REV June 11, 2014

ii Anime Studio Pro 10

Users Manual

Contents Freehand38
Draw Shape 40
Delete Edge 43
Welcome1 Magnet44
Blob Brush 45
Chapter 1: Introduction 2
Eraser46
Demo Limitations 2
Point Reduction 48
New Features in Anime Studio 10 2
Scatter Brush 49
What’s New in Anime Studio 10.1 6
Perspective Points 50
System Requirements 8
Shear Points 51
Activating Anime Studio 9
Bend Points 52
Getting Started 9
Noise52
Creating a Content Folder 10
Chapter 4: Fill Tools 54
Automatic Update Checking 12
Select Shape 54
Chapter 2: License 13
Create Shape 57
End User License Agreement and Limited Warranty 13
Paint Bucket 60
Anime Studio Tools 25 Delete Shape 64
Line Width 65
Chapter 3: The Draw Tools 26
Hide Edge 66
Select Points 27 Stroke Exposure 67
Transform Points 30 Curve Profile 69
Add Point 34 Working with Fills 72
Curvature37
Chapter 5: Bone Tools 75
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iii Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Select Bone 75 Patch Layers 120

Transform Bone 80 Chapter 7: Layer Tools 123
Add Bone 82
Transformation123
Reparent Bone 83
Set Origin 127
Bone Strength 84
Follow Path 128
Manipulate Bones 85
Rotate Layer XY 131
Bind Layer 86
Shear Layer 132
Bind Points 86
Layer Selector 133
Offset Bone 87
Inserting Text and Word Balloons 133
Bone Physics 88
Creating Word Balloons 139
Smart Bones 90
Eyedropper140
Chapter 6: Layer Types 103 Chapter 8: Special Tools 141
Layer Types 103
Poser141
Enhanced Layer Alignment Features 105
Switch Layer 143
Vector Layers 106
Particle Layer 143
Image Layers 107
Crop144
Group Layers 108
Image Masking 145
Bone Layers 109
Video Tracking 146
Switch Layers 111
Chapter 9: Camera and Workspace Tools 157
Particle Layers 115
Camera Tools 157
Note Layers 118
Workspace Tools 159
Audio Layers 119
3D Layers 119 Anime Studio Windows 161
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iv Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Chapter 10: Anime Studio’s Main Window 162 Image Tab 204

Overview162 Audio Tab 207

Working Area 162 Switch Tab 208

Toolbar163 Particles Tab 210

Status Bar 165 3D Options 210

Playback Buttons 165 Note Tab 211

Display Quality 165 Physics Tab 212

Docking and Undocking Windows 167 Bones Tab 214

Chapter 11: Layers Window 169 Chapter 13: Style Window 216

Overview169 Shapes218

The Layer List 169 Fills220

Layer Toolbar 171 Stroke232

Using Layer Comps 173 Applied Styles Drop-Down Menus 242

Using Layer Colors 174 Swatches243

Copy, Paste, and Reset Buttons 244
Chapter 12: Layer Settings 176
Advanced Window Checkbox (26) 244
Editing Multiple Layers 176
Checker Selection (27) 245
General Tab 178
Chapter 14: The Library Window 246
Shadows Tab 188
Motion Blur Tab 192 Displaying the Library Window 248

Masking Tab 194 Searching the Library 252

Vectors Tab 200 Favorites Tab 253

Depth Sort Tab 202 Chapter 15: The Character Wizard 255

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v Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Using the Character Wizard 255 Chapter 17: Other Windows 310
Body Tab 258 Audio Recording 310
Face Tab 261 Actions Window 311
Movement Tab 264
Clothing Tab 266
Anime Studio Menus 318
Style Tab 268 Chapter 18: File Menu 319
Designing a Character and Walk Cycle 269
New320
Making Your Character Walk 271
New from Template 321
Rotating Your Character 360 Degrees 273
Open...321
Designing Your Own Actions 277
Open Recent 321
Creating Content for the Character Wizard 279
Close322
Chapter 16: The Timeline Window 282 Save322
Consolidating Timeline Channels 283 Save As... 322
Condensing and Expanding the Timeline 284 Revert322
Navigating the Timeline with the Mouse 286 Gather Media 322
Using Timeline Markers 286 Export as Version 9 File 324
Choosing an Interpolation Method 287 Project Settings... 324
Choosing an Animation Interval 292 Import332
Onion Skins 293 Real-Time Media Connection 335
Animation Channels 295 Poser Integration 336
Working with Keyframes 298 Import Notes and Tips 338
Sequencer304 Photoshop Tips 339
Motion Graph 306 Refresh Media 344
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vi Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Preview344 Preferences...362
Preview Animation 345 Chapter 20: Draw Menu 369
Export Animation... 345
Insert Text... 370
Export FBX 355
Snap to Grid 370
Export OBJ 356
Reset Line Width 370
Export POV 356
Random Line Width 370
Upload to YouTube 356
Peak370
Upload to Facebook® 356
Smooth370
Batch Export... (Anime Studio Pro only) 357
Raise Shape 371
Relaunch in (x)-bit Mode 359
Lower Shape 371
Quit359
Raise to Front 371
Chapter 19: Edit Menu 360 Lower to Back 371
Undo360 Trace Image 371
Redo360 Hide Selected Points 377
Cut, Copy, Paste 360 Show All Points 377
Paste Relative 361 Hide Shape 377
Clear361 Show All Shapes 377
Copy Layer 361 Freeze Points 377
Paste Layer 361 Freeze Selected Points 377
Select All 361 Freeze Visible Points 377
Select None 361 Reset Points 377
Select Inverse 361 Reset All Points 378
Select Connected 361 Chapter 21: Bone Menu 379
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vii Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Release Points 380 Consolidate Layer Channels 388

Flexi-Bind Points 380 Set Layer Start Time 389
Release Layer 380 Align Layer with Camera 389
Flexi-Bind Layer 380 Select All Keyframes 389
Release Layer And Points 380 Rescale Keyframes... 389
Use Selected Bones for Flexi-Binding 380 Copy Current Frame... 391
Create Smooth Joint for Bone Pair 380 Add Keyframe 392
Use All Bones for Flexi-Binding 382 Clear Animation 392
Hide Selected Bones 383 Track Layer to Video 392
Hide/Show Shy Bones 383 Nudge Physics Object 393
Hide Controlled Bones 383 Mute Audio 393
Show All Bones 383 Restart Audio Track 393
Track Bone to Video 383 Audio Level 393
Make Smart Bone Dial 383 Restart Movie 393
Freeze Pose 385 Chapter 23: Scripts Menu 394
Freeze Selected Bones 386
3D394
Freeze Visible Bones 386
Camera395
Reset Bone 386
Draw396
Reset All Bones 386
Image397
Chapter 22: Animation Menu 387 Layer Effects 397
Allow Frame Skipping 388 Particle Effects 398
Enable Bone Dynamics 388 Script Writing 399
Reset All Layer Channels 388 Sound401

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viii Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Text401 Fade Unselected Layers 407

Tiling401 Design Mode 407
Visibility401 FBX Preview Mode 407
Warp402 Stereo408
Other Popular Scripts 402 Show Document Tabs 408
Scripting Documentation 403 Chapter 25: Window Menu 410
Chapter 24: View Menu 404 Tools410
Reset405 Layers410
Zoom In 405 Timeline410
Zoom Out 405 Style410
Show Output Only 405 Actions410
Show Play & View Controls 405 Library411
Show Timeline Options 405 Audio Recording 411
Direction405 Blend Morphs 411
Enable Grid 405 Layer Settings 413
Grid Settings 406 Keyframe413
Disable Grid Snapping 406 Poser Parameters 413
Video Safe Zones 406 Chapter 26: Help Menu 414
Show Output Only 406
Tutorials414
Select Tracing Image 406
Help414
Show Tracing Image 406
Online Tutorials 414
Show Curves 407
Welcome Screen 414
Auto Hide Curves 407

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ix Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Register Your Product 414 Layer Features 424

Community Forums 415 Layer Modifiers 425
Technical Support 415 Layer Types 425
Download Bonus Content Pack 415 Camera Features 425
Online Video Gallery 415 Workspace Features 426
About Anime Studio Pro 415 Timeline Features 426
About Scripts 415 Action Features 426
Buy Content 415 Style Features 427
Check For Updates 416 Preferences427
Deactivate License 416 Project Settings 427
Edit Keyboard Shortcuts 416 Content428
Set Custom Content Folder 419 Scripts428
Open Custom Content Folder 419 View428

Appendix420 Import428
Export Formats 429
Appendix A: Product Comparison 421 Upload Features 430
Feature Comparisons 421 Optimization Features 430
Window Menu 422 Appendix B: Technical Support 431
Vector Drawing Features 422 User Manual 431
Vector Modifiers 423 Anime Studio on the Web 431
Fill Features 423 Anime Studio Discussion Forum 431
Fill Modifiers 423 Email Support 431
Bone Features 424
Appendix C: Acknowledgements 432
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x Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Artist Acknowledgements 432

Content Acknowledgements 434

Appendix D: Anime Studio Shortcuts 436

How to Work Quickly in Anime Studio 436
Menu Shortcuts 436
Keyboard Shortcuts 438
Mouse Shortcuts 443
Multi-touch Support 444

Index447

Contents
1 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Welcome
This manual includes embedded video files
that help demonstrate features that are more
easily explained in video format. If you receive a
warning about Acrobat not being able to connect
to a flashserver while trying to play the file, please
refer to “Using the Embedded Media Files” on page
1 in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual for
instructions on how to disable the warning.


2 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Chapter 1: Introduction Demo Limitations

If you haven’t purchased a copy of Anime Studio, then
Anime Studio is a complete animation system for creating the program will be running in demo mode. While in demo
2D anime and cartoons. This document is the user’s mode, Anime Studio still allows you access to all features
manual, containing useful information to get you started, of the program. Anything you can do in the full version
as well as a detailed reference to all of Anime Studio’s you can do in the demo. Also, any files you create with
features. the demo version of Anime Studio will still work fine if you
purchase the full version.
If you’re just getting started using Anime Studio, the best
place to begin is with the quick start tutorials, which appear The demo version has just three limitations: First, you can
in “Quick Start” on page 3 in your Anime Studio Tutorial only run the demo version of Anime Studio for 30 days.
Manual. Choose Help > Tutorials to open the manual in PDF Second, you cannot import any external file formats
format. This section will give you a quick overview of how including images and movies. Third, you cannot export
Anime Studio works, and what you can do with it. Even if your animations to other formats (QuickTime, AVI, Flash,
you’ve used Anime Studio in the past, you might want to etc.).
give the tutorials a quick read to see what’s changed in
To purchase Anime Studio, go to http://store.smithmicro.
this version.
com/.
If you’ve been using Anime Studio for a while now, and
you want more information on some specific feature or
interface element, choose the section that interests you New Features in Anime Studio 10
from the table of contents.
Finally, if you’re having a problem that just isn’t answered
Major New Features
in this document, please see “Appendix B: Technical
Support” on page 431. We want to do everything we
• New Bone Constraint Types: New bone constraint
can to make using Anime Studio a fun and productive
types make it easier to rig characters. See “Bone
experience.

Chapter 1: Introduction
3 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Constraints” on page 77 for more information about ƒƒ Eraser Tool: Allows you to erase portions of a
Independent Angle and Squash and Stretch Scaling. selected shape. See “Eraser” on page 46 for
Also see “Tutorial 3.6: New Bone Features” on page more information.
147 in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.
ƒƒ Point Reduction Tool: Allows you to reduce the
• Smart Bone setup: The Bones > Make Smart Bone Dial number of points in a selected object by painting
command makes it easier to create Smart Bone dials over the areas you want to optimize. See “Point
and actions. See “Make Smart Bone Dial” on page Reduction” on page 48 for more information.
383 for more information.
• Transform Points Tool: The Translate Points, Rotate
• Transform Bones Tool: A single tool now allows you to Points, and Scale Points tools have been combined
translate, rotate, and scale bones. See “Transform into a single tool. See “Transform Points” on page 30
Bone” on page 80 for more information. for more information.

• Render in a separate process: Renders are now • Freehand Tool: Points are automatically hidden when
performed as a separate process. you use the Freehand tool so that you can get a more
accurate preview while you draw. See “Freehand” on
• Bounce, Elastic, and Stagger interpolation methods page 38 for more information.
offer more options for animation of characters and
objects. See “Choosing an Interpolation Method” on • Preview Animations: Use the File > Preview Animation
page 287 for more information. command to generate a movie while you play your
project in the document window. See “Preview
• New Drawing Tools, include: Animation” on page 345 for more information.

ƒƒ Blob Brush Tool: The new Blob Brush tool allows • Multiple Document Support: Anime Studio now allows
you to quickly and easily create vector shapes you to open more than one document at a time, and
and outlines by painting on the screen. See “Blob switch from one to another in a tabbed interface. See
Brush” on page 45 for more information. “Open...” on page 321 and “Show Document Tabs”
on page 408
Chapter 1: Introduction
4 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

• Keyboard Shortcut Editor: The Help > Edit Keyboard See “Show All Points” on page 377 for more
Shortcuts command allows you to create and save information.
your own keyboard shortcut configurations. See
ƒƒ The Bones > Hide Selected Bones command allows
“Edit Keyboard Shortcuts” on page 416 for more
you to hide selected bones to make it easier
information.
to focus on specific bones in your scene. See
• Multiple Shape Selections: The Select Shape tool now “Hide Selected Bones” on page 383 for more
allows you to select multiple shapes so that you can information.
change fill, stroke, or both simultaneously. Basic color ƒƒ The Bones > Show All Bones command unhides
controls have also been added in the options bar. See bones that have previously been hidden.
“Select Shape” on page 54 for more information. See “Show All Bones” on page 383 for more
information.
• Frame Zero and Sequencer: Each layer now has its own
“frame zero”, allowing you to perform actions normally • Paint Bucket Tool: The Paint Bucket tool now allows
confined to frame zero when the start point of a layer you to fill closed shapes that are not welded. The fill is
has been moved to a negative frame value. created as a separate object. See “Paint Bucket” on
page 60 for more information.
• Hide Points and Bones to reduce clutter in your
document window, with the following commands: • GPU Acceleration allows higher quality display of
ƒƒ The Draw > Hide Selected Points command hides strokes and transparencies in images.
selected points so that you do not accidentally
• Multiple Layer Editing: Select multiple layers, including
select them while editing other nearby points. The
layers of different types, and apply changes to multiple
objects associated with those points are still visible
layers at the same time. See “Editing Multiple Layers”
in the document window. See “Hide Selected
on page 176 for more information.
Points” on page 377 for more information.

ƒƒ The Draw > Show All Points command unhides

points that have previously been hidden.

Chapter 1: Introduction
5 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

• Variable Width Curves: Line widths are now calculated accurately between keyframes. Threshold works in
based on percentage values. See “Line Width” on conjunction with blur. Thresholds can be applied to
page 65 for more information. layers, shadows, and shading to produce smoother
transitions in corners. You’ll find new Threshold options
• Multi-Brushes: Multibrushes allow you to stroke an in Layer Shadows, Layer Shading, and in some of the
object with multiple shapes. See “Stroke Brush Selector fill effects.
(13)” on page 234 for information on how to select,
use, and create multi-brushes. Blur and threshold options are found in the
following sections: “Layer Shadow” on page
• Random Line Widths: The Random Line Width 189; “Layer Shading” on page 190; “Shaded Fill
command now features a Randomize button that Effects” on page 224; “Soft Edge Fill Effects” on
produces subtle variations between line widths along page 225; “Shaded Fill Effects” on page 224; and
a curve. See “Random Line Width” on page 370 for “Drop Shadow” on page 228
more information.

