vegan]

Thanks for the help...but something is totally screwwy.

I'll try to re-download the program later.

I'll have to check in to it at a later time.

Busy lately.


Thanks again !

[myles]

selected the circle using the Create shape tool since I only get the shape to have the checkered pattern after using the ' Create Shape ' tool vs. the 'Select Shape ' tool.

Sure. The instructions I gave were only for changing the colour of an existing fill - you said you had an iris that was green, and wanted to change it to brown.

For a new shape without fill, you just see the checkered pattern in red until you confirm your colour choice by hitting the spacebar.

Note: you have to have the layer of the iris selected in the Layers window before you can use the Select Shape tool to click on it.

If you don't get a checkered pattern you either aren't on the same layer, or you possibly have an underlying fill of the same colour (It is possible to have multiple overlying fill shapes on the same set of points and curves).

The checker pattern is half-transparent and shows whatever is underneath the shape - if whatever is underneath the shape is the same colour, you don't see the checker pattern.
To see if you have multiple fills of the same colour, click on a completely different coloured object with the Select Shape tool. The colour in the Style window should change to suit.

I then change the color in the menu, press the space bar ...and ... nothing.
BTW i am at frame zero the entire time .

I assume you mean by clicking on the palette swatch in the Style window, or clicking in the colour indicator to get the Color Picker window.
Moho doesn't have a color "menu".

So... it is not possible to move multiple keyframes at once ?

Sure it is - but they must all be on the same layer. You can select multiple keyframes on a layer and just slide them along.

To move keyframes on multiple layers you can use Actions, then you can move the entire multi-layered Action (including all internal keyframes) as one block.

So if I have a jaw opening and want to retime it , I must try to match the timing for all of the element that make up that object ?
( The jaw, gums, teeth, tongue etc ? )

Well, it will depend very much on how you have it set up.
Are you using bones to animate this? You can have all your bones (and thus all the bone keyframes) on one layer, or at least the mouth bones.

Are you using switch layers between different mouth positions? Then all you need to do is move the switch layer keyframes, all on a single layer.

Are you using point animation? Try keeping as much of the mouth geometry as you can on a single layer, apart from what is needed for masking.

Only if you have mutliple shapes on multiple layer, and are using point animation, will you have keyframes on multiple layer.

So will adding a bone that is attached to all of the objects that make up a head ( eyes , nose , ears , eyebrows / lashes teeth , lips ..etc ) will it make it possible to quickly move around the entire head and all its' parts ?

Of course - that's the whole point of bones and layer hierarchies.
Think of it as a bunch of layers attached to a bone, not a bone attached to the layers.

Regards, Myles.

[myles]

Quick visual walk-through.

Regards, Myles.

[Vegan]

Thanks Myles !
I knew it was user error - I was just wondering what I was doing wrong.

The thing that puzzled me the most was when the select shape tool and the create shape tool seemed to reverse in the way that they functioned. (And were grayed out at times too) .( The Create shape tool causing the checkered pattern . Thanks for clearing that up ! )

Also, thank you for going the extra mile ( and beyond ) creating the 'Color tutorial for dummies' !

[myles]

To move keyframes on multiple layers you can use Actions, then you can move the entire multi-layered Action (including all internal keyframes) as one block.

I must recant on this particular statement. While inserting a reference to an Action will insert a single Action block into each layer that it affects, starting on the keyframe you choose, the blocks are not linked, so sliding an inserted action block on one layer does not slide the corresponding block (from the same inserted action reference) on a different layer.

Regards, Myles.