User Guide Ulead Systems, Inc.
First edition for Ulead® VideoGraphics Lab, September 2005. 2005 Ulead Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or storing in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form without the express written permission of Ulead Systems, Inc.
2 Contents Chapter 1: Getting started ................................................. 3 Understanding the basics .................................................................................... 4 Working with the Filmstrip panel ......................................................................... 6 Viewing edit windows ......................................................................................... 15 Working with frames in a project .....................................................
3 Chapter 1 Getting started Video Paint is a powerful rotoscoping program that allows you to paint directly over any frame in a video sequence. With Video Paint, you can quickly and easily create special effects such as lightning bolts, lasers beams, virtual sets and mattes. You can also use the wide range of natural and particle-based painting tools to work on single images for use in other projects, such as Web pages and presentations.
4 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Understanding the basics Video Paint allows you to select, draw, paint, and enhance each image that makes up the frames of a video sequence. Each of the frames appears as a clip in the Filmstrip panel. You can scroll through this panel to view the clip or select a specific frame to work on. When you select a frame, it opens automatically as an image in an edit window.
5 VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE Standard toolbar View in Normal mode Cut an image View in Onionskin mode Copy an image View in Ruby Mask mode Paste an image View in No Source Video mode Save a Video Paint project View in Composite mode Open an image file View in Paint Layer mode Open a video file Redo an undone action Open a Video Paint project Undo a previous action Production Library Preview options Create a new Video Paint project Tool panel Lasso tool Shape Selection tool Magic Wand tool
6 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Working with the Filmstrip panel The Filmstrip panel displays each frame of a clip in the Video Paint workspace. At the bottom of the Filmstrip panel, there is a thin gray scroll bar which indicates the current frames in view. By dragging on this gray bar, you can scroll through these frames to see the entire contents of the clip. When you have found a frame you are interested in, click on it to display it in an edit window.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 7 the Display Unit submenu. In the same menu, you can also define the size of the thumbnails shown in the Filmstrip panel. Use a larger size if you are at a higher resolution or have trouble seeing the frames clearly. (To view more frames, float the panel and drag its borders to stretch it.) Working with edit windows When you work on an image in an edit window, you can choose to operate in one of two modes: Composite or Paint Layer.
8 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Packaging a Video Paint project While you can save your work as a UVP file, you may also want to occasionally package it with the File: Package command. This backs up the original files, making them easier to transport as well as archive. Packaging a file saves a project as a UVP file as well as the original video or image file it references, moving or copying that file to a new location.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 9 To open a video file: 1. Click the Open Video File button on the Standard toolbar or File: Open - Video File to open the Open Video File dialog box. 2. Click the Duration button to open the Duration dialog box. In this dialog box, you can preview the file as well as select which frames to open. 3. If you know the timecode for the frames you want to open, enter them in the Mark-in and Mark-out spin boxes.
10 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Starting a new Video Paint project In Video Paint, you are not restricted to working only on existing video and image files. You can create a new "empty" project which you can paint on to create your own virtual set or background matte. Once finished, you can insert the UVP file into Video Editor as part of a larger project. To create a new Video Paint project: 1. Click the New button on the Standard toolbar or File: New [CTRL+N] to open the New dialog box. 2.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 11 quality as the file undergoes compression twice, once in Video Paint and once more when you create the final video sequence in Video Editor. To create an image file, click File: Create Image File. This opens the Create Image File dialog box which allows you to select the data type, file format, resolution, and size of the image.
12 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Performing a paste operation Once the Clipboard contains an image, either from Video Paint or any other image editor, you can paste it into an edit window. To do this, click the Paste button on the Standard toolbar or Edit: Paste [CTRL+V]. Images are pasted at the same location they were cut or copied from. If the pasted image was from a frame or other image larger than the active frame, then the image is pasted at the top left corner of the current view.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 13 active floating selection, while Duplicate Last Paint Layer copies everything present in the last active paint layer. To duplicate an action over several frames, you need to perform a power duplication. Power duplication is much more flexible than the other Duplicate commands as it allows you to not only specify how many frames to duplicate over, but also the transparency for each duplication and whether or not to add an effect to each duplicated portion.