• Texture Transparencies: The Texture fill effect now • Colorization of layers: The new Colorize Layer
allows you to fill selected shapes with textures that are feature allows you to overlay a color on a layer. See
partially transparent, allowing other areas of the shape “Colorizing” on page 184.
to show through. See “Image Texture Fill Effects” on
page 227. • Depth of Field: Improvements allow you to visually
set up the areas in the camera view that will be in
• Particle Layers: Particle layers can now use arbitrary focus and where other objects will blur. “Tutorial 6:5.2:
shapes to generate particles. See “Particle Layers” on Crowds, Particles, and Depth of Field” on page 243
page 115 and “Particles Tab” on page 210. in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual shows how to use
these enhancements.
• Blur improvements and Threshold: Any feature that
uses blur (layer blurs, shadows, shading, various fill • Media Plugins/Export Animation: More video formats
effects) now accepts floating point blur radius values. are supported in Windows and Macintosh versions.
This allows for blurs that can be animated more
Chapter 1: Introduction
6 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

See “Export Animation...” on page 345 for more • The File > Export FBX command allows you to export
information. your Anime Studio projects to 2D and 3D application
that support FBX format (such as Unity or Autodesk
• Content Library Updates: The Library palette now uses products). Use the View > FBX Preview Mode
the same color scheme that you specify in Preferences. command to preview and modify your project before
exporting to FBX mode. Changes that you make
• Preview image saved with project: When saving
while in this mode will be carried over when viewing
documents, a preview thumbnail is saved with the
in standard development mode. See “Export FBX” on
project. See “Save” on page 322.
page 355 and “FBX Preview Mode” on page 407.
• Automatic Update checking: See “Automatic Update
• The Edit > Paste Relative command allows you to paste
Checking” on page 12 for more information.
selected keyframes that continue animation from the
• Activation, Serial, and License Management: Anime state at which the keyframes were pasted. See “Paste
Studio now prompts you to activate and serialize your Relative” on page 361.
software. See “Activating Anime Studio” on page
• Layers can be copied and pasted between
9.
documents with the Edit > Copy Layer and Edit > Paste
Layer commands. See “Copy Layer” on page 361
What’s New in Anime Studio 10.1 and “Paste Layer” on page 361.

• The Draw > Freeze Visible Points command allows you

to freeze all points currently visible in the project. See
New Commands and Tools “Freeze Visible Points” on page 377.

• The File > Export as Version 9 File saves your project for • The Bone > Freeze Selected Bones and Bone >Freeze
Anime Studio 9 compatibility. See “Export as Version 9 Visible Bones commands allow you to freeze selected
File” on page 324. bones, or all bones that are currently visible in your

Chapter 1: Introduction
7 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

scene. See “Freeze Selected Points” on page 377 • The Window > Keyframe command opens a Keyframe
and “Freeze Visible Points” on page 377. window that helps you manage settings for selected
keyframes. See “Editing Multiple Keyframes” on page
• Bones can be marked as “shy” with the Select Bone 302.
tool, and displayed or hidden at the same time with
the Bones > Hide/Show Shy Bones command. See • The new Crop Tool allows you to crop an image layer
“Hide/Show Shy Bones” on page 383. to a specified area. See “Crop” on page 144.

• The Animation > Consolidate Layer Channels • The Collapse Layers script allows you to animate the
command allows you to expand or collapse layer collapsing or expanding of layers contained in a group
channels in the timeline or with the Consolidate layer.
timeline channels option in the Preferences dialog. See
“Consolidate Layer Channels” on page 388. • The Unroll Shapes script allows you to unroll multiple
shapes in a layer, cascading their visibility.
• Bone dynamics can be enabled or disabled with
the Animation > Enable Bone Dynamics command,
allowing you to choose between accuracy or
Other Enhancements
performance during animation playback. See “Enable
Bone Dynamics” on page 388. • Switch layers are displayed in the timeline. Mouse over
to see which layer is active at that keyframe.
• Display or hide the Play and View controls in the
timeline with the View > Show Play & View Controls • New documents are now assigned a name of
command. See “Show Play & View Controls” on page Untitled-X, where X is a number that is one higher than
405. the number of opened documents.

• Condense or expand the Timeline Options bar with the • A chevron in the Documents tab allows you to display
View > Show Timeline Options command, or by using the names of other opened documents if there are
a new Timeline Options widget and accompanying more than can be displayed in the Documents tab.
dialog. See “Show Timeline Options” on page 405.
Chapter 1: Introduction
8 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

• A new preference allows you to automatically close

the current document and switch to a gathered
System Requirements
project file after gathering.

• GPU acceleration can be enabled or disabled in

Windows:
Anime Studio Debut and Pro through an option in the
Preferences dialog.
Windows® 7, 8, 8.1 or newer
• A preference option allows you to enable or disable
whether analytics information (hardware information • 64-bit OS required for 64-bit installation
and feature usage) is sent to Smith Micro.
• 1.3 GHz Pentium 4 or newer, Athlon 64 or newer
• The Keyboard Shortcuts editor has been enhanced
to display the number of times duplicate shortcuts are • 2 GB RAM recommended
used. You can hover over the indicator to display the
• 1.6 GB (Universal) or 800 MB (32-bit) free hard disk
commands that use that shortcut.
space minimum
• When multiple layers are selected, an option in each
• OpenGL enabled GPU recommended
tab allows you to apply all settings from that tab to
other selected layers. • 1024x768 display (1280x800 recommended)

• Document-wide or layer-specific timeline markers help • DVD-ROM drive (physical version only)
you identify key events in your animation.
• Internet connection for product activation
• Elastic interpolation enhancements allow you to recommended
control the scale and direction (forward or reverse) of
the interpolation. • Windows® Internet Explorer® 9 or newer

Chapter 1: Introduction
9 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Macintosh: Activating Anime Studio

After you install Anime Studio, you will be prompted to
Macintosh® OS X 10.8, 10.9 or newer enter your serial number and activate your Anime Studio
license. If the product has not yet been activated, will be
• 64-bit OS required prompted to activate your Anime Studio installation at
launch time. If you do not activate your serial number, the
• 1.3 GHz Intel Processor or newer product will deserialize.

• 2 GB RAGM recommended After you enter your serial number, your

license must be activated within seven days.
• 800 MB free hard drive space minimum

• 1024x768 display (1280x800 recommended) Activation requires an internet connection

• DVD-ROM drive (physical version only)

A product that has not been activated will run in trial
mode until the trial period expires. If the trial period has
• Internet connection for product activation
expired, you must activate it in order to use the product.
recommended

During installation, the Anime Studio installer

checks to see if a previous installation of the
Getting Started
same installer exists on your system. The installer will
After you install Anime Studio, you might want to familiarize
prompt you to uninstall the previous version before
yourself with the many features contained in the program.
continuing (recommended).
When you start Anime Studio, a splash screen presents the
following options:

Chapter 1: Introduction
10 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

• Introductory Tutorial: Opens the Tutorial Manual, which • Don’t Show This Again: Choose this command to
you can also open using the Help > Tutorial Manual prevent the splash screen from opening each time you
command from the Anime Studio menu. start Anime Studio.

• Bonus Content Pack: Opens your Web browser to the

Content Paradise web site, specifically to the Anime
Studio bonus content page. A Content Paradise
account and valid Anime Studio serial number are
required to add the free content to your shopping cart.
You can also navigate to this page by choosing the
Help > Download Bonus Content Pack command from
the Anime Studio menu.

• Register Your Product: Opens your Web browser to

the Smith Micro registration page, where you are
prompted to enter registration information for your
Smith Micro software products. You can also navigate
to this page by choosing the Help > Register Your
Product command from the Anime Studio menu.

• ContentParadise.com: Opens your Web browser to Splash Screen

the Content Paradise home page, where you can
order content for Anime Studio and other Smith Micro
software products. You can also navigate to this page
by choosing the Help > Buy Content command from Creating a Content Folder
the Anime Studio menu.
When you first start Anime Studio, you will be asked if you
want to create a folder to store your custom content.

Chapter 1: Introduction
11 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

After the content folder is created, a hierarchy of folders When Anime Studio prompts you to create a custom
appears beneath it. Any content stored in these locations content folder, the choices are as follows:
will appear in the “My ...” folders in the Librarty (such as
“My Characters” in the Characters library and so on. This
allows you to store user-created word balloons, brushes,
and other custom items that you can use in Anime Studio.
The Custom Content folder also serves other important
functions:
Choosing a content folder.
• The support files for the Tutorial manual are found in
the Custom Content Tutorials folders.
• Choose: Select this option to browse to the folder that
• Autosave information and files are stored in the you want to use for your Anime Studio content. After
Autosave subfolder. If you do not create a custom you select/create the folder, choose OK.
content folder, autosave information will not be stored.
• Not Now: Choose this option if you want to set up the
• If you open a file in Anime Studio that contains a folder at a later time. You will be prompted with this
reference to a project file that is not found in its dialog the next time you start Anime Studio.
original location, Anime Studio will look in your Custom
• Never: Choose this option if you do not want to set up
Content location to try to find a file of the same name
a folder, and no longer want to receive this prompt
in its Shared Resources folder, or one of its subfolders.
when you start Anime Studio.
These folders must exist at launch, or when the Custom
Content folder is included in your search paths. If there If you choose to never show the dialog that
are multiple files of the same name in your Shared prompts you to create a content folder, you
Resources folder or subfolder, Anime Studio will match can choose the Help > Set Custom Content Folder
against the first one it finds. command at any time to specify a content folder
location.

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12 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Automatic Update Checking You can change your update notification

preference at any time in the Options tab of
The first time you start Anime Studio, you will be asked if the Preferences dialog. See “Options Tab” on page
you want to be notified of automatic updates. The dialog 362 for more information.
options are as follows:

Software Update dialog

• Check Automatically: Anime Studio will automatically

check for software updates upon startup.

• Don’t Check: Select this option if you do not want to

be notified of updates. You can update Anime Studio
at any time by choosing the Help > Check for Updates
command.

Chapter 1: Introduction
13 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Chapter 2: License 1. General

You agree to use the Software, Documentation and
Anime Studio Pro 10 Content only for lawful purposes. Any use of the Software,
Documentation or Content other than as granted in
this EULA must be by SMSI’s prior written consent. SMSI
End User License Agreement and maintains an ongoing EULA enforcement program.

Limited Warranty Violation of any provision of this EULA automatically

terminates this EULA. SMSI reserves all other rights that it
PLEASE READ THIS END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT (“EULA”) may have for violation of this EULA.
CAREFULLY BEFORE INSTALLING AND USING THE SOFTWARE.
BY CLICKING THE “AGREE” BUTTON WHEN INSTALLING THE
2. Definition
SOFTWARE, YOU ARE AGREEING TO BE BOUND BY THE
TERMS OF THIS EULA. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS “Content” means animations, characters, clothing, faces,
OF THIS EULA, CLICK ON THE “DISAGREE” BUTTON. IF YOU hair, geometries, images, documentation, materials,
DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS EULA, YOU MAY NOT meshes, morphs, motion files, props, scripts, textures, bump
USE OR ACCESS THE SOFTWARE. USING OR ACCESSING ANY maps, transparencies, and similar files and data created or
PART OF THE SOFTWARE INDICATES THAT YOU AGREE TO THE modified with the intent of being used within the Software
TERMS OF THIS EULA. and/or third party applications.
This EULA is between you (both the individual installing the “Documentation” means all written material in any form
Software and any single legal entity on behalf of which for installation and use of the Software provided by or
such individual is acting) (“you” or “your”) and Smith made available by SMSI, or its authorized representatives
Micro Software, Inc. and/or its affiliates (collectively or or agents.
individually, “SMSI”).
“Legitimate Uses” means (a) creating tutorials, books, or
other educational materials using images of the Software
interface or Content for sale, distribution, public display, or

Chapter 2: License
14 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

public performance, provided such materials are intended Restricted Content may only be used exclusively on one (1)
to educate users as to use of the Software; (b) creating computer.
original Content for sale, distribution, public display, or
“Software” means the SMSI computer software and
public performance; (c) creating materials for use with
associated files (e.g. Content) delivered via the
either Restricted Content or Other Content; (d) creating
accompanying physical media or electronic media.
rendered animations or rendered still images based
“Software” means to also include any upgrades, updates,
on Restricted Content contained with the “Character
bug fixes or modified versions or backup copies of the
Wizard” feature of the Software; or (e) creating characters
Software supplied to you by SMSI or an SMSI authorized
or props based on Restricted Content in proprietary file
representative or agent (whether or not for a fee).
formats (meaning, MOHO, ANME and any subsequent/
“Software” does not include TPS (defined below).
compressed formats), where the original (or modified) art,
texture or other Restricted Content files are not distributed “Unrestricted Content” means Content included with
with such characters or props. or part of the Software that is specifically identified in
the Documentation or listed in this EULA as Unrestricted
“Other Content” means Content that is not Restricted
Content. This version of the Software contains no
Content or Unrestricted Content. Other Content may be
Unrestricted Content.
subject to license terms imposed by the Other Content’s
original creator.
“Restricted Content” means all Content included with
3. Software License
or part of the Software that is not Unrestricted content,
A) Subject to the terms and conditions of this EULA and
including without limitation mesh objects (geometry) in any
your payment of the applicable license fee, SMSI grants
format, files in proprietary file formats (meaning, MOHO,
you a limited, personal, nontransferable and non-exclusive
ANME, and any subsequent/compressed formats), images,
license (without right to sublicense): (i) to use a single
materials, texture, transparency maps, Documentation,
copy of the Software (except as expressly permitted in the
vector-based content, and SMSI’s proprietary data. Except
Documentation) solely for your own internal use on a single
as otherwise expressly permitted by this EULA, Restricted
computer (as set forth in Subsection E below of this Section
Content extracted or exported from the Software remains
3) either loaded in the temporary memory (i.e., RAM) of
Restricted Content. Except as authorized in this EULA,
Chapter 2: License
15 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

a computer, or installed on the permanent memory of made available to you by SMSI, whether distributed on
a computer (e.g., hard disk and compact disk) or, on a floppy disk, compact disk, or in an electronic format via
temporary basis, on a backup system if such equipment download, BBS, forum, FTP, e-mail, etc.
is inoperative, consistent with the limitations specified or
C) The Software (not including the media on which the
referenced in this EULA and the Documentation; (ii) to use
Software may be provided) is licensed to you, not sold. You
the Documentation provided with the Software in support
expressly acknowledge that SMSI, Lost Marble, Inc., and/
of your authorized use of the Software; and (iii) to copy the
or their respective licensor(s) have a valuable proprietary
Software to make one (1) archival copy of the Software
interest in both the Software and the Documentation.
for your personal archival or backup purposes, and to
All title, ownership, interest and rights in and to the
make sufficient number of copies for Legitimate Uses or the
patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret and any
intended use described in the Documentation, provided
other intellectual property rights in the Software (and any
that all titles and trademark, copyright and restricted rights
derivative works thereof) and the Documentation (and
notices are reproduced on all such copies. Any other uses
any derivative works thereof) not expressly granted to
of the Software, including without limitation the Software
you by this EULA remain with SMSI, Lost Marble, Inc. and/
interface, other than those granted in this EULA must be
or their respective licensor(s). You do not acquire any
expressly pre-approved by SMSI in writing. The terms of
other rights, express or implied, in the Software (and any
this EULA will govern any upgrades and updates, unless
derivative works thereof) and the Documentation (and
accompanied by a separate license, in which case, the
any derivative works thereof) other than those rights
terms of that separate license agreement will govern
expressly granted under this EULA. Without limiting the
accordingly.
generality of the foregoing, SMSI, Lost Marble, Inc. and/or
B) The Software is protected by copyright and other their respective licensor(s) retain all title, ownership, interest
intellectual property laws and international treaties. As an and rights in and to the patent, copyright, trademark,
express condition of this EULA, you must reproduce on the trade secret and any other intellectual property rights
backup copy the SMSI copyright notice in the following in the copy of the Software contained on your archival
format: “Copyright (C) 2004-2014 Smith Micro Software, media, and all of the terms of this EULA apply to such
Inc. All Rights Reserverd.” This express condition extends archival copy as if it were the original SMSI-produced copy
to any further updates, software patches, or bug fixes

