This is driving me nuts. I have imported a bitmap of a character and now I am breaking it down. The workout series I am following claims that using the light table feature enables you to see the previous “cut” you made so there are no gaps. I know how to cut things out by duplicating the master and chopping parts out, the problem is I can’t see the previous cut unless I click on it. I have the light table on, onion skin on, the previous drawing thing set to “previous drawing” and still nothing but the thing I’m working on and the ghostly image of the master. I can’t see any previous cut-outs unless I click it. This seems all too cumbersome and slow, and easy to leave gaps, what is wrong?
Yep, seen that one too…
Some things to check:
1) Create a drawing Element. Name it ArmUpper, LegLower or whatever.
2) On the Timeline, select frame 1 for each Drawing Element in turn and from the context menu select: Import and Vectorize. Import the same bitmap into each and every Drawing Element.
3) Go to the Default Workspace and select the Auto Light Table (lightbulb button)
4) In the ArmUpper Drawing Element, use the Scissor Tool to hack off the body parts you don’t need. As you do so, you should start to see the other grey-out images of the body underneath.
Continue until body is broken down.
Another, similar way, is to create just one temporary Drawing Element and then in Frame 1 import and vectorize the bitmap; move to frame 2 and repeat. You will then have a series of cells within one drawing element with the same bitmap. Go to the Default WorkSpace, Select the Light Table, and then Select “Previous Drawing” or “Next Drawing” button (to the left of the light bulb button. That will show previous and next cell within the same drawing element.
Hope that helps
Thanks, the part about importing say, sixteen copies of the same bitmap and then chopping it up into the correct components sounds good. The problem I can see is that the bitmap has to be re-sized each time and then carefully placed as to line up. It might be more trouble than it’s worth. Also, I have yet to use the scissors tool. The tutorial doesn’t mention it, only the eraser tool; are their advantages to using it? Thanks.
I’ve just re-read this…and think I misunderstood the problem.
Let’s say you have 8 Drawing Elements, each with the same complete image of a person. Label each in turn: head, body, upper arm, lower arm, hand, upper leg, lower leg, foot.
In Scene Planning view, use either the Cutter, or Eraser Tool, to break the body part you need away from the bit you don’t need. Leave a little excess so that you can overlap the body parts without gaps.
Use the Drawing Select Tool to select the part of the body you DO NOT need, and hit the Delete key.
Do NOT try to use the Erase Tool to erase the unwanted part of the image (you’ll leave small fragments behind that will screw things up).
Make sure there are no unwanted image ‘fragements’. Use the Drawing Tool: “Reposition all Drawings”. That will show ALL image fragments that ToonBoom can see in that Drawing Element. Remove any ‘fragments’ or pixel you don’t want.
Repeat for all body parts.
Don’t worry about the size - we can fine tune that later.
In >> Scene Planning << view
(1) Nest the various body parts (Hand is child element of lower arm etc.)
(2) Create a peg element and drop all the parent elements on to this peg.
You should have the following:
MyBody-p
- Head
- Body
– Upper Arm
— Lower Arm
---- Hand
- Upper Leg
– Lower Leg
— Foot
(3) Use the Select Tool (one with small, solid black squares when you select an item) and move the body parts into location. Make sure they overlap slightly.
(4) Select the Rotation Tool and select each body part in turn. Position the green bullseye Pivot Point into the correct location. Your character is now ‘rigged’.
If you need to change the size of the character, use the Drawing Select Tool and select the parent peg: MyBody-p. As all the body parts are nested within the parent peg, any re-sizing of the peg will affect the whole body.
(5) To animate select the Transform Tool and use keyframes