14 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE 7. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the active floating selection or paint layer is duplicated over the specified number of frames. If you power duplicate over a number of frames, a message box may appear indicating that the operation has exceeded the number of frames specified in the Clear undo history for multiple frame actions option in the General tab of the Preferences dialog box (see page 21).
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 15 Managing project cues To change the name of a cue, click View: Cue Manager. This opens the Cue Manager dialog box which allows you to delete cues, rename them or select specific ones to jump to. For renaming a cue, the Rename Cue dialog box appears for you to type a name and description. To select a cue in the Cue Manager dialog box, click the timecode displayed under the Frame position button. Note: To quickly rename a cue, double-click it to open the Rename Cue dialog box.
16 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Using the Zoom tool Use the Zoom tool when you want to zoom in on an image while at the same time controlling which part of the image is displayed in the edit window. To use the Zoom tool, select it and then click the area of the image you want to see better. The image zooms in beneath your pointer’s position. To zoom out, hold the SHIFT key as you click. (You can also use the Zoom slider on the Attribute toolbar to quickly zoom in and out on the center of the image.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 17 Using the Global Viewer to change views Fitting an image in the edit window When you use the Zoom commands, the image window does not change to fit the new image size. Therefore, after zooming, the entire image may not be displayed in the edit window and scroll bars appear along the window’s edge. If you wish to display the complete image within the edit window, choose one of the available Zoom commands from the View: Fit in Window By submenu.
18 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Inserting frames There may be times when you need to extend the length of a video or insert a new sequence into the middle of existing frames. Video Paint allows you to do this by inserting frames. When you insert frames, you increase the duration of the project by the number of frames you add. If the project becomes too large, you may find that it slows down processing time.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 19 Duplicating frames The Frame: Duplicate command is similar to the Insert command in that it adds new frames to the clip in the Filmstrip panel. The difference is that it fills the new frames with the same content of the frame currently displayed in the edit window. When you click this command, the Duplicate Frame dialog box opens allowing you to specify the number of frames you want to duplicate.
20 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE To replace frames: 1. Select the frame in the Filmstrip panel where you want to begin your replacement. 2. Click Frame: Replace Source Video to open the Replace Source Video dialog box. 3. Specify the number of frames to replace in the Duration spin box and then specify what to replace the frames with in the Link with group box.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 21 Customizing Video Paint The Preferences dialog box (opened by double-clicking the Status bar or File: Preferences [F6]) provides options for customizing certain aspects of the program’s behavior. This is always a good place to start before you do any editing as it helps optimize Video Paint for each project and adapts the program to more closely match your work habits. PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: VIDEO PAINT TAB 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1.
22 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE 4. Number of recently opened files specifies how many file names are stored in the Recent History list found in the File menu. 5. Title safe area margin specifies the margin percentage for displaying any titles in a video project. This is useful if you intend on sending your video out to video tape or for broadcasting, as television has a different resolution than a computer monitor and edges which are viewable on screen may disappear.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 23 2. Hard disk displays how much free space you have on your hard drive. 3. Limit hard disk usage to specifies how much memory you want to allocate just for Video Paint’s purposes. If you are only using Video Paint and want to optimize performance, select the maximum amount possible. If you are using other programs in the background you may want to limit this to about half.
24 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE allocate to the programs for use as virtual memory. If you want to run other programs in the background, then choose about ½ the maximum amount. To use Video Paint defaults, leave this option unchecked. 4. Limit RAM usage to allows you to specify how much memory you want to allocate to the programs for use in RAM. If you want to run other programs in the background, then choose about ½ the maximum amount. To use Video Paint defaults, leave this option unchecked.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER ONE 25 To calibrate your display: 1. Click File: Preferences to open the Preferences dialog box and click on the Display tab. At the bottom of the tab are two Grayscale squares. The top square is a checkered pattern of black and white pixels, which when viewed from a distance, looks 50% gray. The bottom square is 50% gray as your monitor currently shows it. In a well calibrated monitor, both of these squares should look approximately the same. 2.
