Ok, I just started learning tbs and have been going thru each of the help files and such but I cannot get it to do any inbetweening! I’ve been patiently trying to figure it out, going thru it slowly over and over again. I just cant get it!! Example: I tried to make an extremly basic animation where a circle moves from the left side of the scene to the right. I made 3 key frames, the first with the circle on the left, 2nd keyframe with the circle in the middle and the 3rd with the circle at the far right. I got the whole non constant segment thing(I think) but i just cant do it! its maddening! I literally threw my wireless keyboard against my wall and knocked out a bunch of keys out. Fortunatly I found them all and put them back in. But I need help. Can someone tell me step by step in laments terms how an idiot like me can do tweening…please?? or atleast point me to some good tutorials that can help. Im stumped and at this point I feel my next move to getting thru this is simply quitting…
Please have a look at “JK’s” excellent article “Key Framed Animation”:
http://www.tallgrassradio.com/toonboom/2007/05/key-framed-animation-part-1.html
Check out Toon Boom’s Tutorials:
http://www.toonboom.com/products/toonBoomStudio/eLearning/tutorials/
Here are some “cut-out-video-demonstrations”:
http://www.nolanscott.co.nz/tutorials/drawing-a-chicken.html
http://www.nolanscott.co.nz/tutorials/bouncing-ball-part-1.html
http://www.nolanscott.co.nz/tutorials/bouncing-ball-part-2.html
Cheers
Nolan
I’ve been looking at tutorials, and there’s something obvious that I’m missing, possibly the same thing as eclipsemod.
I draw a ball. I’m in frame one. I extend the frames so there are now ten frames. I click on frame ten. I select the ball and move it to the right. I cross my fingers and hope the magic happens.
I click on frame one again, and the ball is no longer in its original location, but it is where I moved it when I was in frame ten. Every single frame shows it in the location where I moved it in frame ten.
So apparently I don’t know how to move something in a single frame. I really feel like I’m getting the principles illustrated in the tutorials, but when I look I see people moving and skewing and keyframing, and no matter how many key frames I add, all of my changes seem to be applied to all frames.
Can you tell what I’m missing?
It is critical that you are using the correct scene planning tool when you try to set your keyframes. Do not use the “select” tool (6) for keyframing as it is not a keyframing tool and is only used so set static parameters. Always use the “transform” tool (7) for keyframing location, scaling, skewing or rotation and use the “motion” tool (0) for motion path keyframing. The scale, skew and rotation tools are just used to set pivot points or to individually address specific keyframes for copy or deletion. (I discuss this in my tutorial on Key Framed Animation as referenced by Nolan above)
Now I can’t be sure exactly what you are doing from your description but try this approach and see if it helps.
1. Place a cell of your ball in frame 1.
2. In camera view, with the scene planning transform tool (7) selected. Extend the exposure of your cell of the ball using the set exposure… command for some number of frames as desired for your action. (let’s use 10 frames for this example).
3. With the transform tool (7) selected, move the red frame slider to frame 1. Select your ball in camera view with the transform tool. (the grab handles of the transform selecting box will be white or unfilled, if they are black or filled you have the wrong selecting box which is the select tool (6)) Now with the ball selected move its location to a desired position on the stage this will to set your first keyframe. If you don’t move the ball at all in this first keyframe then press the keyboard short cut ( I ) to set a keyframe for the original position. You either have to move the object or force a keyframe to be set. (When a keyframe is set, a specific key type indicator will display for that frame in your timeline track.)
4. With the transform tool (7) still selected, move the red frame slider to frame 10. Select your ball in camera view with the transform tool. Now with the ball selected move its location to a different position on the stage. This will set a second keyframe at frame 10.
5. If you have your preferences set to default to non-constant segments, then you will see a line displayed between the keyframes on your time line track. If there is no connecting line displayed then move your frame slider to frame 1, be sure the transform tool is still selected in your tool palette, and right click and select set non-constant segment from the context menu and the non-constant segment line will be displayed which indicates that the frames between your keys will be tweened.
That’s it. You now have a simple tweened action.
If you need additional help just ask. -JK
Great – thanks for the super-noob-level instruction. That’s exactly what I needed…
You are most welcomed, please continue to ask questions as needed we are all glad to help whenever possible. I’m hoping to get back to writing more tutorials soon as well. -JK
Just as a follow up for all readers who are interested in expanding there understanding and usage of keyframing and tweening here is a new tutorial. -JK
KEYFRAMING THE BOUNCING BALL