Journal and sketching effects

[TerryK]

I am in the process of learning FCP to create educations DVD's for animal tracking and nature awareness topics. As I'm going down this incredible learning curve, in the back of my mind I'm trying to figure out some of the effects i would like to create which FCP will not do.

MY question is which software should I be looking at to accomplish some of the following. Will after effect do this?

I would like to create a sketch or drawing effect in real time (hope that is said correctly) of a landscape, like the lines are being drawn on the screen, and than have the scene fade in. I am aware how to do the drawing effect one short line at a time through key framing. Is there a quicker way to do this? Perhaps using a tablet? As I sketch on the table can a program record this sketch as key frames.

Hopefully this is clear and in advance thank you for your patience as I am a newbie to all this.

TerryK

[Scottdvx100]

Commotion has this feaure built in. Record full painting then tell it how many frames you want it to paint on.

[kai]

You can also use vector paint in after effects...

Here's a rough idea i'm working on of a similar effect:

www.winnercomm.com/iojuly/

[ProjX v2.0]

There is a member here named Bill Hooper:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/member.php?u=3635

He had posted a music video sometime back that did the effect that you are describing. Check out the old post here:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/showthread.php?t=3139&highlight=drawing


"As for the whiteboard animation, I shot the girl in bed first, then printed out a still for my friend to trace/draw. I scanned the drawing in, cleaned it up in photoshop, printed it out on glossy paper, put the paper in the whiteboard frame. Then shot footage of a blank whiteboard and then the whiteboard with the picture in it. I exported a pic sequence from FCP, and in photoshop I frame by frame "erased" the top layer (the drawing image, then played all the compiled frames in FCP backwards, so it looked like the image was drawn. No AE at all. (Did use AE for the shot of Steve splitting on the bed, though) "

I would suggest instead of getting someone to draw it out, tha you export the frame and bring it into Photoshop. Use one of the built in filters, Sketch and Cutouts come to mind, and get a nice sketched outline effect.

On a side note, Bill used FCP to do that effect so maybe if you PM him, he'll be able to help you out more than I can.

I'm about to try this effect out myself so let me know how you make out with it.

[Scottdvx100]

Yikes, i's 2005 and people are still using Photoshop to do frame by frame work.
Comotion LE use to be bundled with FCP and did this all automatically.
If you just want to erase it then you should be able to create a reveal matte in AE.

[TerryK]

Thanks for the great info so far. You all are giving me some ideas to persue. i tried to get to Bill H post but it is not available right now so I'll contact him to see if he will share this video again.

Scottdvx100, could you send me a link to learn more about commotion. i googled but am still uncertain I am on the right site.

So in my ideal world of graphic art and movie creation, why can't i sketch on a tablet (or mouse) what I wish and have it recorded into keyframs automaticlally so that when I am finished, I could replay these frames and see my sketch recreate itself.

The sketch effect in AE might do the trick also or the erase effect working backwards.

Thanks Kai for the example.

I have lots to explore and learn so thanks and if there are more ideas out there keep them flowing. Also if any other examples I would love to see them.

Onward........