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27 Chapter 2 Painting Video Paint’s painting tools enable you to easily touch-up and enhance any frame in your video project. The painting tools themselves present a variety of functions, from the advanced Retouch and Clone tools to the more common Paintbrush and Transform tools.
28 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Working in different display modes In Video Paint, you can choose to view edit windows in a number of different display modes. These modes make identifying your edits easier. They also provide a means for creating mattes and animations.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 29 To create a video matte in Ruby Mask mode: 1. Select the first frame of the video you want to apply the matte over. The frame appears as an image in the edit window. 2. Click the Ruby Mask mode button on the Standard toolbar or View: Display Mode - Ruby Mask. A ruby film appears over the image. 3. Select a paint tool and define its attributes in the Brush panel (see page 42). 4. Start painting over the mask.
30 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Onionskin mode Onionskin mode is extremely useful when you are creating animations and want to be able to see how your edits are progressing from frame to frame. It works by placing transparent layers of each successive frame you edit over its predecessors, allowing you to easily see your changes from the previous frame as you work in the current frame. To work in Onionskin mode: 1. Select the first frame of the video you want to paint over.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 31 8. Select the Show only paint layer option to have the onionskin applied just to the paint layer. This speeds up processing time because only the edited portions have a transparency applied. If left clear, the transparency is applied to the source video plus the paint layer. (Depending on the type of video, this may produce no noticeable effect.) 9. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the settings take effect immedi- ately.
32 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Making selections In Video Paint, whenever you apply a command or use one of the painting tools, it is applied over the entire image in the edit window. To restrict the command or painting tool to a certain area of an image, you first need to create a selection. To do this, Video Paint has three selection tools that offer a wide range of options for creating both simple and more complex selection areas. Once created, a selection marquee appears outlining the selected area.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 33 Selecting in the Composite and Paint Layer modes If you are in Composite mode, any selection area you create selects elements of the actual image. Moving this selection or manipulating it in any way makes it a floating selection and moves it to the paint layer. Every time you create a new floating selection, any pre-existing floating selections are merged with the paint layer.
34 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE When you create a selection, it starts from where you first click your mouse. This is fine in most cases, but sometimes you may want it to start from the center, particularly if you are creating circular or square shapes. To do this, first click the Draw From Center button on the Attribute toolbar and then drag your mouse over the image starting from where you want the center of the selection to be.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 35 object against a dull background. (If you find the selection "pulls" to include unwanted areas, deselect the AutoSnap option or decrease the sensitivity.) Note: If you make a mistake while drawing a selection area or wish to start again, press the [ESC] key. Creating an irregular selection area Selecting an area containing similar colors The Magic Wand tool is useful when you want to select specific colors in an image.
36 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Creating a selection containing similar colors Determining color similarity When using the Similarity entry box, enter a value that you feel closely reflects the range of colors you wish to select. To help determine the color similarity range, move the Magic Wand over target pixels in the image and notice the RGB color values displayed on the Status bar.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 37 Adding additional areas to a selection Moving a selection area marquee (mask) Sometimes you will want to use a selection area without moving the image data it contains. For example, you may want to move a selection area to expose certain portions of an image, or to protect other portions from any effects or changes you may apply to the image. To do this, click the Move Mask button on the Attribute toolbar or use the Grabber tool on the Tool panel.
38 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Using the Color palette The Color palette contains colors that you can apply to any image in the edit window. The way colors are displayed in the palette varies according to your selection in the View: Color palette submenu. You can display palette colors in one of four methods: Map, Wash, Swatch, and Custom. Which method you choose depends on the type of color you want as well as which color picker you are more familiar with. To select a color, click it with your mouse.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 39 Selecting colors from the Color Picker pop-up menu The Color Picker pop-up menu allows you to select a new color to replace the selected color square, or to choose from a range of Color Pickers. Each Color Picker provides a different method for selecting colors, and each is suitable for particular situations. (You can open the Color Picker menu by right-clicking over any color square in Video Paint.