Chapter 2: License
16 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

of the Software that was furnished to you when you paid 4. Restrictions
the licensing fee.
A) You will not, and will not permit any third party to,
D) Portions of the Software include third party software
use, copy, modify, derive, or transfer the Software or
and other copyrighted material (collectively, “TPS”).
Documentation, or any copy, modification, derivation,
Acknowledgements, licensing terms, restrictions and
or merged portion thereof, in whole or in part via any
disclaimers of such TPS are contained in the “About Box” of
means or for any purpose whatsoever except as expressly
the Software and your use of such TPS is governed by such
permitted in this EULA or the Documentation. You will
respective terms. Any terms of this EULA that differs from the
not, and will not permit any third party to, modify, adapt,
terms of any TPS are offered by SMSI alone, and not by any
translate, rent, lease, loan, resell for profit, or create
other licensor.
derivative works based upon the Software or any part
E) Except as otherwise expressly permitted in the thereof. The Software contains trade secrets in its human
Documentation, you will only use the Software on a single readable form and, to protect them, you will not, and will
computer at any given time, meaning that you must treat not permit any third party to, reverse engineer, decompile,
the Software “like a book.” “Like a book” means that the disassemble, or otherwise reduce the Software to any
Software may be used by any number of people and may human readable form without the express prior written
be installed and activated on up to three (3) computers consent of SMSI or except to the extent expressly permitted
so long as no possibility exists of the Software being used at by applicable law. You will not relicense, sublicense,
more than one (1) computer at any given time. More than rent, lease, or lend the Software for third-party training,
one person at a time cannot read the same copy of a commercial time-sharing or service bureau use. You will
book, and this restriction applies to the Software. not, and will not permit any third party to, debug, bypass,
F) The licenses granted in this EULA do not allow you to circumvent or defeat any security features of, or interfere
use the Software on a computer that you do not own or with the normal functionality and operation of the Software
control, and you may not distribute or make the Software for any reason whatsoever without the express prior written
available over a network where it could be used by consent of SMSI or except to the extent expressly permitted
multiple computers or devices at the same time. by applicable law. If the Software is an upgrade to a
previous version of the Software, you must possess and

Chapter 2: License
17 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

maintain a valid license to such previous version in order to which is intended to compete with the Restricted
use the upgrade. Content.
B) You, your employees, and/or authorized agents must 2) To prepare derivative works based upon the
protect the Software’s confidentiality and act to enforce Restricted Content solely for Legitimate Uses and lawful
your obligations under this EULA. You cannot distribute or uses.
otherwise make the Software or Documentation available
to any third party via any means whatsoever, public 3) To reproduce, prepare derivative works based
or private, for any purpose, commercial or not, unless upon, distribute, publicly display, and publicly perform
explicitly allowed by this EULA. content you create using Restricted Content, provided
that such use of Restricted Content shall be solely for
C) You assume full responsibility for your selection of the
Legitimate Uses and lawful uses.
Software to achieve your intended results and for the
installation, use, and results you obtain from the Software. B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing shall limit SMSI’s
SMSI has no obligation to provide support, maintenance, right to independently create, develop, own, market,
upgrades, modifications or new releases under this EULA. distribute, license, sublicense, import, export, sell, or
otherwise exploit any content or materials similar to any
derivative works based upon the Content.
5. Content License
C) Other Content included with the Software and
A) Subject to the terms and conditions of this EULA and Documentation is subject to third-party rights and
your payment of the license fee, SMSI grants you a limited, is copyrighted and owned by the Other Content’s
personal, nontransferable and non-exclusive license original creator(s). You may use the Other Content in
(without the right to sublicense): accordance with all applicable license terms imposed
by the Other Content’s original creator(s). SMSI makes no
1) To reproduce, prepare derivative works based representations as to the quality, suitability, functionality,
upon, distribute, publicly display and publicly perform or legality of the Other Content and you hereby waive
the Unrestricted Content for any lawful purpose any claim you might have against SMSI with respect to the
other than to create a product which is intended to Other Content.
compete with the Software or to create new content
Chapter 2: License
18 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

D) You will not, and will not permit any third party to, use, SMSI is pleased to offer site licenses (“Site License”) for
copy, modify, derive, sell, distribute, transfer or sublicense multiple simultaneous users. Please contact SMSI at the
the Restricted Content, the Unrestricted Content, or the address below for details. If you purchased a Site License,
Other Content or any copy, modification, derivation, or you may distribute the Restricted Content between all
portion thereof, in whole or in part via any means or for any computers containing valid copies of the Software, other
purpose whatsoever, except as expressly permitted in this SMSI products, and/or other software able to process
EULA or the Documentation. Restricted Content.
E) You expressly acknowledge that SMSI, Lost Marble,
Inc. and/or their respective licensor(s) have a valuable 6. Collection and Use of Your
proprietary interest in the Restricted Content and the
Information
Unrestricted Content. All title, ownership, interest and
rights in and to the patent, copyright, trademark, trade A) Upon your first installation of the Software, you will have
secret and any other intellectual property rights in the the option to register the Software with SMSI. If you choose
Restricted Content (and any derivative works thereof) to register the Software with SMSI, you agree that SMSI and/
and the Unrestricted Content (and any derivative works or its affiliates may collect and process such information
thereof) not expressly granted to you by this EULA remain about you and the Software in order to enable SMSI to: (i)
with SMSI, Lost Marble, Inc. and their respective licensor(s). notify you of updates, bug fixes and/or modified versions
You do not acquire any other rights, express or implied, in of the Software; (ii) provide support and assistance of the
the Restricted Content (and any derivative works thereof) Software; (iii) notify you of new version offerings of the
and the Unrestricted Content (and any derivative works Software; and (iv) comply with all applicable laws and/or
thereof) other than those rights expressly granted under this regulations, or the requirements of any regulatory authority
EULA. or government agency.
F) Except as otherwise expressly permitted in the B) In addition, upon your first installation of the Software,
Documentation or unless otherwise provided for herein, you will have the option to “opt-in” to participate in SMSI’s
you will only use the Content on up to one (1) computer at efforts to improve the usability, experience, functionality
any given time (the same as the Software license allows), and performance of its products and services. Your
meaning that you must treat the Content “like a book.”
Chapter 2: License
19 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

participation to allow SMSI to collect such usage statistics SMSI’s and/or its affiliates’to the transfer of such information
is voluntary. And, you may “opt out” at any time. If you to a location outside the EEA.
choose to participate, SMSI may collect and use certain
information related to your use of the Software and
aggegrate such data that includes information about:
7. Term; Termination
(i) your computer, such as Operation System, screen
A) This EULA remains in full force and effect until
resolution, RAM capacity, CPU frequency, number of
terminated. You may terminate this EULA at any time
monitors; (ii) data about the Software, such as abnormal
by returning or destroying both the Software and
terminations, number of runs, program version; and (iii)
Documentation, together with all copies, modifications,
information about separate feature usage, such as menu
and merged portions of the Software and the
options or buttons selected. This data ((i) through (iii)
Documentation in any form. SMSI is in no way obliged to
above) is (I) collected anonymously, unless you opt to
issue refunds. SMSI may terminate this EULA at any time
provide your details (as noted above) and (II) tied up to
upon your breach of any of the provisions hereof.
your personal account through an anonymous unique
identifier (i.e., it will not include any personal identifiable B) Upon termination, you will immediately cease all use of
data (e.g., e-mail address, name, gender, age, home/ the Software, and you must return or destroy the Software,
work address, and telephone number). If you are not Documentation, and all copies, modifications, and
comfortable sharing the foregoing described information merged portions of the Software and the Documentation
in detail, please choose not to participate. in any form and certify in writing your compliance of this
paragraph to SMSI. Termination of this EULA for any reason
C) Any information collected is done and utilized in
in no way limits SMSI’s right to continue enforcing all rights
accordance with SMSI’s Privacy Policy. Your election to
provided by law and does not entitle you to a refund of
use the Software indicates your acceptance of the terms
your license fees, except as provided herein. All provisions
of the SMSI Privacy Policy, so please review the policy
of this EULA that protect SMSI’s proprietary rights continue
carefully and check our website at the following URL to
in full force and effect after termination.
review updates: http://www.smithmicro.com/. Further, if
you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA),
your use of the Software constitutes consent by you to

Chapter 2: License
20 Anime Studio Pro 10
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8. Export Law Assurances or refund the purchase price of such Software media.
This limited warranty is offered solely by SMSI and does
Export and re-export of this Software and Documentation not apply to any third party product, software, content
is governed by the laws, restrictions and regulations of or service offerings. THE ABOVE WARRANTIES ON MEDIA
the United States and applicable export and import laws, ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES,
restrictions and regulations of certain other countries EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND SMSI EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL
(collectively, “Export Laws”). You will comply with all such OTHER WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY
Export Laws. Export or re-export of this Software and/or IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, SATISFACTORY
Documentation (including any direct product thereof) QUALITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-
to any entity on the Denied Parties List and other lists INFRINGEMENT.
promulgated by various agencies of the United States
B) TO THE EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW,
Federal Government is strictly prohibited. In addition, if the
THE SOFTWARE, RESTRICTED CONTENT, UNRESTRICTED
Software is identified as an export controlled item under the
CONTENT, AND DOCUMENTATION ARE LICENSED TO YOU
Export Laws, you represent and warrant that you are not
“AS IS” WITH ALL FAULTS, WITHOUT WARRANTY, CONDITION
a citizen of, or located within, an embargoed or otherwise
OR REPRESENTATION, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, OF ANY KIND,
restricted nation (e.g., Iran, Syria, Sudan, Cuba and North
INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, MERCHANTABILITY,
Korea) and that you are not otherwise prohibited under the
PERFORMANCE, SECURITY, SATISFACTORY QUALITY, NON-
Export Laws from receiving the Software.
INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS, OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
9. Limited Warranty and Disclaimer C) YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE SOFTWARE MAY NOT
(I) SATISFY ALL YOUR REQUIREMENTS, (II) BE FREE FROM
A) SMSI warrants that any media on which the Software
DEFECTS, OR (III) OPERATE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION OR
may be provided will be free from defects in materials and
ERRORS. IN ADDITION, DUE TO CONTINUAL DEVELOPMENT
workmanship under normal use for a period of ninety (90)
OF NEW TECHNIQUES FOR INTRUDING UPON AND
days from the date of original purchase. Your exclusive
ATTACKING NETWORKS, SMSI DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE
remedy and SMSI’s entire liability under this limited warranty
SOFTWARE WILL BE FREE OF VULNERABILITY TO INTRUSION
will be for SMSI, at its option, to replace the Software media
OR ATTACK.
Chapter 2: License
21 Anime Studio Pro 10
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D) THE FOREGOING LIMITED WARRANTY IS NEITHER A REGARDLESS OF THE BASIS OF THE CLAIM, EVEN IF SMSI HAS
SERVICE NOR A SUPPORT CONTRACT. NO ORAL OR BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR
WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY SMSI, ITS FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY. IN NO EVENT WILL
EMPLOYEES, DISTRIBUTORS, DEALERS, REPRESENTATIVES SMSI’S AGGREGATE LIABILITY (OR THAT OF ITS DEVELOPERS,
OR AGENTS SHALL INCREASE THE SCOPE OF THE ABOVE SUPPLIERS, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, OR
WARRANTIES OR CREATE ANY NEW WARRANTIES. YOU SUBSIDIARIES OR AFFILIATES), UNDER OR IN CONNECTION
MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL WARRANTY RIGHTS UNDER LAW WITH THIS EULA, EXCEED THE AMOUNT PAID BY YOU FOR
WHICH MAY NOT BE WAIVED OR DISCLAIMED. SMSI DOES THE SOFTWARE, IF ANY. THIS LIMITATION WILL APPLY EVEN IN
NOT SEEK TO LIMIT YOUR WARRANTY RIGHTS TO ANY EXTENT THE EVENT OF A FUNDAMENTAL OR MATERIAL BREACH OR
NOT PERMITTED BY LAW. This Section 9 and Section 10, A BREACH OF THE FUNDAMENTAL OR MATERIAL TERMS OF
below, shall survive any termination of this EULA, howsoever THIS EULA.
caused, but this will not imply or create any continued right
B) The above limitations will apply even if any warranty
to use the Software after termination of this EULA.
or remedy provided under this EULA fails of its essential
purpose. The above limitations will not apply in case of
10. Disclaimer of Liabilities personal injury (including death) only where and to the
extent that applicable law requires such liability. Because
A) EXCEPT FOR THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY OFFERED BY SMSI some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation
ABOVE AND REMEDIES THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR of implied warranties or liabilities for consequential or
LIMITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL SMSI incidental damages, the above limitations may not apply
OR ITS DEVELOPERS, SUPPLIERS, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, to you.
EMPLOYEES, OR SUBSIDIARIES OR AFFILIATES BE LIABLE TO
YOU FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR INDIRECT
DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS
11. Indemnification
PROFIT, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF DATA AND/
You will indemnify and hold harmless, and at SMSI’s request
OR BUSINESS INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE), WHETHER
defend, SMSI and its affiliates, successors and assigns
FORESEEABLE OR UNFORESEEABLE, ARISING OUT OF THE USE
from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities,
OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE OR DOCUMENTATION,
damages, settlements, expenses and costs (including,
Chapter 2: License
22 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

without limitation, attorneys’ fees and court costs) which Exclusive jurisdiction over and venue of any suit arising out
arise out of or relate to any third party claim or threat of or relating to this EULA will be in the state and federal
thereof that your use of the Software, Documentation or courts of Orange County, California. If for any reason
Content is unlawful or not otherwise permitted by this EULA. a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision,
SMSI reserves the right, at its own expense, to assume the or portion thereof, to be invalid or unenforceable, the
exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise remainder of this EULA shall continue in full force and
subject to indemnification hereunder. effect. The waiver by either party of any default or breach
of this EULA will not constitute a waiver of any other
or subsequent default or breach. You may not assign,
12. U.S. Government Restricted Rights sell, transfer, delegate or otherwise dispose of, whether
voluntarily or involuntarily, by operation of law or otherwise,
The Software and Documentation are provided with
this EULA or any rights or obligations under this EULA without
RESTRICTED RIGHTS. The use, duplication, or disclosure by
SMSI’s prior written consent. Any purported assignment,
the United States Government is subject to restrictions as
transfer or delegation by you will be null and void. This EULA
set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical
constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and
Data and Computer Software Clause at DFARS 252.227-
supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements or
7013 or subparagraph (c)(1) and (2) of the Commercial
representations, written or oral, concerning the subject
Computer Software Restricted Rights at 48 CFR 52.227-19,
matter of this EULA.
as applicable. The Manufacturer is Smith Micro Software,
Inc., 51 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 USA.
14. Other Services and Materials
13. Applicable Law This Software may enable access to SMSI and/or third party
services and websites (individually and collectively referred
This EULA shall be governed by the laws of the State of
to as “Services”). This EULA does not apply to any Services.
California, without giving effect to any choice of law
You acknowledge and agree that nothing in this EULA
principles. This EULA will not be governed by the United
guarantees availability or continued availability or uptime
Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sales
of any Services. SMSI has no control over any third party
of Goods, the application of which is expressly excluded.
Chapter 2: License
23 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Services. Any terms, conditions, privacy policies, warranties, 15. Contact Information
or representations associated with any third party Services
are solely between you and such third party. SMSI makes If you have questions concerning this EULA or need to
no representations or warranties as to the quality, suitability, contact Customer Service, please contact SMSI at this
functionality, or legality of any third party Services, and address: Smith Micro Software, Inc., 185 Westridge Drive,
You hereby waive any claim you might have against SMSI Watsonville, CA 95076 USA (831) 761-6200 phone, (831) 761-
regarding any use of any third party Services. 6206 fax; Customer Service (returns, warranty): service@
smithmicro.com; and Legal (EULA questions, illegal activity
You understand that by using any of the Services, You
reporting): [email protected].
may encounter content that may be deemed offensive,
indecent, or objectionable, which content may or may
not be identified as having explicit language, and that 16. Copyright & Trademark Notice
the results of any search or entering of a particular URL
may automatically and unintentionally generate links or Smith Micro Software, Anime Studio, Anime Studio Debut
references to objectionable material. In addition, you and Anime Studio Pro are trademarks of Smith Micro
agree not to use the Software to create content that may Software, Inc. Lost Marble and Moho are trademarks of
be deemed offensive, indecent, or objectionable; hateful, Lost Marble, Inc. All other product names mentioned in the
threatening, or pornographic; incites violence; or contains Software, the Documentation, or other documentation
nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence. Nevertheless, you are used for identification purposes only and may be
agree to use the Services at your sole risk and that the SMSI trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
shall not have any liability to you for content that may be companies. Registered and unregistered trademarks
found to be offensive, indecent, or objectionable; hateful used herein are the exclusive property of their respective
threatening or pornographic; incites violence; or contains owners. For purposes of Japan law regarding unregistered
nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence. trademarks (e.g., a pending trademark application), the
right in and to a trademark in Japan may not be exclusive
until it is validly registered. You may not remove, modify,
alter, cover or deface any trademark, trade names,
product names, logo, copyright or other proprietary

