Toonz TW Tutorial Workbook
Toonz TW Tutorial Workbook
Toonz TW Tutorial Workbook
Tutorial Workbook
.1
Toonz
harlequin
Toonzharlequin7.1
Traditional Workflow
Tutorial Workbook
Contents
Introduction
Before You Start ........................................................................................ 1
Extracting the Tutorial Files ..................................................................... 1
Setting up a Project
Creating a New Project ............................................................................. 3
Defining Project Default Settings ............................................................. 4
Choosing the Working Unit .................................................................. 4
Defining Camera Settings.................................................................... 5
Saving the Current Scene Settings as Project Default Settings ......... 5
Contents
Applying Special FX
Before You Start ......................................................................................57
Applying Special FX to the Main Character.............................................57
Adding Light FX to the Background.........................................................61
II
Introduction
For more information about the software features used in this tutorial,
please refer to the relevant chapters and paragraphs in the Toonz 7.1
Harlequin User Guide.
Introduction
The Final Scenes folder contains the scene files resulting from the
composing and special FX editing sessions.
Setting up a Project
Setting up a Project
3. Click the OK button: the project Toonz TW Tutorial will be created in the
Project Root folder of the Toonz browser.
In the Files > Preferences > Interface dialog you can set the following
default unit:
The default Unit used to display all measures in text fields, and applied
when moving or changing the size of stage objects.
The default Camera Unit used to display and define the camera size in
the Xsheet > Camera Settings dialog. You can also express measures in
an unit different from the default one by entering after the value any of
the following units and abbreviations: in, inch,, (double apostrophe),
cm, mm, fld and field. As soon as the value is entered, it is converted into
the default unit.
Setting up a Project
the +inputs folder, i.e. the My scanned images folder as defined in the
project settings (see Creating a New Project on page 3 for details).
Note: Sequences of files with a four-digits number written between
the file name and the file extension are displayed in the Toonz
browser with a double dot before the file extension, e.g. b..tif and
bsh..tif.
To define the scanner:
1. Choose Scan & Cleanup > Define Scanner.
2. Do one of the following:
If your scanner is directly supported, choose Scanner Driver >
Internal, and click the OK button.
If your scanner is not directly supported, be sure that the necessary
TWAIN drivers are installed, and choose Scanner Driver > TWAIN, and
click the OK button: in the dialog that opens, select the TWAIN driver
related to your scanner.
3. Place the first drawing of the b.tlv level on the scanner flatbed, or in
the paper feeder, choose the first frame of the b.tlv level in the xsheet,
and choose Scan & Cleanup > Scan to scan it.
4. If the scanned image is OK, place the second drawing on the scanner
flatbed, or all the remaining drawings on the scanner paper feeder,
select all the other frames of the level b in the xsheet, and choose Scan
& Cleanup > Scan to scan them. If you are using the scanner flatbed you
will be prompted to replace the scanned drawing with the next one to be
scanned.
5. Follow the same steps to scan the bsh level.
3. Place the first drawing of the b.tlv level on the scanner flatbed, or in
the paper feeder, choose the first frame of the b.tlv level in the xsheet,
and choose the TWAIN preview command to check the result. If the
previewed image is OK, choose the TWAIN scan command to scan it,
otherwise change the parameters and run a preview again.
10
11
12
13
14
Next to the Preview toggle there is another icon: the Opacity Check
toggle, activate the toggle ( ).
By activating the Opacity Check fully solid pixels are displayed in black
and semi-transparent pixels belonging to the line antialiasing in red: this
15
may helps you to decide the amount of antialiasing you want the drawing
lines to have in order to be smoother or sharper.
16
).
2. In the xsheet hide the bsh column (column 2) from the work area by
clicking the camera stand toggle ( ) in the column header, so that the b
level hidden behind the bsh column becomes visible.
3. In the xsheet select the first frame of the b level.
17
4. Choose Scan & Cleanup > Preview Cleanup to preview the process
in the work area.
18
Cleaning up Levels
The result of the cleanup process are TLV files, one file for each
sequence of drawings (i.e. b.tlv and bsh.tlv) and TPL files for the related
palettes. During the cleanup process TLV files are automatically saved in
the +drawings folder, which was defined in the project settings as My
drawings folder (see Creating a New Project on page 3 for details).
To cleanup the level drawings using the defined settings:
1. In the xsheet select all of the level frames, in both the b animation
level and the bsh one.
2. Choose Scan & Cleanup > Cleanup.
3. Press the Cleanup All button to execute the cleanup process on all
the selected frames.
Note: It is also possible to save and load the defined cleanup settings
by using the related buttons in the Cleanup Settings bottom bar: the
settings will be saved as a CLN file.
At the end of the Cleanup process check your drawings: if you see
scratches, marks or writings that were on the paper but are not part of
the drawing itself, then you can refine the cleanup.
To refine the cleanup process:
1. Choose the Selection tool ( ) and activate the Modify Savebox option.
The Savebox of the selected cell will display as a rectangle enclosing all
the elements processed as ink by the cleanup, so even dot, scratches or
marks that are not really part of the drawing.