40 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Using the Windows Color Picker When you select the Windows Color Picker command, the standard Windows Color dialog box appears from which you can select a basic or custom color. Selecting colors with the Eyedropper tool The Eyedropper tool enables you to select a foreground color from colors already in an image.
41 VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO Using the Painting tools The Painting tools in Video Paint offer an extensive variety which allow you to paint over an image using anything from a felt-tip pen to an oil brush. When you use a paint tool, the paint is applied directly to the paint layer and not the actual image itself. As such, you can work without fear of damaging the original image as well as easily copy your work over several frames. To view the painting tools, click the Paint tool button on the Tool panel.
42 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Specifying Brush panel attributes When you choose a painting tool, the Brush panel displays the attributes for that tool in four folders: Shape, Options, Color, and Advanced. The current settings of these attributes are the same as they were when last selected. If you change them, you can save the new settings to the Production Library by clicking the Save button on the Attribute toolbar.
43 VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO Weight defines how heavy the paint color is. The heavier the weight, the stronger the impression it leaves. Distribution defines the placement of the brush bristles. The higher the value, the narrower the placement, while a lower value means a wider placement. Random creates a random (although proportional) size variation among the bristles of a brush. The value entered here defines the percentage of variance.
44 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE • Addition applies the color that is produced from adding the color values of the original colors with that of the painted color. For example, if the overlying frame is R:10 G:210 B:125 and the underlaying clip is R:30 G:100 B:100 then the resulting color will be R:40 G:255 B:225 – (R=10+30 G=210+100 B=125+100). (Values greater than 255 are rounded down to 255.
45 VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO BRUSH PANEL: COLOR TAB 1 2 1. Single Color applies a single color as the brush paint. 2. Multiple Colors applies multiple colors as the brush paint. You choose which colors from the neighboring Delta Hue, Delta Saturation, and Delta Brightness options. By controlling the value of these options, you determine how much color is applied. For example, more hue introduces more color while an increase in the saturation makes the colors appear stronger.
46 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Filling an area with color Apart from painting over an image with a paint tool, you can also fill a selection or the entire image with a solid color. To do this, click Edit: Fill [CTRL+F]. This opens the Fill dialog box from which you can select the color to use as the fill, the degree of transparency and the way the color is applied, such as the hue only or just the difference. (For more on these, see the description of the Options tab in the Brush panel, page 50).
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 47 Using the Clone tool The Clone tool is similar to the Paint tools except that it uses the image for its color palette. For example, you can paint onto an image with another part of the same image, or even from a second image in another edit window.
48 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE when you release the mouse.) This is useful if you are cloning large areas and often release your mouse and do not want to start from the beginning point. Frame is for cloning between different frames on the same clip. (To do this, first insert the file again so you now have two copies in the workspace.
49 VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO (To learn about cloning over several frames, see the "Duplicating changes over frames" section, page 12.) Notes: • Confine the area to retouch by first creating a selection area. • You need to be in Composite mode before you can start using a Retouch tool. Once you have edited an image, you can switch to Paint Layer mode to work on just that area.
50 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE BRUSH PANEL: OPTIONS TAB (RETOUCH TOOL) Dodge increases the amount of luminosity in an image, making areas lighter. Burn reduces the amount of luminosity in an image, making areas darker. Blur blurs the edges of an image making them less distinct. Sharpen sharpens the edges of an image thereby making them more distinct. Tonal adjustment controls the amount of highlight, midtone, and shadow in an image.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 51 To record a macro: 1. Click the Macro button on the Attribute toolbar (for Paint and Retouch tools only). A message box appears preparing for recording. Note: When you record a macro, Video Paint clears the previous Undo history to help free up system resources. If you want to retain any previous edits, first save the file before recording. 2. Click OK. Video Paint centers the edit window and you can start painting on the image.