Chapter 2: License
24 Anime Studio Pro 10
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notices, legends, symbols or labels in the Software and

Documentation. This EULA does not authorize you to use
SMSI’s or its licensors’ names or respective trademarks.
Further, any reference to any third party commercial
products, processes or services by trade name,
trademark, logo, and company and/or product/service
names mentioned or displayed in the Software (and in
any of its related Documentation and materials in any
form) does not constitute or imply SMSI’s endorsement,
recommendation or favoring by SMSI or any of its suppliers/
licensors.
Version: 20140129-AnimeStudio/AnimeStudio

Chapter 2: License
25 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Anime Studio
Tools

Chapter 2: License
26 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Chapter 3: The Draw Click the tool icon in the properties bar to
display a submenu. Choose Reset Tool to

Tools reset the current tool to its default settings. Choose

Reset All Tools to reset all tools to their default
settings.
Draw tools are used to draw and modify vector artwork.
The following tools are available when you’re working with
a vector layer. Most of these tools are used by selecting
them from the toolbar then clicking and dragging in the
working area of the main window - a few are used simply
by clicking on them, and this is noted below. If you hold the
mouse over a tool, a tooltip will appear with the name of
the tool if you need a quick reminder. Also, most tools have Reset tool options.
a shortcut key that can be used to activate them. If a tool
has such a shortcut, this will show up in the tooltip as well.
When drawing with the draw tools, you can manually
If a tool has the following symbol next to it: , then it can choose to use legacy curves (such as those used in Anime
be used for animation - using the tool at different frames Studio 6 and earlier) in the Layer Settings dialog. Select the
in the timeline will cause the object you adjust to change layer you want to change in the Layers window, and open
over time. the Layer Settings dialog to the Vectors tab. Check the
Legacy Curves option to use the old method of rendering
Anime Studio has a smart tool palette, which curves.
shows and hides tools based on their need.
The position of the tool shown in the screenshots may
differ, depending on the selected layer in the Layers
palette, and the current time in the timeline.

Chapter 3: The Draw Tools

27 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Normal curves (left) vs Legacy curves (right).

Select Points
Shortcut: G

You can choose legacy curves for compatibility with older

scenes created in Anime Studio 6 and earlier.

Select Points

Chapter 3: The Draw Tools

28 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Using the Select Points Tool

Many of the following tools work only on the currently
selected points. This is the tool you use to select/de-select
Select Points options
points. This tool can be used in a few different ways.
The most basic way to select points is to drag a rectangle
around them. Also, using this tool you can click on a single
Select Points Tool Options
point to select it. The third method of selection is to click
on a curve to select the entire curve. Finally, clicking on
• Select Group: Used to select a group that was
a filled-in area will select an entire object. Each of these
previously created with the Select Points tool.
selection methods is illustrated below:
• Text Field: Assigns a name to the currently selected
group of points.

• Create: Creates a group from the selected points.

• Delete: Deletes the currently selected group from the

selection list.

• Lasso Mode: When checked, allows you to draw a

lasso around the points you want to select. When
unchecked, selects a rectangular area.

• Flip Horizontally: Click this button to flip horizontally.

• Flip Vertically: Click this button to flip vertically.

Chapter 3: The Draw Tools

29 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Different methods of point selection (SWF file)

Modifier keys:
Selection methods
By holding the Shift key, you can add to a selection.
Below is a short movie clip showing the different ways to Otherwise, you will always start a new selection when using
select points using the Select Points tool. this tool.

• Holding the Alt key will prevent this tool from selecting
curves or shapes when you click on them (sometimes
when things get crowded it’s hard not to click on a
shape by accident).

Chapter 3: The Draw Tools

30 Anime Studio Pro 10
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• If you hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or Cmd key

(Mac), this tool will work in lasso style. (You can also
activate lasso style selection by turning on Lasso mode
in the tool options area.)
The selection commands in the Edit menu are also very
useful for managing selections. These are described in
“Chapter 19: Edit Menu” on page 360.
The currently selected points may be deleted by pressing
the Delete or Backspace keys.
Transform Points

Transform Points
Shortcut: T General Options
The Transform Points tool is used to move, scale, or The following options appear in the left portion of the
rotate a group of selected points. It operates only on options toolbar when the Transform Points tool is selected:
the currently selected points, unless fewer than two points
are selected - then it operates on the nearest point to
where you clicked.
It’s important to note that this tool, like most of the Anime
Transform Tool general options
Studio drawing tools, modifies points, not curves. If you
select all the points in an object and use this tool, the entire
object will move, scale, or rotate. However, if you only • Select Group: Used to select a group that was
select some of the points, then you’ll end up distorting the previously created with the Select Points tool.
object (which can be very useful).

Chapter 3: The Draw Tools

31 Anime Studio Pro 10
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• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its

default value. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0.
The following options appear in the right portion of the
Transform Points options for translating
options toolbar when the Transform Points tool is selected:

• Position X: Allows you to numerically enter a value for

the X coordinate.

Transform Tool general options • Position Y: Allows you to numerically enter a value for
the Y coordinate.
• Auto Weld: When checked, automatically welds a In the pictures below, the selected points are highlighted in
new point to an existing point. The existing point is red. Notice the effect of using the Transform Points tool on
highlighted when the mouse hovers over a point that these points.
can be welded.
• To constrain vertically or horizontally: Hold the Shift key
• Auto Fill: When checked, automatically fills a closed while dragging the selected points left, right, up, or
shape when you create it. down.

• Flip Horizontally: Click this button to flip horizontally. • To nudge: You can nudge the selected point(s)
by small increments by holding down the Ctrl key
• Flip Vertically: Click this button to flip vertically. (Windows) or Cmd key (Mac) and pressing the arrow
keys. Hold down Shift in addition to Ctrl/Cmd to nudge
Translating Points the point(s) by a greater increment.

The following toolbar options are associated with

translating points:

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Top circle fully selected. Bottom circle partially selected After translation

• To weld points: The steps differ depending on whether

the Auto Weld option in the toolbar is enabled or
disabled:

ƒƒ When Auto Weld is off: To weld two points together,

use the Transform Points tool to drag one point on
top of another (you must drag just one point to
weld, not a group of points). While dragging the
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first point on top of the second, press the spacebar Scaling Points
to weld them together into one point.
The Transform Points tool also allows you to scale the
ƒƒ When Auto Weld is on: Anime Studio can
currently selected group of points. Two or more points must
automatically weld points for you. Only the
be selected. The following toolbar options are associated
endpoint of a curve can be automatically welded.
with scaling points:
To automatically weld the endpoint of a curve,
just drag it on top of another point and let go of
the mouse. Below is a movie demonstrating auto-
welding. After dragging each endpoint into place,
it becomes welded to the existing point, and the
two can be moved around Transform Points options for scaling

• Scale X: Allows you to enter a numeric value for

scaling along the X axis.

• Scale Y: Allows you to enter a numeric value for scaling

along the Y axis.

• Apply: Click to apply the values entered in the Scale X

and Scale Y fields
When this tool is active, a red box will appear around the
currently selected group of points. The handles around
the edges of this box allow you to resize the points. Drag
a corner handle in and out to scale the points while
Using Transform Points and auto-weld (SWF file) maintaining their proportions. Drag one of the side handles
to change the horizontal scale, or the top or bottom
handle to change the vertical scale.
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If you hold the Alt key while dragging a side handle, using the Transform Points tool will constrain the rotation to
Anime Studio will resize the selected points in such a way 45 degree increments.
to maintain the overall volume of the object - this can be
useful for squash and stretch.
Add Point
Rotating Points Shortcut: A
The Add Point tool is what you use to draw most curves in
The Transform Points tool can also rotate the currently
Anime Studio. Just click and drag in the working area of
selected group of points. Two or more points must be
the main window to create a new curve segment. There
selected to use this tool. The following toolbar options are
are four variations to using the Add Point tool - they differ in
associated with rotating the selected points:
where the original click takes place.

Transform Points options for rotating.

• Rotation: Allows you to enter a numerical value for

rotation.

• Apply: Click to apply the value entered in the Rotation Add Point
field
Click near the outer boundary of the selected group The first way to use this tool is to click in empty space and
of points. Next, drag the mouse in a circle around the drag - this will start a new curve.
selection to rotate the points. Holding the Shift key while

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The second technique is to click on the end of an existing The Add Point tool can also be used to weld two points.
curve to add another segment to that curve. Click and drag in one of the ways described above to add
a new point.
Third, click on a curve segment to add a point there, then
drag it to the final desired position. Drag the new point on top of an existing point. If Auto
Weld is enabled the new point will weld to the existing
Finally, click on a curve midpoint to add a new branching
point. If Auto Weld is off, press the spacebar before
curve that is welded to the existing point. Each of these
releasing the mouse. An example is shown below. (This
uses of the Add Point tool is shown below.
works just like the Transform Points tool, above. Read about
that tool for more details on welding.)

Uses of the Add Point tool

Closing a curve

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To prevent the Add Point tool from adding on to an existing Add Point Tool Options
curve regardless of where you click, hold the Alt key to
force the tool to start a new line segment.
The movie below demonstrates the Add Point tool. Notice
how clicking on different parts of an existing curve causes
the new point to be added in different ways. Add Point Options

• Select Group: Used to select a group that was

previously created with the Select Points tool.

• Auto Weld: When checked, automatically welds a

new point to an existing point. The existing point is
highlighted when the mouse hovers over a point that
can be welded.

• Auto Fill: When checked, automatically fills a closed

shape when you create it.

• Sharp corners: When checked, creates sharp corners

Using the Add Point tool (SWF file) when changing the angle of a line. When unchecked,
creates smooth transitions when changing the angle

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If you hold down the Command key (Mac) or

Ctrl key (Windows) while you add a new
point, it will reverse the Sharp Corners option that
you have selected in the Options toolbar. This allows
you to change between peaked and smoothed
points without interrupting your workflow.

Curvature
Shortcut: C Curvature

This tool works on the currently selected points, or on

the nearest point if less than two points are selected.
It adjusts the level of smoothness of the curves passing Curvature Tool Options
through the selected points. Drag to the left to make the
curves less smooth, and drag to the right to make the
curves rounder.

Curvature Options

• Select Group: Used to select a group that was

previously created with the Select Points tool.

• Peak: Creates a peaked (or hard) transition between

the curves at the point that you click.

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• Smooth: Smooths the transition between the curves at drawing. For this reason, control points are automatically
the point that you click. hidden when Freehand tool is selected so that you can
focus on your drawing. You’ll also see a more accurate
preview of the strokes that you draw, especially when
Freehand drawing wider strokes. When you release the mouse,
you’ll notice the strokes change slightly due to automatic
Shortcut: F
smoothing.
The Freehand tool lets you draw complex shapes by just
dragging the mouse around. After using the Freehand To display the control points, select one of the
tool, you will often want to go back and use the Delete other tools, such as the Transform Points tool,
Edge tool to delete unwanted lines. You can also use
the Transform Points tool to modify the result, delete
unnecessary points, and weld points together. If you have
a drawing tablet, the Freehand tool can also use the pen
pressure from your tablet to control the thickness of the
lines you draw.
The Freehand tool has been enhanced, such that you
don’t have to draw shapes precisely while using the tool.
If you cross a line, the new line automatically welds to the
line that is crossed if the Auto Weld option is selected. This
allows you to quickly sketch out shapes without worrying Freehand
about stopping your stroke at precise locations. Later,
you can use the Delete Edge tool to remove the hanging
edges. For more information about the Delete Edge tool,
see “Delete Edge” on page 43.
When you’re using the Freehand tool, you are primarily
interested in seeing an accurate display of what you are
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Freehand Tool Options Click the Freehand Options button in the Options toolbar
to display the Freehand Tool options dialog. The options
are as follows:

• Freehand Options: Click this button to display the

following options
Freehand Options
ƒƒ Variable line width: When set to None, does not
vary line width between the start and end of the
The Freehand tool has been improved to
line. You can also vary line width based on pen
give much smoother looking curves. As you
pressure when using a pen tablet, or randomly.
draw with the Freehand tool it looks like you are
The line width will vary between the minimum and
creating a lot of points, but as you let go it only
maximum width settings that you specify.
keeps the points that are necessary to represent the
curve smoothly. ƒƒ Width Variation: Controls the amount of difference
between the narrowest part of the stroke and the
widest part of the stroke.
You don’t have to be concerned with
ending a line exactly on a point, or using the ƒƒ Taper Start: When checked, tapers the start of
Transform Points tool to weld points together. the line. Enter the starting width of the line in the
Instead, sketch as you normally would sketch with a field provided. The taper will be applied after you
pencil. Any lines that cross will automatically weld release the mouse.
together, easily allowing you to create closed
ƒƒ Taper End: When checked, tapers the end of
shapes. You can then use the Delete Edge tool to
the line. Enter the ending width of the line in the
delete the unwanted straggling ends that cross the
field provided. The taper will be applied after you
lines you want to weld. This allows you to create
release the mouse.
closed shapes quite easily that you can fill later.
ƒƒ Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back
to its default value. If pressed at any other frame,

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resets the layer to the value or values set at frame • Auto Fill: When checked, automatically fills a closed
0. shape when you create it.

• Auto-stroke: When checked, automatically creates a

stroke around the shape that you create. Uncheck this
option to create a shape that has no outline.

• Auto close: When unchecked, closes a shape when

the cursor is released over the beginning of the shape.
When checked, connects the shape from the current
position to the start point when you release the mouse
button.

Draw Shape
Shortcut: E
The Draw Shape Tool provides a way to quickly draw
commonly used shapes: squares, ovals/circles, triangles,
stars, arrows, and spirals. Each of the shape options are
Freehand options
shown later in this section.

