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Autodesk® 3ds Max®
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Autodesk® Maya®
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Autodesk® Softimage®
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Autodesk® MotionBuilder®
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Autodesk® Mudbox™
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Autodesk® Sketchbook® Pro
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Autodesk® Smoke on Mac®
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| Exercise: Compositing in 3D space |
Skill: Beginner
This exercise is to familiarize the artist to the 3D compositing environment using 2D elements that will be moved into the scene. Tools used in this exercise: Batch, Action.
Fast Forward: The Town |
Exercise: Compositing in 3D space.
Click on the icon for a quick preview of the exercise and the final result.
(click on image to open video player)
Download |
Download an archive that contains the footage as well as the setups used in this exercise.
Put these files in your Flame system: for example under the /usr/tmp directory.
To learn how to load material into the Flame Library, see the exercise:
“Loading an archive”
Footage courtesy of: VERSION 2 (NYC)
Flame artist: Kieran Walsh
Images are subject to copyright: please read the disclaimer at the end of this tutorial.
1. Add an Action node and edit the node settings |
Start in Batch.
1. Drag an Action node to the Batch schematic.
2. Click the NodeSetup tab to the left of the interface to verify some of the Action settings.
Under the Rendering options, choose Z-Buffer.
Under the Miscellaneous options, be sure that Auto Image is selected.
Under Schematic toggle “No Info” to “Resolution”.
Turn AutoKey OFF to prevent animating values over time.
2. Import a Photoshop file in Action |
1. Deactivate the NodeSetup tab
2. Switch to Action result: press F4.
3. Double-click the Import node in the Action tool bin.
4. Choose Photoshop in the file type list.
5. Navigate to the directory that contains the file “Comp1_Town.psd”.
6. Select the file.
The Action media layers and schematic are automatically populated with the Photoshop elements.
(click on image to open video player)
3. Change the backplate into a Bicubic surface |
The Photoshop file is a two-dimensional composition using still images; we want to reposition the elements in the 3D space and replace some images with shots. We will start by moving and warping the background image in the back of the scene.
Note: Because Z-Buffer is set to ON, the priority of the scene element is decided by their position in Z.
1. Work with two view ports, press ALT 2.
Click In the left viewer and set the view to Action schematic, or press ~.
Click in the right viewer and set the view to Result, or press F4.
2. In the Action schematic, double click the axis directly above the “BKD” image.
3. In the Axis tab, set the following values:
Position Z -3000
Prop Scale 400%
4. Click on the image to select it (selected elements are yellow).
5. Under the Surface Settings, Change the Flat mode to Bicubic.
6. Hold CTRL and draw a selection box around the middle control points.
7. Switch to the top view: choose Top in the view list or press SHIFT 4 on the keyboard.
8. Zoom out to see the back image.
Notice all that all the other elements are stacked in the middle of the scene at the Z position zero.
9. Move the points of the bicubic to warp the image in a semi-circular shape.
10.Toggle back to Action schematic, press ~.
(click on image to open video player)
| Tip |
Hotkeys to work with several viewports are ALT 1, ALT 2, ALT 3, ALT 4. The Layout options are also available in the View menu.
4. Reposition and scale the clouds |
1. Select the axis above the “CLOUDS” image.
2. In the Axis tab, set the following values:
Position X -260
Position Z -2800
Prop Scale 300%
(click on image to open video player)
5. Adjust the Town layers |
We will now move the three different layers of buildings in space.
1. In the Action schematic, select the axis of the “TOWN_LAYER1”.
2. In the Axis tab, set the following values:
Position X 200
Position Z -2000
Prop Scale 200%
3. Select the “TOWN_LAYER2” axis.
4. In the Axis tab, set the following values:
Position X 225
Position Y -115
Position Z -1500
Prop Scale 150%
5. Select the “TOWN_LAYER3” axis.
6. In the Axis tab, set the following values:
Position X -120
Position Y -600
Position Z -1000
Prop Scale 125%
7. Look at the top view to see the layers position in the 3D space;
Select Top in the view list or press SHIFT 4 hotkey.
8. Press F4 to return to result.
(click on image to open video player)
6. Replace the smoke clips |
We will replace the smoke still images with an image sequence.
1. Select the Axis of the first smoke clip.
2. In the Axis tab, set the following values:
Position z -500
3. Click on the Media tab.
4. Scroll down and select the smoke media layer 6.
5. Click on Add Media (with From Lib option).
6. In the Library select the “SMOKE_white_fill” clip.
7. Hold CTRL to add “SMOKE_matte” clip to the selection.
8. Press Load.
9. Also replace the second smoke media layer 7.
(click on image to open video player)
7. Orbit the camera |
We will orbit the camera to see the elements in the 3D scene.
1. Select the Orbit operator in the list (default is Move mode) or press O.
2. Drag the cursor in the scene to orbit the camera.
3. Select the Move operator in the list to go back to move mode, or press M.
(click on image to open video player)
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| Tip |
To hide the icons of the scene, press the I key. Don’t forget to press I again to show the icons again.
