use of masks

[liebgott]

:huh:Can someone explain how the use of masks was made in the new intro to Beta 18? Much obliged.

Barbara

Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah to all.....[ size=4]

[Igor]

Barbara,

This demo slideshow located here:

C:\Program Files\WnSoft PicturesToExe\5.6 Beta 18\All\Examples\WelcomeDemo\

You can open it in PicturesToExe to see how it was created.

[liebgott]

I can see the order of the slides but Igor it doesn't make any sense to me. I wonder if Lin could write a small tutorial on how to do the opening . Maybe I will understand it then.

Thank you anyway and Merry Christmas.

Lin--are you there?

Barbara

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Barbara,

This demo slideshow located here:

C:\Program Files\WnSoft PicturesToExe\5.6 Beta 18\All\Examples\WelcomeDemo\

You can open it in PicturesToExe to see how it was created.

Hi All

I to am experimenting with 5.6 before making it my own system. I have tried to construct a mask, I've read the instructions in the 5.6 manual, I've watched the demo, and can construct a picture in a picture, which I assume is what is meant by the term daughter & child?

However the picture I have placed in the main picture is pixalated and I can't seem to get it to solidify, I have included a screen shot to illustrate.

Also the mask in the demo is circular, how do I change it's shape??

Yachtsman1

[davegee]

Barbara,

Choose a slide and go into O&A - The right hand side will show the mask structure.

Drag the little blue arrow from side to side to see the effect.

DaveG

[liebgott]

[Dave--do I make a mask container first?

Barbara

[Guest Yachtsman1]

[Dave--do I make a mask container first?

Barbara

Hi

I take it you are struggling like i am. As things are pretty quiet on here today, maybe we can help each other?

Assuming you hare using 5.6, open a show, highlight one of the slides, click the Objects & animation button, look on the top information bar, at the L/H end is the letter M, click that and "choose image box" appears select one of your stored images, click open and the selected image appears over your first image with a banding box to adjust the size.

That's as far as I've got, can't seem to get the overlaid picture to solidify from pixalated.

Yachtsman1

[smithrg]

Hi

I take it you are struggling like i am. As things are pretty quiet on here today, maybe we can help each other?

Assuming you hare using 5.6, open a show, highlight one of the slides, click the Objects & animation button, look on the top information bar, at the L/H end is the letter M, click that and "choose image box" appears select one of your stored images, click open and the selected image appears over your first image with a banding box to adjust the size.

That's as far as I've got, can't seem to get the overlaid picture to solidify from pixalated.

Yachtsman1

Hi Yachtsman, does the mask need to be a PNG made in photoshop or other editor?

This fantastic little program is getting way beyond my comprehention.

Someone help us, less talented, to grasp this mask stuff.

Best regards, Gayland

[liebgott]

Hi Yachtsman, does the mask need to be a PNG made in photoshop or other editor?

This fantastic little program is getting way beyond my comprehention.

Someone help us, less talented, to grasp this mask stuff.

Best regards, Gayland

Gayland

The best person to explain all this is Lin. I have his tutorial but I still cannot follow it to any conclusion. Lin--please go step by step. I am not alone in being utterly confused.

Barbara

[fh1805]

Barbara/Robert/Eric,

The "Mask" is simply a Black and white image (like a Layer Mask in Photoshop). I suggest you start by creating a white circle or rectangle in an otherwise black image. When you go into O&A and click on the "M", navigate to this B&W image as your mask. Then add a child image to the mask. The child image should be another real image.

You can then experiment with changing opacity of the various objects and with applying the various animations to the various objects.

You need to have a stack of objects that reads, top to bottom: Main image, Mask Container as a child of the Main Image, B&W image (= the Mask) as a child of the Mask Container, Second Image as a child of the Mask Container (I'm not sure whether this image should be above or below the Mask).

From here, just experiment until you begin to understand what effects you can achieve and how to achieve them.

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

This is like looking in the toy shop window at the shiney red engine and being told to wait for father christmas.

Hi Peter

Did as you suggested the result is below. Judging by the number of views this thread has had in such a short time, there are a lot of people looking at the red engine also. Still seeing a pixalated picture and no way to solidify it??? I think an a2z explanation is warranted.

Regards Eric

[davegee]

Hi all,

There is a link to Lin's MASKTUTORIAL in this thread:

http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/index....hl=masktutorial

Happy Boxing Day,

DaveG

[RayC]

Hi folks

Here is a very small Panorama Photo I played around with useing Masks, this got me started and since have succeded in going

a little further with them.

Its very small to Download, Hope it helps. http://www.mediafire.com/?1nvu1gm4cxg

All the best Ray

[Lin Evans]

Hi Guys,

I'll try to get something out this weekend in the way of specifics about how you can use masking.

Tonight I have to deal with the death of my old and last horse, Nicky. Nicky was 31 years old and has been in great shape and acting like a young colt lately but his old ticker finally gave out and I found him tonight outside his stall.

Nicky - 1977 - Dec 26, 2008

Lin

[LumenLux]

My condolences Lin. Thirty one years would take a large area of your heart.

[liebgott]

My condolences Lin. Thirty one years would take a large area of your heart.

Sorry Lin,

when you can start from A to Z so that we can understand how Igor changed a whole picture using a mask as in the new intro and not just a part of a picture. I am sure I am not the only one having this problem but you are the only one who can make it clear. Really sorry!