• Auto Weld: When checked, automatically welds a

new point to an existing point. The existing point is
highlighted when the mouse hovers over a point that
can be welded. When you draw two lines that cross,
the point at which they cross will automatically be
welded together when this option is on.
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Rectangle

Rectangle

The Rectangle tool is a shortcut for creating a rectangular

shape. Just click and drag to draw a rectangle. Hold the
Draw Shape Shift key to constrain the shape to a square. Hold the Alt
key to make the click point the center of the rectangle,
instead of one of its corners. There’s nothing special about
rectangles created with this tool - they’re just four points
Draw Shape Tool Options and four curve segments and can be manipulated just
like anything else. You could create the same shape with
the Add Point tool, but for a simple rectangle, this tool is
quicker.

Draw Shape Options

Oval
• Auto Fill: When checked, automatically fills a closed
shape when you create it.

• Auto-stroke: When checked, automatically creates a

stroke around the shape that you create. Uncheck this Oval
option to create a shape that has no outline.

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The Oval tool is a shortcut for creating an oval shape. Stars

Just click and drag to draw an oval. Hold the Shift key to
constrain the shape to a circle. Hold the Alt key to make
the click point the center of the circle. There’s nothing
special about ovals created with this tool - they’re just four
points and four curve segments and can be manipulated
just like anything else. You could create the same shape Stars
with the Add Point tool, but for a simple oval, this tool is
quicker. The Stars tool is a shortcut for creating a star shape. Just
click and drag to draw a star. The star will be drawn from
the upper point of the star, and all five points of the star will
Triangles be equal in size.

Arrow

Triangles

The Triangle tool is a shortcut for creating a triangle shape.

Just click and drag to draw a triangle. Hold the Shift key to Arrow
constrain the shape to an equilateral triangle.
Click and drag to draw an arrow shape. Press the Shift key
to constrain the arrow to a horizontal or vertical line.

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Spirals You can then later clean up the shapes by deleting

unwanted hanging lines with the Delete Edge tool.

If the edge you delete makes up part of the

outline of a fill shape, that shape will also be
deleted.
Spirals

The Delete Edge tool is also useful when used

Click and drag to draw a spiral shape. The number of
in conjunction with the Freehand tool. Due to
windings increase as you drag outward. By default the
the improved welding capabilities of the Freehand
spiral radiates in a clockwise direction from the center.
tool, you can freely sketch a character without
Press the Alt key to create a counter-clockwise spiral.
having to worry about exact placement of lines.
Any lines that cross will be welded together. You

Delete Edge can then use the Delete Edge tool to remove
unwanted straggling ends, simply by clicking on
Shortcut: D them with the Delete Edge tool.

It’s easy to delete points - just select them and press

backspace or delete. However, sometimes you may want
keep two points, but break the curve connecting them. To
do this, use the Delete Edge tool. Just use it to click on the
curve segment you want to delete and it will disappear.
You can use the Delete Edge tool to delete unwanted
lines. For example, you can use the Freehand tool to
quickly sketch out shapes, and the Freehand tool will
automatically weld crossed lines together as you draw.

Delete Edge
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Magnet
Shortcut: X
The Magnet tool is similar to the Transform Points tool
- it is used to move points around. However, instead
of moving the selected points, it moves points based on
the strength of the magnet. When you click with this tool,
the region of strength is displayed. Any points within this
region will move with your mouse, but the points closer to
the center of the mouse click will move the most. (The Magnet
radius of the magnet’s strength region can be adjusted in
the tool options area.)
This tool is most useful for artwork that has lots of points. For
example, the Freehand tool can create curves with many
points - the Magnet tool can then move them around Magnet Options
smoothly. Imported Adobe Illustrator files and text objects
can also be sources of many control points.

Magnet Tool Options

• Magnet Radius: Sets the radius of the magnet.

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Blob Brush
The Blob Brush tool allows you to block shapes out very
quickly. For example, you can start by blocking in part of
the character as shown below.

Additional passes of the Blob Brush Tool add to the previous

shape.

You’ll get an accurate preview of the shape as you draw.

When you release the mouse, a vector outline will be
The first pass of the Blob Brush Tool generated for the shape. When you choose this tool, a red
circle gives you a preview of the brush size.
You can add additional strokes to refine or add to the
The following keyboard shortcuts can be used with the
shape. In the following example, additional strokes with
Blob Brush tool:
different brush sizes add legs and arms to the previous
shape. • You can adjust the size of the brush by using the Brush
Radius setting in the tool options area, or by pressing
the Alt key and dragging to resize the brush.

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• If you hold down the Command/Ctrl key you can erase Blob Brush Tool Options
from the shape, or use the Eraser tool. See “Eraser” on
page 46 for more information.
• Brush Radius: Sets the radius of the brush. A red circle
gives you a preview of the brush size. You can also
The brush tool can create a lot of extra points.
adjust the radius by pressing the Alt key and moving
You can use the new Point Reduction Tool to
your mouse left or right.
reduce the number of points. See “Point Reduction”
on page 48 for more information.
• Use Pen Pressure: Check this option if you are using the
brush with a pressure-sensitive stylus and tablet.
You might notice the viewport jump at times
when using the Blob Brush tool. This happens
when you extend your drawing outside the
boundary of the work area. The viewport resizes to
Brush Options
bring that additional area into view to ensure that
the object that you drew will fit on the screen.

Eraser
The Eraser tool allows you to cut holes in any shape. Simply
select the shape that you want to modify with the Select
Shape tool (described in “Select Shape” on page 54).
Then, switch to the Eraser tool to erase portions of the
selected shape.
In the following example, the Eraser Tool is used to modify
the shape of an animal’s tail.
Blob Brush

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Delete Edge

Eraser Tool Options

• Eraser Radius: Sets the radius of the eraser. You can

also adjust the radius of the brush by pressing the Alt
key and moving your mouse left or right.
The Eraser Tool is used to modify the shape of an animal’s tail.
Before (top) and after (bottom) • Use Pen Pressure: Check this option if you are using the
eraser with a pressure-sensitive stylus and tablet.
You might notice the viewport jump at times
when using the Eraser tool. This happens
when you extend your drawing outside the
boundary of the work area. The viewport resizes to Eraser Options
bring that additional area into view to ensure that
the object that you drew will fit on the screen.
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Point Reduction
The Blob Brush, Eraser, and Paint Bucket tools can generate
a lot of extra and unnecessary points. The Point Reduction
tool helps you reduce the point count in any vector object
so that the shapes are easier to animate.

Delete Edge

When the Point Reduction tool is selected, the red circle

gives you a preview of the brush size. You can set the
Before (top) and after (bottom) Point Reduction
radius in the options toolbar, or press the Alt key while
dragging to resize the brush.
To use the tool, simply paint along the area where you
want to reduce the number of points. As you paint, the
Point Reduction Tool Options
brush will leave a trail behind where you have painted. The
areas that you paint over will be simplified. • Brush Radius: Sets the radius of the brush.

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• Tolerance Angle: If you want to reduce the number 3. Set other options in the Scatter Brush Options panel
of points but not change the shape so much, reduce if you want to increase or decrease variation in
the tolerance angle. Lowering the tolerance angle will the angle, spacing, or color of the objects you are
not remove as many points, but it will keep the shape spraying.
closer to what you originally drew.

Point Reduction Options

Scatter Brush
Scatter Brush
The Scatter Brush allows you to spray shapes into your
scene. There are a number of preset shapes, or you can
also copy any shape to your clipboard and spray multiple
copies of that shape into your scene. Scatter Brush Tool Options
To use the Scatter Brush tool, try the following:
Copy a vector object into your clipboard, or select one of
the preset options from the Preset menu.
Scatter Brush Options
1. Choose the vector layer that you want to paint into.

2. Set the Min and Max Width settings appropriately for • Scatter Brush Options: Click this button to display the
the scale of the objects. following options

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ƒƒ Angle Jitter: Specifies the maximum amount of

angle variation in the objects that you spray.
Perspective Points
ƒƒ Spacing: Specifies the minimum amount of space Click and drag side-to-side to add horizontal
between the objects that you spray. perspective to the selected group of points. Click
and drag up and down to add vertical perspective to the
ƒƒ Color Jitter: Specifies the maximum amount of selected group of points.
color variation for the objects that you spray.
Although Anime Studio is not a 3D program, the effect of
ƒƒ Flip X: Check this option to flip the objects being this tool is similar to rotating the points around a vertical
sprayed along the X axis. pivot, so that one half of the group rotates into the screen
and the other half out of the screen. If you want to do a
ƒƒ Flip Y: Check this option to flip the objects being
true 3D rotation, you should use the Rotate Layer Y tool to
sprayed along the Y axis.
apply true 3D perspective to a layer.
• Preset Menu: Click the Preset menu to choose from
a number of different presets that you can spray into
your scene. If you choose Use Clipboard, the Scatter
Brush tool sprays the contents of your clipboard into the
scene.

• Min Width and Max Width: Sets the minimum and

maximum width of the objects that you spray. If you
want all of the objects to be the same size, set both
values the same. Higher values create larger objects.
Perspective Points

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Perspective Points Tool Options

Perspective Points Options

• Select Group: Used to select a group that was

previously created with the Select Points tool.
Shear Points
• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its
default value. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0. Shear Points Tool Options

Shear Points
This tool works on a group of two or more selected
points. Click and drag left, right, up, or down to
Shear Points Options
shear, or slant the group of points.

• Select Group: Used to select a group that was

previously created with the Select Points tool.

• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its

default value. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0.
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Bend Points Tool Options

To use the Bend Points tool, drag your mouse up and
down to bend the selected group of points up and
down. For best results, the selected group of points should
be wider than it is tall.
Bend Points Options
Drag your mouse side to side to bend the selected group
of points side to side. For best results, the selected group of
points should be taller than it is wide. • Select Group: Used to select a group that was
previously created with the Select Points tool.

• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its

default value. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0:

Noise
Shortcut: N

Bend Points The Noise tool works on a group of selected points. Click
and drag to move the points around in random directions.
This tool can be used for example when you want to
duplicate an object using Copy and Paste, but you don’t
want the new object to look exactly like the original. Just
use this tool to distort it a little bit.

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Noise

Tool Options

Noise Options

• Select Group: Used to select a group that was

previously created with the Select Points tool.

• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its

default value. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0.

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Chapter 4: Fill Tools

Using the Fill tools for vector layers, you take the drawings
you created with the Draw tools, and you tell Anime Studio
which areas should be filled with color, where outlines
should be placed, and what fill and line styles to use.
Reset tool options.
The drawings created with Draw tools are only guides. As
far as Anime Studio is concerned, they’re invisible and they
won’t show up in the final rendered output. That’s where Fill
tools come in. Draw tools define the shape of objects, while Select Shape
Fill tools define the appearance of those objects. Of course,
you’re always free to switch back and forth between any Shortcut: Q
of Anime Studio’s editing tools at any time. This tool is used to select one or more existing shapes (fills or
outlines).
Anime Studio has a smart tool palette, which
shows and hides tools based on their need. To select a shape, just click on the desired shape and it will
The position of the tool shown in the screenshots may be selected.
differ, depending on the selected layer in the Layers
• To select additional shapes, press the Shift key while
palette, and the current time in the timeline.
you click and drag the mouse over each additional
shape to add to the selection.
Click the tool icon in the properties bar to
display a submenu. Choose Reset Tool to • To deselect a shape, press the Alt key while you click
reset the current tool to its default settings. Choose the shape(s) you want to remove from the selection.
Reset All Tools to reset all tools to their default After your shape or shapes are selected, you can press the
settings. Delete or Backspace keys to delete the shapes, or adjust

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their properties in the Style Window (see “Chapter 13:

Style Window” on page 216). Options also appear in the
properties bar to change the color of the fill or stroke in the
selected shapes.
After clicking on a shape to select it, you then have the
option to select shapes lower in the stacking order. Just
hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or Cmd key (Mac) and
press the down arrow key to select the next shape lower
down at the point you clicked the mouse. Hold Ctrl/Cmd
and press the up arrow key to select the next shape higher
in the stacking order at that same point.
When you change the properties of multiple selected
shapes, the changes that you make will be applied to all
Four different layers, each with objects that have different
selected shapes. For example, you can select shapes that
shape properties.
have different color fills, and then change the fill color in
the style window so that all of the shapes are filled with the
If you click on one of the shapes with the Select Shape
same color.
tool, the Style window updates to display the fill and stroke
To illustrate, the following figure shows four different shapes, properties of the shape that you clicked (color, stroke
each with different fill and stroke properties. width, brush settings and effects, and so on).
If you hold down the Shift key while using the Select Shape
tool, you can select multiple shapes. Pressing the Alt key
will remove a shape from the selection.

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Multiple shapes selected with the Select Shape tool.

The preview updates as you make changes in the Style
The properties of the first shape that you selected will window.
appear in the Style window. Any changes that you make
in the Style window will be applied to all of the selected
shapes. The preview window will update as you make your
style selections.

Select Shape Tool

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Tool Options The Create Shape tool is used to select a region to be filled
with color, or a set of edges to be drawn as an outline. It
operates exactly like the Select Points tool described in
“Select Points” on page 27.

Create Shape Options

• Fill: Check this option to change the fill of the selected

shape(s).
Create Shape Tool
• Fill Color: Click the color square to select a fill color for
the selected shape(s).
Using the Create Shape tool, select all the points that form
• Stroke: Check this option to change the stroke of the the outer border of the shape you wish to create. If you
selected shape(s). select a set of edges that completes an enclosed shape,
a highlighted checkerboard will show you the extent of
• Stroke Color: Click the color square to select a stroke the region you are creating. Otherwise, you will just see a
color for the selected shape(s). highlighted outline on the selected edges.
When you have the desired region selected, press the
• Width: Allows you to set a numerical value for the width
spacebar or press the Create Shape button in the status
of the stroke. Fractional values are allowed.
bar to actually create a shape from the selected edges.
The Style Window (see “Chapter 13: Style Window” on
Create Shape page 216) can now be used to choose the shape’s color,
line width, style, etc. This is a very important step - until you
Shortcut: U press the spacebar or use the Create Shape button, you

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are only preparing the selection. A shape is only created

when the spacebar or button is pressed.
The picture below shows a selection in progress using the
Create Shape tool. Note that the figure on the left is not
filled with a checkerboard because its border points are
not all selected. The checkerboard area indicates the
region that would be filled if the user hit the spacebar at
this particular moment. The left figure would only receive a
partial outline and no fill, since then entire border has not
been selected.

Selecting the curves to make up a shape

The next figure shows the result of pressing the spacebar to

actually create the two shapes that were being prepared
in the figure above.

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Tool Options

Create Shape Options

• Select Group: Used to select a group that was

previously created with the Select Points tool.

• Create Shape: Press the Create Shape button to

complete the shape. This is the same as pressing the
Spacebar after your selection is made.

• Lasso Mode: The Create Shape tool selects a

rectangular area by default. Check this option to
select points by drawing a lasso around the desired
area.
The two resulting shapes

• Fill: Select this option if you only want to change the fill
After creating a shape, if you decide that you only want a of the selected object(s).
fill, and not an outline, you can uncheck the Stroke box in
the Style window. Similarly, uncheck the Fill box in the Style • Stroke: Select this option if you only want to change
window to make your shape have only an outline, and no the stroke of the selected objects(s).
fill color.
• Both: Select this option if you want to change both the
fill and stroke of the selected object(s).

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Paint Bucket Below are some examples of sets of curves in Anime Studio,
where the user might click with the Paint Bucket tool, and
Shortcut: P the resulting fills. In each case, the shape on the left is the
starting shape, the red X indicates the point where the
The Paint Bucket tool is used to fill a closed area with color.
user clicked with the Paint Bucket tool, and the result is the
Just click inside a closed shape to fill it with the current
shape on the right:
combination of colors and styles. This can make it much
easier and quicker to fill shapes than with the Create
Shape tool, but keep in mind you’re still working with the
same requirements - a shape must be completely closed in
order to be filled.