52 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE To play back a macro: 1. Select the frame from where you want the macro to begin its playback. 2. Click the Production Library button on the Standard toolbar and locate the macro in the Macro gallery that you want to play back. 3. Double-click on the thumbnail of the macro you want to play back or drag-and-drop it into the edit window to open the Macro Playing Options dialog box. 4. Specify how many frames to play the macro back over in the Number of frames spin box. 5.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 53 differ in application. For example, in Video Paint, the filters are applied immediately to the frames in the clip, or to any frames included in the preview area, and the rendered result appears in the Paint Layer which you can then edit or paint over accordingly. (In Video Editor, they are applied to the clip only and are not rendered until you create or preview the file.
54 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Performing a flick preview Performing a flick preview is a simple process of selecting the frame from where you want the preview to begin and then clicking the Flick Preview button on the Navigator or View: Flick [SHIFT+F]. The preview is then performed on the image in the edit window. Before you perform the preview, however, you need to set your flick options to determine which area of the image is previewed as well as how many frames to flick through.
VIDEO PAINT: CHAPTER TWO 55 5. Click OK. The dialog box closes and the settings will be apparent the next time you perform a flick preview. Performing a preview Apart from performing flick previews, you can also perform standard previews which create a preview file. To do this, first define your preview options by clicking the Preview Options button on the Standard toolbar or View: Preview Options.
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57 Shortcuts Video Paint has many shortcuts that allow you to access commands and open dialog boxes without having to go through the menus.
58 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE File Menu Ctrl + N Opens the New dialog box Ctrl + O Opens the Open dialog box Ctrl + W Closes the current window Ctrl + S Saves an existing file Ctrl + P Opens the Print dialog box Alt + Enter Displays properties of the current file F6 Displays the Preferences dialog box Ctrl + Q Exits Video Paint Edit Menu Ctrl + Z Undo the last command Ctrl + Y Redo the last command Ctrl + X Cuts the current selection Ctrl + C Copies the current selection to the cl
SHORTCUTS View Menu Enter Preview current project Shift + F Begins flicking the current video + Zoom in - Zoom out Ctrl + 1 Fit in window by 1 x Ctrl + 2 Fit in window by 1/2 x Frame Menu Ctrl + Home Go to previous cue Ctrl + Left arrow Go to previous frame Ctrl + Right arrow Go to next frame Ctrl + End Go to next cue Ctrl + G Opens the Go To dialog box Esc Stops the current video from playing or flicking Window Menu Shift + F5 Cascade Shift + F4 Tile vertically Help Menu F1 Di
60 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Miscellaneous F11 Displays the current active frame on the filmstrip Shift + F1 Activates help button on menu bar Shift + F10/Right mouse click on workspace Displays the Edit menu as a floating menu Double click on file Title Bar Maximizes or restores current window Double click on Toolbar or Tool Panel title bar Closes window Double click on Status Bar Displays Preferences dialog box Shift + click on Filmstrip Scroll Bar Displays the next or previous frame in
61 INDEX Index A Autosnap ................................................ 34 B Brush panel ........................................... 42 advanced tab ..................................... 45 color tab ............................................. 45 options tab ......................................... 43 shape tab ........................................... 42 C Color fill .................................................. 46 Color palettes ........................................ 38 picking colors .
62 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE N No Source Video mode ......................... 31 Normal mode ........................................ 28 O Onionskin mode .................................... 30 P Packaging ................................................ 8 Paint layer selection areas .................................. 33 Paint Layer mode .................................... 7 Paint tools .............................................. 41 brush panel ........................................
63 INDEX V Video filters ............................................ 52 Video Paint program ................................ 3 basics .................................................. 4 brush panel ........................................ 42 advanced tab ................................. 45 color tab ......................................... 45 options tab ..................................... 43 shape tab ....................................... 42 color fill ............................................
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2 Contents Chapter 1: Getting started ................................................. 3 Understanding the basics .................................................................................... 4 Controlling the alignment of objects ................................................................ 11 Customizing CG Infinity ..................................................................................... 13 Chapter 2: Working with objects ....................................
3 Chapter 1 Getting started CG Infinity is a specialized drawing program that allows you to create impressive titles and motion graphics that you can use in Video Editor projects or as standalone video and image files. With CG Infinity, you can easily produce television and film quality opening and ending credits as well as an extensive range of both regular and freehand graphical objects.
4 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Understanding the basics CG Infinity is a vector-based drawing program dedicated to creating impressive titles and motion graphics. Once you have created a title or graphic, it becomes an object which can be resized, reshaped and redesigned without any loss in quality. A comprehensive range of drawing tools also gives you complete flexibility over your work and makes editing objects as easy as moving your mouse.
5 CG INFINITY: CHAPTER ONE Standard toolbar Bring an object to the front Cut an object Bring an object forward Copy an object Send an object backward Paste an object Send an object to the back Save a CG project View in wireframe mode Show the Time Control Panel Open a CG project Redo an undone action Show the Object Style Panel Create a new CG project Undo a previous action Show the Production Library Tool panel Object tool Freehand tool Eyedropper tool Shape tool Envelope tool Adjust tool
6 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Understanding objects Objects form the basis of your work in CG Infinity. They can be anything from text to regular squares and circles as well as freehand drawn shapes. Each object is a vector-based graphic which is created from a series of lines that form an outlined path to represent the object’s shape. When you work on an object, you can add, move, and remove points anywhere along a line in the path.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER ONE 7 4. Click OK. The dialog box closes and a new edit window appears in the CG Infinity workspace. Changing the background of an edit window Once created, an edit window displays a solid white background. When you create a video or image file, this is the color of the background that will appear behind any objects. You can change this background by choosing a new color or by replacing it with the contents of a video or image file. To change an edit window’s background: 1.
8 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Changing the view of an edit window CG Infinity offers the same controls for viewing edit windows as Video Paint: these are the View commands and the Zoom tool. CG Infinity, however, adds two extra commands to help you work at full screen: the View: Full Screen [CTRL+U] and View: Hide Menu Bar commands.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER ONE 9 Saving your work In CG Infinity, the edit window you are working on is referred to as a project. You save this project as a special Ulead CG Infinity file (UCG) by clicking the Save button on the Standard toolbar or File: Save [CTRL+S]. UCG files contain all the attributes of the objects in the edit window as well as the video properties of the project.
10 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Another method to cut and copy is the Edit: Duplicate command which copies the currently selected object and makes a duplicate at the same time. The advantage of the Duplicate command is that you do not have to paste the object, therefore allowing you to quickly create copies of objects as you work. (This is ideal if you are creating temporary objects to experiment on and do not want to affect the original.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER ONE 11 Controlling the alignment of objects When you move objects around in CG Infinity, you often want to place them in particular areas within the frame of the edit window. This is especially the case when trying to match an object with a background video or image file, such as a car or a corporate logo. To do this, CG Infinity provides guides and rulers that help you accurately place and move objects.
12 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Guides are reference lines that you pull out from either the horizontal or vertical rulers. When you pull out a guide, it appears as a dotted line which you can use to mark certain areas within the edit window. You can have any number of guides which can be easily repositioned by dragging on them. To remove a guide, drag it off the edge of the edit window using the Object tool.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER ONE 13 Customizing CG Infinity To better work with CG Infinity, it is important to customize the program’s behavior with the Preferences dialog box (opened by doubleclicking the Status bar or clicking File: Preferences [F6]). This dialog box has three tabs: CG Infinity, Memory, and Display. PREFERENCES DIALOG BOX: CG INFINITY TAB 1 2 3 4 5 6 1. Apply color filter allows you to control how colors are displayed in CG Infinity, based on the NTSC or PAL color models.
14 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE 4. Title safe area margin specifies the margin percentage for displaying any titles in a video project. This is useful if you intend on sending your video back out to video tape or for broadcasting as television has a different resolution than computer monitors, and edges which are viewable on screen may disappear. As a guideline, for NTSC devices choose 12%, PAL 10%. To view the title safe area marquee, click View: Title Safe Area. 5.
15 Chapter 2 Working with objects The power of CG Infinity lies in its ability to create and manipulate objects. Using a wide range of drawing tools, you can easily create these objects by tracing over existing images, drawing your own shapes or using the Text tool to create impressive titles and text effects.
16 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Defining an object’s style When you create an object, it takes its form from the path or shape you draw and its appearance from a number of attributes which make up its style. These attributes are defined in the Object Style Panel which you can view by clicking the Object Style Panel button on the Attribute toolbar or by right-clicking over a toolbar and selecting the Object Style Panel command. The panel has three tabs: General, Color, and Shadow.
17 CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO 4. Soft Edge blends the edges of an object with the background. This option is useful if anti-aliasing does not create a smooth enough edge for some objects. 5. Line Caps defines how the ends of lines are drawn; you can choose between Round, Square or Flat. (Depending on the size of your object, you may not be able to see any obvious change.) 6. Line Joints defines how lines meet; you can choose Round, Bevel, or Miter joining.
18 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE 3. Line color determines how the line of an object is filled. The first option, None, applies no fill to an object’s line making it clear. (If you do not select a color or style, then the line width specified in the General tab has no affect.) The second option, Color, selects a solid color to fill the line with. To choose the color, rightclick the color square or select the color using the Eyedropper tool or the Color palette, keeping the [CTRL] key held down as you click.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO 19 Setting your default object style Whenever you create an object, it takes its initial style from the current default as indicated by the graphic at the bottom of the Tool panel. You can change this default at any time by right-clicking it and choosing the Properties command. In the Properties dialog box that opens, you can specify the new defaults.
20 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Using the Text tool The Text tool in CG Infinity allows you to use any font currently installed on your system to create a text object. Once created, you can control the spacing between letters in a word as well as the spacing between lines of text. You can also edit the text at a later time, even after changing its shape and style. Note: If you want to edit a text object on another machine, that machine must have the same font installed.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO 21 Using the Shape tool In CG Infinity, you can create both regular symmetrical shapes, such as squares and circles, as well as more complex polygons and stars. You can use these shapes to block out sections of a background image or video, as a background for text, or to create a variety of special effects. To create a shape object: 1. Select the Shape tool from the Tool panel.
22 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE 3. Click on the area of the image where you want the shape to appear and drag. As you drag, the shape takes its form based on the specified attributes. (If you choose a fixed size, the shape is drawn immediately.) Once you release your mouse, the shape is created as an object. Note: If you draw an object and then hold down the [SHIFT] key, you can adjust the object equilaterally. If you hold down the [CTRL] key, you can adjust the object in one direction only.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO 23 As you draw, a line appears in the edit window which follows your movements. To draw continuously, keep your mouse button down as you drag. If you release the mouse button, you end a segment. You can then choose to end the path or create a new segment by clicking in another area of the edit window. When you create a new segment, it automatically connects to the end of the previous segment. Note: If you make a mistake while drawing, press the [ESC] key to start again. 3.
24 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE 3. Move to the edit window and begin drawing the shape you want to create. Each time you click your mouse, a node is placed in the edit window and a line segment is automatically drawn connecting the two nodes. If you selected the Add Curve option, two handles appear on either side of the node allowing you to stretch, pull and turn the curve. (You can come back later to edit these nodes and handles using the Adjust tool, see page 28.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO 25 Selecting multiple objects You can select multiple objects by holding down the [SHIFT] key as you click each object. The bounding box changes each time to encase all the selected objects. Once selected, you can move them as one or resize them equally. If you change an object style, the new style is adopted by all the objects, regardless of their original settings. (You can also select multiple objects by dragging a selection marquee over each one.
26 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Moving objects Once an object is selected, you can move it by dragging it with the Object tool. Apart from moving an object with your mouse, you can also move it using the Position spin boxes on the Attribute toolbar. When you view the Position spin boxes, they show the current horizontal and vertical position of the selected object respectively (All measurements are in pixels). You can enter in new values to move the object accordingly.
27 CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO Note: To resize an object, you can click a button or enter the new dimensions for the object in the Width and Height spin boxes on the Attribute toolbar. (These spin boxes are useful when you need to make accurate adjustments to an object’s size such as to 1/10th of a pixel.