2. Click and drag on the handles of the Savebox to resize it enclosig just
the character and leaving out all the elements that are not relevant.
3. Select the next frame and repeat step 4. Do this for each frame until
you reach the last frame.
4. Save the scene.
19
20
21
22
3. In the browser that opens load the color_model.tif image you can find
in the Toonz TW Tutorial Material/Color Models folder.
23
Arranging Styles
Palette styles can be easily named, reordered and arranged in pages.
For the b.tlv animation level you will name some styles, create new
pages and move styles into them.
To name styles in the b.tlv level palette:
1. Click the option button ( ) at the bottom of the palette, and choose
the Large Thumbnail View display mode that displays styles on top of
their name.
24
2. Ctrl-click (PC) or Cmd-click (Mac) and drag the selection to the tab of
the head page.
3. Do the same for the bust and legs styles.
25
Filling Areas
All Toonz drawings are made of outlines, and areas defined by outlines.
Areas can be filled with styles as long as their outline is well-defined,
having no gaps that occur along it.
Options available for the Fill tool can help you to speed up the painting
job. You can decide which options are the most suitable for your task, but
for this tutorial the Color Model will be used to paint the first level
drawing, the Onion Skin option to paint drawings from 2 to 5, the Frame
Range option to paint drawings from 6 to 35, and the Selective option to
paint all of the remaining areas of the characters coat.
To fill an area:
1. Select the Fill tool ( ), set the fill type to Normal and the mode to
Areas, and select a style in the palette.
2. Do one of the following:
Click in the area you want to fill.
26
Click & drag crossing contiguous areas if you want to paint them with
the same color.
Note: If the filling color doesnt flood the narrowest areas because of
semitransparent pixels, try to increase the minimum Fill Depth value,
or shift-click to use the maximum value.
Note: Use the arrow keys to navigate between the level frames while
you are painting.
27
28
29
30
3. Click and drag to define a box including the shoe areas: all the areas
will be painted.
31
6. Set the fill type to Freehand and click and drag to define an outline
including the eyebrow area: the eyebrow will be painted.
32
2. Select the styles used for painting the coat, and select drawing 6.
3. Click and drag to define a box including all of the coat areas.
4. Select drawing 35 and click and drag to define a second box: all the
coat areas in all of the drawings will be filled with the coat style.
33
4. Select drawing 35 and click and drag to define a second box: all the
shadow areas in all the drawings will be filled with the black style.
2. Click and drag to draw a line or the selected shape closing the gap.
To close automatically a specific gap in a drawing outline:
1. Select the Tape tool ( ), activate the Rectangular option, and set a
distance and an angle to detect the gap.
2. Click and drag to define an area: all the gaps detected in the area
according to the set distance and angle will be closed.
34
35
36
37
38
39
Choose File > Save Scene As and use the browser that opens to save
the scene in the My scenes folder of the current project as a different
scene file with a different name.
40
to the first column, the main level to the second one, the shadow level to
the third one and the overlay to the forth one.
41
Note: Use the Page Down key while dragging the fill handle to scroll
the visible frames down and fill the column in a faster way.
To edit the exposure of the b.tlv and bsh.tlv animation levels:
1. To move the exposed animation levels, click and drag to select all the
cells where the b.tlv and bsh.tlv animation levels are exposed; then click
42
the dark vertical strip available on the left of the cells, and drag them
down so that the drawings are first exposed at frame 16.
43
3. To expose all of the remaining drawings with a step 2, select all the
cells where drawings from 2 to 35 are exposed; then choose Cells> Step
2.
44
6. To repeat the walking cycle, select the cells where drawings from 26
to 35 are exposed, choose Edit > Copy; then select the first empty cell at
the bottom of the column, and choose Edit > Paste for seven times.
7. To remove drawings exposed in cells from frame 267 on, select them
and choose Edit > Delete.
Animating Elements
The first element to be animated is the main character (b.tlv), that has to
move to the left once he turns around. His shadow (bsh.tlv) will be
moved along by linking it to the character.
Then the characters walk will be refined by using the hook feature.
The camera will be animated as well, creating a tracking out movement
at the beginning of the scene.
45
For this reason two key positions will be created, one at frame 119, and
another at frame 266.
Moreover the speed of the interpolation between the two keys, that by
default is a speed in/speed out interpolation, will be set to linear and
with a step 2 value in order to keep it constant and to make it match the
step of the animation.
Note: The result of this tutorial session is available in the Toonz TW
Tutorial Material/Final Scenes project, in the scenes folder, and is
named Composing Animation.tnz.
To set the first key position for the main character level:
1. Select the cell of the main characters column (column) at frame 119.
2. Choose the Edit tool (
).
To set the second key position for the main character level:
1. Select the cell of the main characters column (column 2) at frame
266.
2. In the tool option bar do the following:
In the E/W field enter the value -7.8.
In the N/S field enter the value -0.5.