Paint Bucket

In Anime Studio 10 and later, the lines that

create the closed shape do not have to be
welded. For example, you can draw four
overlapping lines with the Freehand tool with Auto Filling a basic closed outline
Weld off, and then fill the inside of the lines with the
Paint Bucket tool.

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Clicking outside a closed outline (nothing happens - no fill). A more complex shape. There are some dead-end curves, but
the overall shape is still closed.

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A shape with a hole in it. Clicking inside the hole fills just the hole

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The shape is not closed (close, but not good enough) - no fill The viewport adjusts to display the entire filled shape after
is created using the Paint Bucket.

If part of the shape is cut off on the edge of the editing You can also draw shapes that overlap, and use the Paint
window, the viewport will change to display the entire filled Bucket tool to fill within areas that overlap. This allows you
shape after you fill it with the Paint Bucket. to quickly create complex boolean shapes.

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Tool Options

Paint Bucket Options

• Fill: Select this option to affect fill only.

• Stroke: Select this option to affect stroke only.

• Both: Select this option to affect both fill and stroke.

Delete Shape
To use the Delete Shape tool, click on a fill or outline to
delete it from the project. Remember, in Anime Studio, the
shape of an object is separate from its appearance. If you
use this tool to delete a fill, the underlying points and curves
will remain. If you want to delete those as well, go back to
the Draw tools to work with the points and curves.

Two overlapping shapes are filled with the Paint Bucket to

create a boolean shape.

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You can superimpose two strokes, each with

a different line width, to create parts for
characters that are made of very few points,
making them much easier to animate. For more
information refer to “Tutorial 2.4: Varying Line
Widths” on page 71 in your Anime Studio Tutorial
Manual.
Delete Shape Tool

Line Width
Shortcut: W
The Line Width tool is used to adjust the width of a line as
Line Width Tool
it passes through a particular point. Using this tool, you
can create lines that taper at the ends, get thinner in the
To use it, just click on the point you want to adjust, and
middle, or change width several times along their length.
drag the mouse left and right to adjust line thickness. (Be
Line widths are stored internally in Anime sure you first either set up an outline through the point, or
Studio as percentage values. For example, a a fill shape with a non-zero line width - otherwise this tool
value of 100% represents the original line width, and won’t do you much good.)
a value of 200% represents double line width. The You can adjust more than one point at a time by selecting
width of the line smoothly varies from the 100% (no multiple points with the Select Points tool from the Draw
custom width) value. tool group.

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Tool Options • Magnet Radius: The points that appear within the red
circle area will be affected when you use the Line
Width tool. Use the Magnet Radius setting to increase
or decrease the affected area.

Line Width Options

• Select Group: Used to select a group that was

previously created with the Select Points tool.

• Width: Allows you to enter a numerical value for the line

width.
You can also enable the Magnet Mode option and enter a
radius that determines the area that the magnet will affect.

You can set a magnet radius to affect all vertices beneath the
Line Width Magnet Mode Options magnet.

• Magnet Mode: Check this option to display the cursor

as a red semi-transparent circle. Hide Edge
Shortcut: H

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Sometimes, you will have the need to create a fill shape

with only a partial outline. The Hide Edge tool makes it easy
to accomplish this. After creating the fill shape and setting
the desired line width, simply click on the edge(s) that you
want to hide - those edges will simply disappear from the
outline, without affecting the fill. Below is a before and
after example:

Hide Edge Tool

The Hide Edge tool in action

Stroke Exposure
The Stroke Exposure tool is located in the Fill section of the
tool box. Normally, when you apply a stroke to a curve,
you see the stroke along the entire curve. With the Stroke
Exposure tool, you can click and drag on a curve that has
a stroke and control where the curve starts and ends.

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Stroke Exposure Tool

• Click and drag back and forth to set the end point
of the stroke on the curve. Dragging toward the left
exposes less of the curve’s end, while dragging toward
the right exposes more of the curve’s end

• Alt-Click and drag back and forth to set the start point
of the stroke on the curve. Drag toward the right to
expose less of the curve’s end, and drag toward the
left to expose more of the curve’s end. Exposing less of the curve’s end

This parameter can be animated so that you can expose

the curve over time, making this feature a good option for
creating things like handwriting or water flowing through
a pipe. Rounded end caps are also supported with the
Stroke Exposure tool.

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Tool Options

• Select Group: Used to select a group that was

previously created with the Select Points tool.

• Start Percentage: Allows you to enter a numerical

value for the start of the curve, based on its distance
Curve Profile Tool
from the start point

• End Percentage: Allows you to enter a numerical value Curve profiles can be of any shape, but the start and end
for the end of the curve, based on its distance from of the profile should be along the same horizontal line.
the end point While you can create profile curves with or without a stroke
applied to them, it makes sense to draw them with Auto
Stroke off, since you will be applying a different pattern to
Curve Profile the circle based on the style of the curve.

Curve profiles provide a way to add interesting detail

to a shape. You use the Curve Profile tool to create
these details on a shape. You select a shape on a layer.
Additional curves that define the profile can appear on
the same layer.

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Shapes and curves are drawn on a single layer

A shape with a profile curve applied.

After you select the shape you want to apply the profile to
Even though the resulting shape appears to have more
(a circle in this case, select the Curve Profile tool from the
detail, it still has the same number of control points as the
Fill section of the tool box. Then click on the curve that you
original shape. For example, if you applied the curve profile
want to use as the profile.
to a circle, the resulting shape still has only the four original
control points, even though it appears to have more. You
can edit the shape by repositioning one or more of the
original control points, and the curve profile will still be
applied.

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If you want to animate a shape that uses Curve

Profiles you will need to animate the shape used for
the profile. You cannot assign one profile shape on one
frame in a timeline, and then reassign another profile
shape on another point in the timeline. In addition, if you
delete the curve that was originally used as a profile
shape, the curve profile also gets deleted.

The Repeat Count setting in the options toolbar

controls the number of times that the curve profile
repeats along the path. You can increase or
decrease this setting to add more or less detail to
the shape.

The Repeat Count controls the number of times that the profile
curve repeats along the path

To remove the curve profile from the shape, select the

Curve Profile tool from the Fill section of the tool box and
click on an empty background area.
Tool Options

• Repeat Count: Used to control the number of times

that the profile shape repeats along the path.

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Working with Fills • Use the Create Shape tool to fill closed outlines that do
not have any fill. You will need to select the points in
To define a region to be filled, you must first select all the the outlines before you use the Create Shape tool.
points along its boundary. That’s what defines a fill region
• You can also use the Paint Bucket to fill shapes that do
- the set of points along its outer edge. We’ll take a look at
not yet have a fill. For example, you can use the Add
some examples later. You can also create outlines using
Point or Freehand tool to create a shape that has a
these tools. Outlines are less restrictive than fills - an outline
stroke only, and then later use the Paint Bucket tool to
is not a set of points along an outer boundary. Instead, an
add a fill.
outline can be any set of points you choose. The curve
segments between these selected points will form the
• You can also change colors with the Eyedropper.
outline.
Use the Eyedropper to select a color from any of the
Fills and outlines are stacked on top of each other in the shapes that use the color you want to apply. Then press
order you create them. This determines which fill or outline the Alt key and click other objects with the Eyedropper
will be visible when two or more overlap. There are tools to push the selected color to other shapes.
that allow you to change the stacking order of fills and
outlines, but you’ll learn that you can save yourself a lot
of time by planning ahead and creating fills in the proper
Color Picking
order to begin with. If the Select Shape or Create Shape tools are active and a
There are a number of different ways to fill shapes in Anime shape is selected, you can quickly set the shape’s color by
Studio: picking it from another shape in the current layer. Just hold
down the Alt key and click on the shape you want to copy
• Use the Select Shape tool to select the shape you want the color from. The color (and style) will instantly be applied
to change. The color and fill properties will be “picked to the currently selected shape.
up” in the Style window. You can then change the fill
You can also push a shape’s color and style onto other
colors in the Style window.
shapes. If you hold down Alt + Ctrl (Windows) or Alt + Cmd
(Mac) and click on a second shape, the selected shape’s

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color will be pushed onto the shape you click on. This is an
easy way to propagate one shape’s color and style onto
several other shapes in the same layer.
There’s no limit to the kinds of shapes you can create this
way. By adding more boundary curves, you can create
more and more complex fills - feel free to experiment.

A Trick: Using Two Fills Instead of One

Sometimes you may want to create an object with parts
that overlap in complex ways. Consider the image below:

Two interlocking rings

The red ring is in fact two objects - one behind the blue
ring, and one in front of it. The next image shows the same
object, but colored differently so that the two parts of the
red ring stand out.

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The coloring shows three different shapes

Point and curve arrangement.
It takes a little more work to set up an object when you
have to split it into two (or more) parts, but sometimes it’s This technique is also useful in animation, for when you
the only way to achieve a certain effect. The picture below want an object to bend backwards and overlap itself.
shows the project in an Anime Studio window, so that you Normally, this would cause the fill that defined the object
can see the arrangement of points and curves. Note how to get seriously distorted, or even to break holes in itself.
the ring on the right has some extra curves set up so that it However, by building the object out of two or more parts
can be split into two fills. and stacking them properly, you can achieve this type of
effect with no problem.

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Chapter 5: Bone Tools

The following tools are available when working with Bone
or Switch layers.
If a tool has the following symbol next to it: , then it can
be used for animation as well. In general, tools that are
Reset tool options.
used for bone setup can only be used when the time is set
to frame 0 - others can be used at any time.

Anime Studio has a smart tool palette, which Select Bone

shows and hides tools based on their need.
The position of the tool shown in the screenshots Using this tool, you can click a bone to select it. You can
may differ, depending on the selected layer in the also draw a marquee or a lasso around multiple bones to
Layers palette, and the current time in the timeline. select more than one bone with the Select Bone tool.
You might want to select a bone in order to delete it
Click the tool icon in the properties bar to (press the Delete or Backspace keys - all of its children will
display a submenu. Choose Reset Tool to be deleted too). You also might want to select a bone in
reset the current tool to its default settings. Choose order to add new child bones to it. Click anywhere besides
Reset All Tools to reset all tools to their default a bone to de-select all bones.
settings.

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• Bone Constraints: Opens the Bone Constraints dialog,

described in “Bone Constraints” on page 77.

Select Bone Options (Part 2)

Select Bone Tool

• Lock Bone: When checked, prevents accidental
changes to the current bone.
Tool Options • Lasso Mode: When checked, allows you to select
The following options appear in the Options toolbar when multiple bones by drawing a lasso around them. When
the Select Bone tool is active: unchecked, you can select multiple bones by drawing
a rectangular selection around them.

• Color: Click the Color selector to choose a

representative color for the bones: Plain, Purple, Blue,
Select Bone Options (Part 1) Green, Yellow, Orange, or Red. These colors can be
representative of any category you choose and are
provided for project organization. The keyframes for
• Select Bone: Use the Select Bone dropdown list to colored bones will show up in the timeline in specially
select a bone by name. colored channels that match the colors you assign.

• Bone Name field: Displays the name of the selected

bone. You can edit the bone name in this field.

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Bone Constraints
With the Select Bone tool selected, click the Bone
Constraints button in the options bar to open the Bone
Constraint options dialog shown below.
For detailed instructions and examples of the options
in this dialog, refer to the Angle Constraints section in
“Tutorial 3.2: Bone Constraints” on page 116 in your Anime
Studio Tutorial Manual.
Color options

• Show Label: Check the Show Label option to display

the name of the bone in the project window.
The names displayed are those which are either
automatically or manually assigned in the Select Bone
list. User-assigned labels help you remember what
a particular smart bone controls (eye blinks, mouth
shapes, etc.) To change the name of the bone, enter
a new name for the selected bone in the text field
immediately to the right of the list.

• Shy Bone: Shy bones help reduce workspace clutter.

To mark a bone as shy, select the bone(s) and check
the Shy Bone option. All bones marked as shy can then
be displayed or hidden with the Bone > Hide/Show Shy
Bones command, discussed in “Hide/Show Shy Bones”
on page 383.

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• Angle constraints: Check this option if you want to limit

the movement of the bone within certain angles.

• Min/max degrees: Enter the maximum and minimum

angle range that you want the bone to rotate. For
example, if you only want the bone to rotate 10
degrees in either direction, enter -10 in the Min field,
and 10 in the Max field.

• Independent angle: Normally, if you move or rotate

a parent bone, the child bone moves or rotates with
it. If you check the Independent Angle option on a
child bone, the child will keep the original angle. This
is extremely helpful when rigging a character, as it
can be used to keep the feet parallel to the ground
as the legs move and rotate during a walk cycle. For
more information about using independent angles, see
“Tutorial 3.6: New Bone Features” on page 147 in your
Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.

Bone Constraints Options

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In the default position, the last bone is parallel to the ground. If you set Independent Angle on the child bone, it will rotate
independently of its parent.

• Squash and stretch scaling: When this option is

checked, the objects that are controlled by the bone
will maintain their volume when they are scaled. The
height of the object will decrease as the length of
the bone is increased, and the height of the object
will increase as the length of the object is decreased.
Enter the desired scaling factor in the field provided.
For more information, see “Tutorial 3.6: New Bone
Features” on page 147 in your Anime Studio Tutorial
Manual.
If you rotate its parent bone, the child also rotates.

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• Angle/Position/Scale control bone: Allows one bone to

control the motion of another. Click to select the bone
that you want to be affected, and then use the drop-
down menu to select the bone that you want to use as
the controller. Enter the desired control angle (positive
and negative values are accepted) in the Angle field,
the X and Y coordinates in the Position fields, or the
desired scale factor in the Scale field.

• Bone dynamics: Tells Anime Studio to move the

selected bone automatically, based on values entered
in the Torque Force, Spring Force, and Damping Force
values entered. See “Tutorial 3.3: Bone Dynamics” on
Squash and stretch scaling helps maintain the volume of an page 126 in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.
object as the bone is scaled.
• Close: Closes the Bone Dynamics palette.

• Maximum IK stretching: Enter the maximum amount

that you want to allow a bone to stretch with Squash Transform Bone
and Stretch scaling.
The Transform Bone tool allows you to translate, rotate, or
• Target: Allows you to assign another bone as a target. scale a selected bone.
The most common use for this is to set up Inverse
Kinematics for a character so that you can more easily When the Transform Bone tool is selected, two dots appear
animate walk cycles. For more information about using at the ends of each bone. In addition, the cursor will
target bones, see “Tutorial 3.6: New Bone Features” on change to display the type of transformation that will be
page 147 in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual. applied:

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Transform Bone Tool

The following key combinations work while the Transform

Bones tool is selected:

Transform Bone tool indications • Holding the Shift key will cause the bone to only
translate horizontally or vertically relative to its parent (if
you click near the base)
• To rotate a bone: Click near the bone, but outside
of the handles. A rotate cursor will provide indication • Holding the Shift key while rotating will constrain the
when the mouse is placed correctly. Then drag the rotation to 45 degree increments.
mouse to rotate the bone.
• You can nudge the selected bone by small increments
• To translate a bone: Click and drag the dot at the by holding down the Ctrl key (Windows) or Cmd key
base of the bone. (Mac) and pressing the arrow keys. Hold down Shift in
addition to Ctrl/Cmd to nudge the bone by a greater
• To scale a bone: Click and drag the dot at the end of
increment.
the bone.
• If any objects in other layers have been bound to the
bone, they will not move if the current frame is 0. At
frame 0, you are modifying the bone layout - at later

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frames you are animating with this tool, and bound • Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its
objects will move with the bone. default length. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0.

Tool Options • Scale: Allows you to view or enter a numerical value for
the scale of the bone.

• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its

default scale. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
Transform Bone Options (part 1) layer to the value or values set at frame 0.

• Angle: Allows you to view or enter a numerical value

• Select Bone: Click this menu button to select a bone for the angle of the bone.
by name.
• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its
• Position X: Allows you to numerically enter a value for default angle. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
the X coordinate. layer to the value or values set at frame 0.

• Position Y: Allows you to numerically enter a value for

the Y coordinate. Add Bone
Use the Add Bone tool to add new bones to a skeleton.
The location you click will be the base of the bone (the
point it rotates about), and where you drag to will be the
Transform Bone Options (part 2)
endpoint.
When you add a new bone, Anime Studio automatically
• Length: Allows you to view or enter a numerical value assigns a name to it. By default, the first bone you add is
for the length of the bone. named B1, the second B2, and so on.

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If another bone is selected before you click and drag, it will Tool Options
be the parent of the new bone you create. Otherwise, the
new bone will be parentless, a root bone.

Add Bone Options

• Select Bone: Click this menu button to select a bone

Add Bone Tool by name.

• Text Field: Allows you to assign a name to the currently

Hold the Shift key to constrain the new bone to point in a
selected bone, or to edit the name of the bone as
direction that is a multiple of 45 degrees.
automatically assigned by Anime Studio.
Note that bones don’t have to be touching to have a
parent-child relationship. In the example shown in “Tutorial
3.4: Character Setup” on page 133 in your Anime Studio Reparent Bone
Tutorial Manual, the upper arm bones are children of the
Sometimes when building a skeleton, you may
spine, even though they are separated from it by a small
accidentally add bones to the wrong parent. Later, when
distance. This will often be the case - arms should rotate
you discover the error, deleting bones and adding new
about the shoulders, not the neck, even though they move
ones is just too much work. Instead, use the Change Parent
when the spine moves.
tool to change a bone’s parent. First, select the bone
whose parent you want to change (using the Select Bone
tool). Then, using this tool, click on the new parent bone.
(The new parent will become highlighted in blue.) If you
want to turn the selected bone into a root bone (one that
has no parent), just click on the background.
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Bone Strength
When using bones to control the points in a vector layer or
to warp an image layer, by default every bone has some
degree of influence over every point in the vector layer (or
image). The Bone Strength tool lets you adjust how much
influence each bone has. When this tool is activated, a
Reparent Bone Tool semi-transparent region appears around each bone - this
region indicates the strength of the bone. If you drag side
to side on a bone with the Bone Strength tool, you cause
Tool Options the region of influence to shrink or grow. Points that are
closer to the center of this region move more when the
bone itself is moved.

Reparent Bone Tool

Bone Strength Tool

• Select Bone: Click this menu button to select a bone

by name. Although by default, all bones have some influence over
some points, you can change this behavior. In the Layer
Settings dialog, under the Bones tab, there are two options,
Flexible binding and Region binding. Flexible binding
means that every bone will influence every point. Region

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binding, on the other hand, means that a point will only • Bone Strength: Allows you to view or enter a numerical
move under the influence of the bone(s) in whose region value for bone strength.
of influence it lies. If that point only lies in one bone’s
region, it will only move with that bone - if the point is
overlapped by the regions of two bones, it will move with Manipulate Bones
both of those bones.
The Manipulate Bones tool has two purposes. First,
Flexible binding is the default setting for new bone layers when the current frame is set to 0, it is used to test
because it works reasonably well almost automatically. whether a skeleton is set up and working properly.
The downside is that it leads to rubbery movement of the Although it moves bones and points around, the changes
attached vector artwork. Region binding will give you it makes are only temporary. When you switch to another
cleaner movement, but takes a little more work to set up. tool, the skeleton is reverted back to its original shape.
”Tutorial 3.4: Character Setup” on page 133 in your Anime
Studio Tutorial Manual shows you how to use the Bone When working inside a Smart Bone action,
Strength tool together with both types of binding to quickly the Manipulate Bones tool can introduce
set up a character’s skeleton. extra unwanted bone motion in the Smart Bone
action. For this reason, the Manipulate Bones tool will
be disabled.
Tool Options

Bone Strength Options

Manipulate Bones Tool

• Select Bone: Click this menu button to select a bone
by name.

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The second use of this tool is at frames greater than 0. If the Use this tool to bind an entire layer to a single bone. If you
current frame is greater than 0, then this tool will move the would rather bind certain points in a vector layer to certain
skeleton in the same way, but the move will introduce a bones, then you should use the Bind Points tool instead.
keyframe for animation.
For more information on how to use the Bind Layer tool, see
To manipulate a skeleton, just click and drag the various the Layer Binding section of “Tutorial 3.1: Bone Binding” on
bones that make it up. If points or other layers have been page 107 in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.
bound to the bones, they will move as well. The way the
skeleton and the bound points move with this tool is exactly
the same whether at frame 0 or a later frame. If some part
of the skeleton doesn’t move correctly, you can find out
with this tool and fix it before you start animating.
Note: If you only want to rotate a single bone, it’s better to Bind Layer Tool
use the Rotate Bone tool. The Manipulate Bones tool will
move a whole chain of bones, which is definitely not what
you want if you plan to rotate a single bone.
Bind Points
Bind Layer The Bind Points tool operates exactly like the Select Points
tool described in “Select Points” on page 27. Use it to
Other layers can be contained within a bone layer. For select a group of points to bind to a bone. In order to use
example, you could create a hand layer and place that this tool, you must be on Frame 0, and a bone must first
within an arm layer. To bind the hand to the arm, use this be selected. When a bone is selected, the points that are
tool. Just click on the bone in the parent layer that you currently bound to it are automatically selected as well.
want to connect to, and the entire layer will move with that Use this tool to add or remove points from that selected
bone. In the arm/hand example, you would click on the group. When the correct group of points is selected that
bone nearest the wrist to bind the hand to the end of the you want to bind to the bone, press the spacebar - this
arm. tells Anime Studio to perform the binding. This technique is

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demonstrated in “Tutorial 3.1: Bone Binding” on page 107 It’s difficult to describe the usefulness of this tool without a
in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual hands-on example, so look in “Tutorial 3.1: Bone Binding”
on page 107 in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.

Bind Points Tool

We don’t usually recommend using the Bind Offset Bone Tool

Points tool. Instead, the best way to attach
points to bones is to use automatic bone binding,
together with the Bone Strength tool. Tool Options

Offset Bone
The Offset Bone tool lets you add an extra amount of Offset Bone Options
bone movement starting at frame 1 of your animation. The
reason you might want to do this is to simplify the setup of
• Select Bone: Click this menu button to select a bone
a complex character. Often, parts of a character such as
by name.
arms and legs overlap, making it difficult to set up bones
and attach the proper parts of the character’s body to • Animation Offset X: Allows you to numerically enter a
them. The Offset Bone tool lets you draw the parts of a value for the amount of offset on the X axis.
character in disconnected positions, set up bones, and
then move them all back into position.

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• Animation Offset Y: Allows you to numerically enter a

value for the amount of offset on the Y axis.

• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its

default value. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0.

Bone Physics
When objects that have bones are added to a Group layer
that has physics applied to it (as mentioned in “Tutorial 5.9:
Basic Physics” on page 214 in your Anime Studio Tutorial
Manual), the bones will respond to the physics properties
that you have set for the object. Physics are applied to
each bone based upon the bone’s area of influence, as
set by the Bone Strength tool.

A boned character placed into a physics group

The Bone Physics tool is a setup tool and will only be

available at Frame 0, and once a boned object is placed
inside a Group layer that has physics enabled. The options
Bone Physics Tool mentioned in the following section become available in
the Options bar. You can assign different physics properties
to the bones by clicking each bone with the Bone Physics
tool.

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For additional information on configuring Tool Options

groups and objects for physics, see “Tutorial
5.9: Basic Physics” on page 214 in your Anime
• Select Bone: Click this menu button to select a bone
Studio Tutorial Manual.
by name.

After you set up the objects in your scene, and the • Bone Physics Region: With physics, bones are
bones in your character, you can press the play represented internally with a kind of pill-shaped region
button to see how the character responds to the around them, the physics region. You can enter a
physics as it comes into contact with the other number numerically, but generally you would just
stationary and physics-enabled objects in the use this tool to click and drag on individual bones
scene. to control the size of the physics region, trying to get
it to match the underlaying character as closely as
possible. When you play back the animation, the bone
physics regions are what is used in collisions, not the
character artwork. (This is because the bending of the
character is not directly physics related. The physics
pushes the bones around according to the physics
regions, and the bones then move the character just
like they would if you were hand-animating.)

• Motor Speed: . The motor speed is the number of

degrees per second the object will rotate (it can
be negative to rotate backwards). Depending if
the object bumps into obstacles or there are other
influences, it may not actually rotate at that speed,
but in a zero gravity setup with no collisions, that will be
The boned character responding to other objects in the scene the speed of rotation.

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• Motor Torque: Motor torque controls the strength of • In any layer type that is a child of a bone layer: Layer
the motor. With low torque, when a motorized object translation, Layer scale, Layer Rotation (X, Y, and Z),
bumps into other objects it may come to a stop, Layer Shear, Layer Opacity, Layer Blur
depending on the size and density of the obstacles.
In the same layer as the Smart Bone itself:
With a high torque, it will tend to push obstacles out of
its way. Even with no obstacles, if a motorized object • Bone translation
is unbalanced (off center of its origin), a low torque
setting may mean that it can even lift itself up. • Bone scale

• Return to Neutral: Check this option to return the bone • Bone rotation
to neutral position.
Smart Bones can be used to control the following
additional elements:
• Lock Tip: When physics are in affect, if a bone has its tip
locked it acts as though the endpoint of the bone has
• Stroke exposure: Use Smart Bones to expose more of a
been nailed to a stationary point.
stroke along a path as you rotate the bone.

• 3D Thicknesses: Increase or decrease the thickness of

Smart Bones vector shapes that have been converted to 3D shapes
with Extrude or Inflate.
The Smart Bones feature in Anime Studio Pro allows you to
have more control over shapes when you bend them with • Shape and Fill effects: Change the colors and positions
bones. You can use Smart Bones to control the following in a gradient fill.
types of scene elements.
• Switch layers
• In vector layers that are a child of a bone layer: Point
motion, Curvature, Line Width, Fill Color, and Stroke • Layer order
Color.
• Layer visibility

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• Follow path

• Flip layer horizontally/vertically

• Shape effect positioning

How Smart Bones Work

To illustrate how Smart Bones work, create a vector layer
and add a rectangle to it.
You will eventually add two bones to this rectangle, so
you’ll also want to make sure that there are some points in
the center of the rectangle where the two bones will meet
(as a joint). Create a rectangle with points at the center; add a bone
group, and create two bones.
In the Layers window, create a bone layer and drag the
rectangle vector layer into it. With the Bone layer selected,
use the Add Bone tool to create two bones to the bone Use the Bone Strength tool to adjust the bone weights so
layer. that the rectangle bends in the center as shown below.

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The steps that follow describe how to create smart bone

actions manually. You can use the Bone > Make Smart
Bone Dial command to set up the smart bone dials more
quickly. See “Make Smart Bone Dial” on page 383.

Creating a Smart Bone Action

In order to use this feature, you need to assign a name to
each bone that needs correction. In the following figure
the bones are named B1 (for the bone on the left) and
B2 (for the bone on the right). You can name the bones
whatever you want to name them.

Every bone automatically gets named when

Adjust bone strengths to get a nice bend in the center.
you create it. By default, the bone is assigned
a name such as B1 (for the first bone), B2 (for the
You’ll notice that if you bend the bone too far that the
second bone) and so on.
area around the bend doesn’t look good because the
rectangle gets squeezed in the middle.
You’ll notice when you rotate bone B2 it causes the
In previous versions of Anime Studio, the way around this rectangle to distort when it is bent. You can correct this
distortion was to add points in the center of the rectangle distortion by creating an action that is associated with that
that would reshape the center appropriately. However, bone.
this method resulted in a lot of corrections that had to be
made whenever that bone was animated.
Smart Bones use a different approach, by linking a bone
rotation to an action, and a resulting correction.

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Each bone is assigned a name.

Choose Window > Actions to bring up the Actions window.

Create a new action with the same name as the bone (B2
in this case). Create a new action, named the same as the bone you want
to correct.

At that point you are editing the action. Choose the

Rotate Bone tool in the Tools panel, and rotate the bone
as far as you expect it to move (or, to the limit that is set on
the bone in that direction).

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When working inside a Smart Bone action, the

Manipulate Bones tool can introduce extra
unwanted bone motion in the Smart Bone action.
For this reason, the Manipulate Bones tool will be
disabled.

Rotate the bone to the limit at which you expect it to rotate

(upward in this case).

Now switch to the vector layer and use any of the

available editing tools to adjust the shape of the rectangle
so that it looks good. The joint correction feature can track
Select the vector layer for the rectangle, and create the target
point movement and curvature changes. This shape will be
shape for that rotation angle
the target shape for when bone B2 is rotated to that angle.

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In the Actions window, switch back to the main timeline by

clicking Mainline. Now when you rotate bone B2 toward
that angle, it will automatically pick up the action that you
just created.
Now the distortion around the joint works much better. You
can now go to frames other than zero to add keyframes
that animate the bones. The actions will automatically be
added when the bone is rotated, and the action will be
removed when the bone is straightened.

Creating a Second Smart Bone Action

You’ve just created an action for the bone when it moves
in one direction. However, you also need to create an
adjustment for the other direction
A second action must be created for when B2 is rotated
downward.

To create another action that corrects the second

direction, go back to the Actions window and create
another new action. Name this bone with the name of
the bone, followed by a space, and the number 2 (B2 2).
The B2 prefix associates the action with Bone B2, and the
number 2 is a number designation to differentiate it from
the first action.

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Make sure the new action incorporates the name of the bone
you want to correct. Bend the bone in the other direction to see if adjustments are
needed.

As you did in the first case, select the vector layer for
the rectangle, and adjust the shape for when B2 is bent
downward. An example is shown in the following figure. Editing a Bone Action
You can also go back to a previous bone action and
make corrections to it. For example, when you created the
first bone action, it simply improved the shape of the bend.
Suppose you want to go back and create something like

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a muscle bulge for when an arm is bent upward. Bone • Go back to the main timeline and play the animation.
actions make this process easy to do: The keyframes that you originally added will now also
include the new muscle bulge when the rectangle
• To begin, go back to frame 0 and add a point to the is bent in the appropriate dimension. When the arm
rectangle, located in the area where you want the bends downward, the muscle bulge will not be
muscle bulge to happen. included because it was not added to the B2 2 action
that bends the arm downward.
• Select the first correction action (B2).

• Move the new point like a bulging muscle. Fixing Bad Transitions
You might discover after creating your bone actions
that the object doesn’t look quite right when it’s bent
in intermediate positions. For example, objects might
bend unpredictably if their point count is too high, or
unoptimized. The following solution can help improve the
appearance of intermediate frames.

You can also use Blob Brush to fix a transition

between two bones (such as an elbow or
knee bend). This type of bone binding can be
applied to vector and image layers. For more
information about this feature, see “Create Smooth
Joint for Bone Pair” on page 380.

The processes discussed in “Creating a Smart Bone

Action” on page 92 and “Creating a Second Smart
Add a new point and position it to make a bulging muscle.
Bone Action” on page 95 are still used to create your

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bone action in this case. But in this example you see a

rectangle that has many more points along its length (to
simulate an object that is not optimized). Most of the points
in the rectangle aren’t really necessary for it to maintain its
shape when it’s bent.

Bone B2 bend end result

However, you might notice problems in intermediate

positions, such as shown in the following figure. If you only
have an action that defines the start and end shapes, you
don’t have any way to fix interpolation problems that might
occur in intermediate frames in your actual animation.
A rectangle with many points along its length

Bones are added to the rectangle, and the second bone

(Bone B2) is posed as described earlier in “Creating a
Smart Bone Action” on page 92. The end result looks
similar to the previous example when Bone B2 is rotated to
its extreme position.