28 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE 3. Drag one of the nodes of the bounding box to change the shape of the envelope. Control handles appear which allow you to further control the curve of the envelope. 4. Keep dragging the nodes and control handles until you have a shape you are happy with. Changing the envelope of a text object Adjusting shapes Whenever you create an object (other than a text object), its shape is defined by the path you draw.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO 29 3. Change the shape of the path by dragging the node or one of the control handles. Dragging the node repositions it while dragging a control handle changes the curvature of the path around the active node and between the preceding and following nodes. You can control the behavior of these nodes as well as their directions by choosing one of the node options on the Attribute toolbar.
30 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Creating a moving path An integral part of your work in CG Infinity is adding motion to your objects. This is done using the Moving Path tool which allows you to specify a path for an object to follow within the edit window. You can then position objects so that they move across the screen, either in unison or at different intervals.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO 31 Creating a moving path Changing the shape of a moving path In CG Infinity, there are two ways in which you can change the shape of a moving path: with the Moving Path tool or by assigning the path of an object as a moving path. To change the shape using the Moving Path tool, you need to select it with the Moving Path tool and then drag the moving path as you would if adjusting an object’s path. The Attribute toolbar has the same options as the Adjust tool (see page 28).
32 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Changing the size and style of an object over time Using the Time Control Panel, you can make an object change its size over time as well as perform other effects such as fades and color transitions. This is done through the use of key frames that you place at strategic positions throughout the moving path. By changing the attributes of an object at each key frame, you cause it to change over time. To change an objects size and style over time: 1.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO 33 Changing the speed of an object In CG Infinity, changing an object’s position on a moving path at a particular key frame controls the speed at which the object travels. For example, if you place a key frame at frame 15 of the moving path, and then move the object further along the path, you create a fast motion effect as the object has to cover more ground within the same time period.
34 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE Timing the movement of objects An important part of any CG Infinity project is the synchronization of objects with each other. For example, you will often want text to appear either before or after another object has been displayed. To do this, you again need to use the Time Control Panel and place key frames to act as timers before an action occurs. (Often with multiple objects, you end up needing more time than currently specified in the project.
CG INFINITY: CHAPTER TWO 35 To change the end time of a moving object: 1. Select the object you want to change with the Moving Path tool. The moving path of the object appears. 2. Move the Preview slider to the last frame in the Time Control Panel, the object moves to that position on the moving path. Then click the Add Key frame button. A key frame is added to the Key frame slider. 3. Drag on the key frame and move it to the position where you want the movement of the object to end. 4.
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37 Shortcuts CG Infinity has many shortcuts that allow you to access commands and open dialog boxes without having to go through the menus.
38 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE File Menu Ctrl + N Displays the New dialog box Ctrl + O Displays the Open dialog box Ctrl + W Closes a project file Ctrl + S Saves an existing project file Alt+Enter Displays the Properties dialog box F6 Displays the Preferences dialog box Ctrl + Q Exits CG Infinity Edit Menu Ctrl + Z Undoes the last applied command Ctrl + Y Redoes the previous action Ctrl + X Cuts a selection and places it onto the clipboard Ctrl + C Copies a selection onto the clipboa
SHORTCUTS Double-click title bar Maximizes or restores the active window Double-click toolbar or panel title bar Docking or floating the toolbar or panel.
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41 INDEX Index A Adding shadows to an object ................ 18 Adjust tool .............................................. 28 Adjusting an object's path ..................... 28 Aligning CG objects ............................... 12 B Bring to front .......................................... 25 C CG Infinity program .................................. 3 adjust tool .......................................... 28 basics .................................................. 4 bring to front ...................
42 VIDEOGRAPHICS LAB USER GUIDE E Editing duplicating ......................................... 10 Envelope tool ......................................... 27 F Files saving .................................................. 9 viewing ................................................. 8 Freehand tool ......................................... 22 G Grid ........................................................ 11 customizing ....................................... 12 Grouping objects ........................