Barbara

[liebgott]

Hi folks

Here is a very small Panorama Photo I played around with useing Masks, this got me started and since have succeded in going

a little further with them.

Its very small to Download, Hope it helps. http://www.mediafire.com/?1nvu1gm4cxg

All the best Ray

Ray

That much I understand. My problem is with the opening slide show that Igor made where one entire photo replaces another with the use of masks.

Barbara

[davegee]

Barbara,

I have just looked at Igor's Demo and the only use of masks is on the text elements of slides one and three. The rest is down to transition effects.

DaveG

[RayC]

Hi Barbara,

Dave is right he just beat me to it, If you look at each slide on the slideline and check Customize slide you will see

In the Effects the ones he as chosen for each slide.

All the best Ray

[fh1805]

Lin,

My sincerest condolences to you.

Barbara,

Whilst Lin takes time out to grieve his recent loss, I'll try my best to make things a little clearer. Please try following the steps below:

- using PTE v5.6 beta 18, use File...Open... to navigate to the Examples folder and open the WelcomeDemo project file

(the path will be something like: C:\Program Files\WnSoft Pictures to Exe\5.6 Beta 18\All\Examples\WelcomeDemo)

- use the PTE Folder panel to navigate to the same folder so that the images appear in the File Panel

- select the third slide in the Slide List and then go into the O&A window

- Click on the Play button to see the animation on this slide

Now let's start doing some reverse engineering:

This slide has the following objects:

- the main image

- a Mask Container

The Mask Container has the following objects:

- a Rectangle (study its Properties: Igor has used this to give a background to the text)

- a Mask (using the image called Mask1)

The Rectangle has the following objects:

- the text

Next, click on the main image's name in the Objects list and then click on the "Left Arrow" button above the Play button. This will position you at the origin keyframe. Now click on each of the other object names in turn and note the following:

- where is the object positioned on the image

- what keyframes (if any) does it have

The essential point to grasp as you do this is the position and animation of the Mask object (Mask1). It is positioned low down on the slide and travels across the screen from left to right. It is aligned so that its center passes along the centre-line of the text.

The black part of the mask prevents us from seeing the Rectangle and Text. The white part of the mask allows us to see the Rectangle and Text.

I hope you have been able to follow this and that it has helped you to begin to understand what a Mask is and how it can be used.

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi All

I assumed the picture in the mask could be different to the main picture?? After reading Lin's pdf I think I have got the wrong end of the stick. I've now created the effect I wanted using elements 5 which was to fade in a different picture over an existing scene. The only thing I can't do using this method is to animate the overlaid picture.

Yachtsman1

[liebgott]

Lin,

My sincerest condolences to you.

Barbara,

Whilst Lin takes time out to grieve his recent loss, I'll try my best to make things a little clearer. Please try following the steps below:

- using PTE v5.6 beta 18, use File...Open... to navigate to the Examples folder and open the WelcomeDemo project file

(the path will be something like: C:\Program Files\WnSoft Pictures to Exe\5.6 Beta 18\All\Examples\WelcomeDemo)

- use the PTE Folder panel to navigate to the same folder so that the images appear in the File Panel

- select the third slide in the Slide List and then go into the O&A window

- Click on the Play button to see the animation on this slide

Now let's start doing some reverse engineering:

This slide has the following objects:

- the main image

- a Mask Container

The Mask Container has the following objects:

- a Rectangle (study its Properties: Igor has used this to give a background to the text)

- a Mask (using the image called Mask1)

The Rectangle has the following objects:

- the text

Next, click on the main image's name in the Objects list and then click on the "Left Arrow" button above the Play button. This will position you at the origin keyframe. Now click on each of the other object names in turn and note the following:

- where is the object positioned on the image

- what keyframes (if any) does it have

The essential point to grasp as you do this is the position and animation of the Mask object (Mask1). It is positioned low down on the slide and travels across the screen from left to right. It is aligned so that its center passes along the centre-line of the text.

The black part of the mask prevents us from seeing the Rectangle and Text. The white part of the mask allows us to see the Rectangle and Text.

I hope you have been able to follow this and that it has helped you to begin to understand what a Mask is and how it can be used.

regards,

Peter

It's that ah-ha moment when I realized that what puzzled me were only transitions. Those I can handle with ease. Thank you all for the help. I really feel foolish but you've all been just great

Barbara

[Antbrewer]

I have been reading these current threads on masks that Barbara initiated and thanks to Peter's explanation I too have now begun to understand the potential of them. Though at this stage I am not too sure of how I might use them in an AV.

However following the PtE files All\ examples \Welcome demo I can see how they perform.

Thank you

Anthony

[mhwarner]

Though at this stage I am not too sure of how I might use them in an AV.

Anthony

Hi Anthony,

Here's a small show I made a little while back which included some masks. While the effects could have been achieved in previous versions of PTE using transparent .png files, the masks were much easier once I came to understand them.

http://www.mhwarner.com/azautumn.zip

[Antbrewer]

Hello Mary,

Thank you for your response and clip. Very enjoyable. The images on the leaves towards the end I have been doing using layer masks via photoshop for a while now but I now can see the possibilities of masks with animation . Plenty of food for thought here.

However as with so many of the new 'tools' that Igor introduces they have to be used judiciously as often the 'less is more ' rule applies.

Again thank you .

Anthony