46
3. Use the framebar and the playback controls in the viewer bottom bar
to check the result.
47
5. At the bottom of the curve area change the Interpolation from Speed
In / Speed Out to Linear, and set the Step to 2.
48
2. In the stage, click and drag the left port of the bsh column node to the
right port of the b column node.
3. Use the framebar and the playback controls in the viewer bottom bar
to check the result.
Note: If the schematic is displaying FX nodes, click the Schematic
Toggle button ( ) at the bottom of the window to display the stage.
Using Hooks
When animating a walking animation cycle it is likely that the character
is going to glide on the background while moving from one key position
to another.
To prevent this effect it is possible to use the Hook tool ( ) to create a
reference point (i.e. a hook) that tracks the feet position, passing from
one foot to the other, and make the level move according to it.
49
50
).
3. In the work area click to create a hook set and drag it to place it at the
tip of the heel of the characters right foot.
4. As for the first 25 frames the character is turning, in all those frames
leave the hook as it is, so that at frame 25 the hook is placed under the
heel of the characters left foot.
5. At frame 26 Shift-drag the hook to reposition it under the heel of the
characters left foot, while constraining the movement horizontally.
6. From frame 27 to 30 continue to reposition the hook by shifting it
horizontally according to the heel of the characters left foot.
Note: When the foot leaves the ground, place the hook as if it was a
footprint left on the ground
7. At frame 30 pass the hook from one foot to the other by Alt-clicking
the hook and splitting it in two; then leave the circle under the heel of
51
the characters left foot, and place the cross under the heel of the
characters right foot.
52
2. Place the pointer on the left port of the b column node and wait for
the double-arrow button to appear.
3. Click and drag up the double-arrow button to replace the B with 1,
which is the hook set 1: in the viewer the b.tlv level will shift so that hook
1 is placed at the center of the work area.
5. Use the framebar and the playback controls in the viewer bottom bar
to check the result.
53
54
5. In the xsheet frame column select frame 46: this is the second frame
where the camera will have a key position.
6. In the tool option bar do the following:
In the E/W field enter the value 0.
In the N/S field enter the value 0.
In the Scale Global field enter the value 100%.
55
4. In the strip at the top of the window, below the frame ruler, do the
following:
Click and drag the marker available on the right of the first key point
and set the Speed In value to 4.
Click and drag the marker available on the left of the first key point
and set the Speed Out value to -20.
56
Applying Special FX
Applying Special FX
57
58
6. Click the Preview button ( ) in the viewer title bar to activate the
preview mode and use the framebar and the playback controls in the
viewer bottom bar to check the result within the full scene.
To create the characters body highlight:
1. In the schematic right-click the Brightness Contrast effect node and
choose Insert FX > Light > Body Highlight from the menu that opens: a
Body Highlight effect node in inserted between the Brightness Contrast
effect node and the xsheet one.
2. Click the Body Highlight effect node: the FX Settings window displays
the related settings.
3. Set the following values:
Offset X > 0.
Offset Y > 4.2.
Transparency > 0.5.
Blur > 2.
Applying Special FX
59
4. Click the Preview button ( ) in the viewer title bar to activate the
preview mode and use the framebar and the playback controls in the
viewer bottom bar to check the result in the full scene.
To soften the shadow level:
1. In the FX Schematic right-click the bsh column node and choose
Insert FX > Layer Blending > Transparency from the menu that opens:
a Transparency effect node in inserted between the column node and the
xsheet one.
2. In the FX Settings window set the transparency intensity value to 40.
3. In the FX Schematic right-click the Transparency effect node and
choose Insert FX > Blur > Blur from the menu that opens: a Blur effect
60
node is inserted between the Transparency effect node and the xsheet
one.
Applying Special FX
61
4. To set the gradient position and size choose the Edit tool (
the following:
) and do
Click and drag anywhere in the work area to center the gradient on the
moon.
Click and drag the blue circle to set the outer size of the gradient.
62
Click and drag the blue dot close to the center to set the inner size of
the gradient.
5. Click the Preview button ( ) in the viewer title bar to activate the
preview mode and use the framebar and the playback controls in the
viewer bottom bar to check the result in the full scene.
To add a light halo to each of the lanterns:
1. Add two more radial gradients in the FX Schematic, and set for both
of them the following colors:
Color 1 > R 255, G 220, B 0, A 200;
Applying Special FX
63
64
) to set the
3. Click the Preview button ( ) in the viewer title bar to activate the
preview mode and use the framebar and the playback controls in the
viewer bottom bar to check the result within the full scene.
Applying Special FX
65
7. Follow the same procedure for the Radial Gradient 3 > Color 1 >
Alpha curve, but this time use the following expression.
200+10*cos(f*30)
8. Click the Preview button ( ) in the viewer title bar to activate the
preview mode and use the framebar and the playback controls in the
viewer bottom bar to check the result within the full scene.
66
67
3. In the File Format option menu choose the MOV format; click the
Options button to open a dialog to set format properties, such as the
codec to be used.
68
69
70
h7
.1