Stroke Along a Path

[russ_c]

Is there anyway to create a quick paint stroke along a bezier curve. I realize that Shake doesn't have this directly in the interface, but was hoping for a creative solution.

I am trying to roto a giraffe's tail and I thought it would be really easy if I had a 3 point bezier curve to just trace the tail movement rather than outline such a thin area.

Ideas appreciated,

Russell

[anthony_s]

Not a perfect solution but until Apple create some new tools for things like this (don't hold your breath) it might do what you need.

You could create a RotoShape which follows along the tail for three or more of the points and extends off to complete the shape elsewhere on the image.
Apply and EdgeDetect to that RotoShape, and create another RotoShape to mask off the section of the line which isn't running along the tail.

Alternatively you could interpolate some paintstrokes using a QuickPaint node... but I wouldn't recommend it.

- Ant

[Hugh]

It'd probably be quite slow, but you could try doing something with the Warper....

Roto one frame of the tail, and, in your Warper node, create the curve along the tail. Use this as your source curve. Then duplicate the curve, link the two (currently identical) curves together and animate the destination curve....

Might work, although the warper can be pretty slow...

[russ_c]

Hmm, nice creative ideas. I might start playing with the warper idea Hugh. Ist it really to much to ask for a stroke along a basic b-spline curve instead of all the silly points in quick paint!? Guess I shouldn't be using shake to rotoscope :)

[quantum mechanic]

Anthony, I love that idea about using the edge detect and two roto shapes.

Brilliant! I've got to try that. I wonder if you can taper it with a move 3D?

:niceone:

[anthony_s]

I think tapering it with a Move3D might over-complicate things.

One thing you could try is to use a DilateErodeFine from the Highend2d.com macro list and erode the line, but plug a matte into it (eg. from a Ramp2D, animated so the grad follows the tail). This will gradually increase the erode's effectiveness down the line, tapering it off.

- Ant

[quantum mechanic]

Again :niceone: