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Subject: Re: [AE] OT: drawing recording
From: Chris Zwar <chris@chriszwar.com>
In-Reply-To: <list-4712756@media-motion.tv>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 20:34:22 +1000
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Message-Id: <B8F3AB5B-3007-4A18-BC03-40721EA7E604@chriszwar.com>
References: <list-4712756@media-motion.tv>
To: "After Effects Mail List" <AE-List@media-motion.tv>

Hi,

I've done a few of these, and I've done them both ways.  Just a few =
thoughts-

If you record a 'real' artist then there will probably be a lot more =
clean up work than you initially realise (or budget for).  When filming, =
you need to ensure that the paper is really flat and secured to a =
surface so it doesn't move around AT ALL.  Even tiny movements of the =
paper, or ripples in the surface of paper that isn't flat, will be =
really distracting when sped up.  There will be all sorts of shadows =
(from the artist, their arm, and their pen/pencil) and random flickers =
that you will end up having to clean up or remove.  Many years ago I did =
a simple corporate job which was just a calligraphy artist writing =
various management phrases, but it turned into a complex compositing =
task just to make it look like a simple video of a guy writing words =
because so much clean up was required.  The realism you get with this =
approach though is noticeable - if you film someone live then the way in =
which the image is built-up / revealled (ie. the way they draw) is =
definitely more organic and natural.


If you begin with existing finished artwork and use strokes to reveal =
it, then it becomes a simple task to add a 'hand' that follows the =
strokes as they're revealed.  This is how I've done it on a few =
projects:

-Firstly photograph a hand holding a pen/pencil in all sorts of poses.  =
You might end up with 20 - 30 photos.  Bring them into After Effects and =
mask out the background, then sequence all of the photos in a precomp.

-Set the anchor point of each photograph in the sequence to be the tip =
of the pen/pencil, and then give all the photos the same position.  This =
effectively aligns all of the photos (ie. all of the different hands) =
around the point where the pen/pencil touches the paper.

-In you main composition, copy any masks/strokes used to reveal the =
image to the position of the hand layer and stretch the keyframes out to =
match the timing of the stroke effect.  The position of the hand should =
exactly match the position of the stroke as it reveal the image.  Then =
use time-remapping to switch between the different photos - you can even =
use random values.

There's actually a few seconds of a project that uses this technique on =
my current but aging showreel - starting at 2:06:

www.chriszwar.com

The best reference I have seen for this type of video is the ad for V =
Water:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DAPEIUMKCWzc

...but the whole hand-drawing gag goes back to the "La Linea" series =
that can be watched on You Tube, although  it's they're not really =
relevant if you don't have a character in the drawings.

Cheers,


-Chris

On 12/05/2012, at 10:34 AM, Steve Oakley wrote:

> on another list there was a very extensive conversation about doing =
this. seems the rage is  to do the narration while some one draws things =
that match. animating the hand will probably get insane, and never look =
that good. these videos are usually done the way you didn't think of, =
actually live. really that simple. have the artist come in, setup a nice =
even light, and using just about any camera with manual exposure =
control, draw away. you'll get perfect results.... you can patch bits =
together if you need to if you run of the end of the world so you'll get =
some real AE work in.  ok, if you really want to do it the harder way, =
predraw everything, then have the hand model fake draw everything, and =
wipe it back in with lost of masks. painful but another approach.
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> S
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> On May 11, 2012, at 7:18 PM, Jim Curtis wrote:
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>> A client wants a real live illustrator to draw some drawings, and for =
me to animate a hand with a pen drawing them in Ae.
>>=20
>> I seem to recall there was a product that would export a QT movie of =
things you drew into it.  Seems like that might be easier and better =
than me covering all the strokes with paths and using Stroke reveal, or =
Write-on.
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>> Does Painter or Ps do this?  Some other app?
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>> Thx,
>> Jim C.
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
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