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Anime Studio doesn’t care how many frames

you need to complete the bone action. But
because of the nature of the program it interpolates
in steps. If an action is too short (3 frames), you only
have three steps in between to make the animation
smooth. Spreading it out smoother gives you room
to correct for a more smooth transition.

Select all of the point positions that you changed

for the original bone action and move them out
to 120 as well. Now the action takes 120 frames to
complete the bend.

An intermediate frame shows some shaping problems.

• Move to an intermediate frame in that bone action
(not in the main timeline) until you locate an area
If your bone action works fine in the intermediate frames,
that looks objectionable. Now you can adjust the in
using just a single frame action, leave it as is.
between positions of the points. Make sure when you
If the in-between frames are objectionable, you can do edit the points that they are the only keyframes that
the following to correct it: are selected.

• Go back to the B2 action.

• Instead of creating the angle at frame 1, you can

move it somewhere later in time, like frame 120. Move
the keyframe for the bone angle out to 120.

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Frame 60 of the bone action before adjustment. Frame 60 of the bone action after adjustment

After you make your adjustments, scrub through to make

sure that there are no other areas that need adjustment.
If you find others, just move the points in that frame of the
bone action (not in the main timeline) to make additional
corrections as needed.
After your edits are complete go back to the main timeline.
Test out bending the bone on frame 0.

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Other Uses for Bone Actions go to the actions window, you can create actions that
match each one of the control levers.
Here are some eyes in which bones have been set up to
For example, if you are working on the Blink action you
make the eyes do a variety of movements such as blink,
rotate the bone to the other extreme, and then adjust
dilation, sideways, and up-down. Tags have been put on
the points in the Lids layer to close the eyelids. When you
the bones to show what the bones are used for, but this
go back to the timeline and move the bone, it closes the
is not necessary. The bones aren’t really being used as
eyelid.
bones, but they are being used as control levers.

A bone used as a control lever to make an eye blink.

Bones used as control levers.

The bones were initially created with the bone strength Smart Bones and Binding
set to zero. Each of the bones was assigned a name (the
name isn’t really important but helps you keep track of the The original type of binding used in Moho 1.0 was a direct
actions that the bones are intended to control). When you binding method. With direct binding, each point can
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be bound directly to one particular bone. When that need to delete and recreate the smart bone actions, or at
bone moves, the point tracks that bone exactly, without least review them carefully and tweak them to make sure
influence from any other bones. they still look good with the new point binding. As a general
rule of thumb, we recommend that you get the rig to work
Flexible binding was introduced in later releases of Anime
as well as you can first. Adjust bone position, strength and
Studio, and is now the default behavior. The benefit of this
point binding first, and commit to them before you set up
type of point binding is that it’s relatively easy to make
any smart bone actions.
points bend smoothly around joints in a bone structure.
With this method, every bone has some kind of influence
on every point. Points that are closer to a given bone are
more influenced by that bone; but bones that are far away
from certain points can also move those points a small
amount. Bone strength also plays a part in how much each
bone controls each point.
Here’s where the type of binding matters: When bones
move points, that movement is going to be different
depending on the type of binding. When you set up a
bone rig with smart bones, the smart bone actions get set
up as movement relative to the bone rotation.
If you set up smart bones, but then later change the type
of binding on the points, the smart bone actions will no
longer be meaningful. Because the basic point motion
changes when you change binding, you’ll get unexpected
results when you apply an action that was designed for a
different point motion on top of that.
If you need to change the type of point binding for vector
layers when working with smart bones, you will generally
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Chapter 6: Layer Types Of course, most standard image and movie formats
are not vector-based, so when you’re done working on
a Anime Studio project, it must be rendered to create
Drawings in Anime Studio are vector-based. Vector a traditional pixel-based image. During the rendering
drawings are different from pixel-based images (like a process, Anime Studio can apply various effects to the
photograph) in that they use lines and curves to represent objects, such as shading and blurring.
a picture, rather than a grid of colored pixels. This Anime Studio is designed in such a way that projects
difference makes a lot of things easy in Anime Studio that are split into layers. You can have many, many layers in
would be difficult or impossible to do with a pixel-based a Anime Studio project, each representing a different
image. element in a scene or animation, such as background
First of all, since an Anime Studio drawing is represented scenery, a character, or a title. Some layers can even
as a bunch of curves, you can reshape the curves at any contain other layers, so a more complex object, such as
time, without ever losing precision. Also, Anime Studio a character, might contain separate layers for each arm
projects are relatively small, even for complex animations and leg.
- this means Anime Studio doesn’t require much memory
even when working on a long movie. Vectors also have
benefits when it comes to animation. By moving just a few Layer Types
points, you can totally change the shape of an object
Anime Studio currently supports the following types of
over time.
layers:
You’re not restricted to vector artwork, though - Anime
Studio also has Image Layers. Using this type of layer, you • Vector Layers are used to hold vector-based artwork.
can work with regular images within an Anime Studio These are the main type of layer you will use to create
project. So, Anime Studio is not strictly vector-based, but drawings. See “Vector Layers” on page 106 for more
you will probably still use mostly vector layers, as image information.
layers are not as flexible when it comes to animation.

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You can use the Scripts > Draw > Simplify Bone Layers contain skeletons that are used to
Curve menu command to reduce the control the artwork in your vector and image layers.
number of points in a complex Vector layer. You manipulate skeletons as if they were “puppets”
by bending arms and legs to make a character
move. See “Bone Layers” on page 109 for more
Image Layers can be used to bring in images
information.
from other applications. Image files created in 3D
programs or photo editing applications can be used
in Anime Studio with Image Layers. See “Image Right-click a Bone layer in the Layers window
Layers” on page 107 for more information. to quickly convert it into a Switch layer.

• Group Layers (Anime Studio Pro only) are used to Switch Layers are just like Bone layers, except they
group together multiple layers. If you created 20 will only display one of their sub-layers at a time.
layers with trees for example, you could put them all Switch layers are an excellent way to perform lip-
in a Group Layer and call it a forest. Group layers are sync animation. Which sub-layer gets displayed is
a useful tool for organizing a complex project. See controlled by a switch data file. You can create this
“Group Layers” on page 108 for more information. data file by hand, or better yet, use a lip-syncing
program like Papagayo. See “Switch Layers” on
Right-click a Group Layer in the Layers page 111 for more information.
window to quickly convert the Group layer
into a Bone or Switch layer.
• Particle Layers (Anime Studio Pro only) are used as a
way to simulate water, sparks, smoke, crowds, or any
number of effects that can be made up of many small
objects. A Particle layer behaves somewhat like a
Group layer, but instead of displaying each of its sub-
layers, it can display many, many copies of each sub-
layer arranged in sort of a “spray” formation. The sub-
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layers appear to be moving outward from the origin of etc. created with Anime Studio’s vector layers. See
the Particle layer. For more information, see “Particle “3D Layers” on page 119 for more information.
Layers” on page 115

• Note Layers (Anime Studio Pro only) are like sticky Enhanced Layer Alignment
notes in Anime Studio. You might use a note layer
when you want to leave a note for yourself or another
Features
animator. For example, you might create a note layer The Layer Alignment features in Anime Studio assist in
at a particular frame that needs some work, or to alignment when using 2D to 3D conversions. New layers
describe why a character is set up in a particular way. align to face with the current camera view. This allows you
See “Note Layers” on page 118 for more information. to create more complex 3D objects in your Anime Studio
scenes.
• Audio Layers allow you to add a sound file to your
project. When adding an audio layer you will be To demonstrate, try this:
prompted to select an audio file.
1. Create a new Anime Studio scene.
• Patch Layers allow you to arrange layers so that part of
2. Use the Draw Shape tool to draw a box in the scene.
a layer can appear behind a layer, and another part
of the same layer can appear in front of a layer. They 3. Use the 2D to 3D conversion features to extrude the
are used in conjunction with the Character Wizard, but 2D box into a 3D box. To convert a 2D vector layer to
can also be used in other ways. 3D, double click on the layer in the Layers Window and
click on the 3D Options tab. Then select ‘Extrude’ from
• 3D Layers (Anime Studio Pro only) can be used to
the 3D Conversion drop down menu.
import 3D objects that were created in a 3D modeling
program. Use the File > Import > 3D command to 4. Use the Orbit Workspace tool to rotate the camera
create a 3D Layer. 3D models can be a good source so that you are looking at the 2D box from a different
of background scenery. Or, use a 3D model for a angle.
character’s head, and decorate it with eyes, mouth,

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5. Create a new layer, and add another extruded box on

that layer. The new box faces the current angle of the
Vector Layers
camera. Vector layers are the most common layer in Anime Studio
projects. Artwork that you create in Anime Studio is always
6. Rotate the camera so that you can see how the two
contained in a vector layer. Tools are available for drawing
boxes relate to each other.
and editing curves, setting up fills and outlines, and
connecting your drawings to bones.

Vector Layers

The tools available for working with vector layers essentially

New layer alignment features
make up a 2D drawing program. You can draw lines and
curves, re-shape existing curves, and manipulate objects in
various ways. There are a couple ways that Anime Studio
differs from other drawing programs. First, everything you
draw in Anime Studio is a set of points and curves. In many
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programs, when you draw a circle, you get a circle object,

or you may type some text to create a text object. In
Image Layers
Anime Studio, once you’ve created the circle or the text, Image layers are a way of importing artwork into Anime
there’s no difference between them whatsoever - they’re Studio that was created in other programs. Any program
both collections of curves. One happens to be in the that can produce image files can be used together with
shape of a circle, and the other in the shape of some text. Anime Studio this way. For example, a painting program,
There are advantages in treating all objects the same: photo editor, or 3D modeling program can produce
first, you never have to worry about what type of object images that can be used in an Anime Studio image layer.
you’re working with - the answer is always the same: a You can’t edit the pixels of one of these images in Anime
set of points and curves. The other advantage is that any Studio, but you can move, resize and rotate image layers,
operation you can perform on hand-drawn curves can be and attach them to skeletons for more complex animation.
performed on text, or a circle, or whatever.
When an image layer is first selected, the
The other feature of Anime Studio’s drawing mode that
default tool is set to the Transform Layer tool.
is different from many other drawing programs is the
concept of welding. In Anime Studio, two points can be
welded together into a single point. In fact, any number of
points can be welded together. When points are welded
together, moving one of them moves them all, along with
any curves that pass through that point. This is particularly
useful when you start to animate objects. For example, if
you want to move a character’s nose, then welding it to
the face might not be a bad idea. That way, however you
distort the nose or the face, they’ll always stay connected.

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movie file, Anime Studio will use the movie’s alpha channel
(if present) to composite the movie with other elements in
the scene.

Group Layers
Group layers are used to group together multiple sub-layers
so that they can be manipulated as one. They’re also very
useful for organizing complex projects. You can think of a
group layer as a folder that can contain files (layers) and
other folders (more group layers). When you move a group
layer, turn it invisible, or apply an effect (such as a layer
shadow), these are all applied to every layer contained
within the group.
Image Layers

The best image format to use with Anime Studio is PNG.

PNG files have high quality, good compression, and
support full alpha channels for transparency effects.
Although PNG is the preferred format for use with Anime
Studio, you can also use JPEG, BMP, Targa, or GIF images.
Image layers can also be used to bring external movies into
Anime Studio. Instead of selecting a still image, select a
movie file when creating a new image layer. Anime Studio
can import QuickTime (Windows and Mac OS) or AVI
(Windows only) movies as image layers. When importing a

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Group Layers
Bone Layers

Setting up bones is sort of a pre-animation phase. You

Bone Layers don’t draw shapes in Bone layers, you set up controls that
will help you animate later on. The purpose of setting up
Bone layers are similar to Group layers - they can both bones is exactly what you might think: creating a rigid
group together multiple sub-layers that can then be skeleton inside your drawing. Later on, during animation,
manipulated as a single object. However, bone layers when you want to move an object, bones make the job
have an additional feature: In a bone layer, you can easy. By moving a single bone in the arm of a character,
set up a skeleton that can be used to manipulate your for example, the whole arm will move with it. Around the
artwork. A skeleton is exactly what it sounds like - an elbow, the drawing of the arm will bend and stay smooth
internal structure that can move the outer, visible portion of (as long as the bones were set up well with the Bone
your artwork. editing tools).

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Bones by themselves don’t really do much of anything: you

can move them around, but they’re invisible in the final
Anime Studio output. To really make use of bones, they
need to be attached to objects in other layers. This process
is covered in “Bones” on page 107 in your Anime Studio
Tutorial Manual, and also “Chapter 5: Bone Tools” on page
75.
When you create a skeleton out of a group of bones, the
bones have a hierarchical relationship. Each bone has a
single parent (or maybe no parent at all, in which case it’s
called a root bone), and each bone may have multiple
children. The relationship between parent and children is
that when a parent bone is moved, all of its children move
with it. When a child bone is moved however, it’s parent
remains unchanged.
Below is a picture of a skeleton created in Anime Studio.
Red arrows have been added that point from each bone
to its parent (the spine has no parent and is referred to as A skeleton hierarchy
the root of the skeleton). Note that the currently selected
bone is highlighted in red, and its parent (if it has one) is When you use bones with a vector layer, you need to
highlighted in blue, as shown below. consider how the bones and curve control points will
interact. When a bone moves, it moves the points around
it as well. Each bone has a region of influence (which
you can adjust). Points move mostly with the bone whose
region of influence they fall within, although other bones
can still have an effect on them. Below is a picture of some
points and bones. Notice the region of influence around
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each bone. The second picture shows the same object

after the bones have been moved. Notice how the points
follow the bones according to regions of influence (and
how the curves pass smoothly through the points, wherever
they move to).

Moving bones moves the curve control points

Switch Layers
A bone and vector setup
Switch layers are used to group together multiple layers,
much like Group layers. However, switch layers have
an interesting twist: only one of their sub-layers can be
displayed at a time.

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• Anime Studio Debut uses the volume of the audio

track to determine which mouth shape to use. When
the audio is quiet, the mouth is more closed. When the
audio is louder, the mouth is more open.

• Anime Studio Pro uses a production sync library that

analyzes the audio track to determine the phonemes
(the basic components of speech) that are being
used. Results are improved when you enter the spoken
words into Anime Studio. After the production sync
analysis is done, Anime Studio Pro applies the matching
mouth shape.
The mouth shapes supported by the Anime Studio lip
Switch Layers syncing features follow standards developed by Preston
Blair, an animator from the early days of Disney.
One reason you might want to do this is for lip-sync
To set up a mouth that can lip sync, you will
animation. In this case, each of the sub-layers would
need to create a switch layer that contains at
correspond to a mouth shape for a particular sound.
least ten sub-layers with different mouth shapes.
Many of the characters in the Library provide switch layers Shapes should be created for the appearance of
for the visemes that Anime Studio supports. For example, the mouth when at rest, and when speaking each of
if you load Jace from the Version 6 character library and the 9 before-mentioned phonemes. The Preston Blair
expand the Mouth layer, you’ll see support for the following mouth shapes are discussed in more detail at http://
visemes and mouth positions: Rest, Etc, FV, L, MBP, O, E, AI, minyos.its.rmit.edu.au/aim/a_notes/mouth_
U, and WQ. shapes_01.html.
Anime Studio includes powerful automatic lip-syncing
which is a big time saver .

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For examples of how lip syncing is used, see 10 B

“Tutorial 5.1: Automatic Lip-Sync” on page 22 A
177 in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual and 37 C
“Tutorial 5.2: Phoneme Lip-Sync” on page 179 in 40 C
your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.
• The first line is a header that just tells Anime Studio that
the file is a switch data file.
If you prefer more control over lip-syncing than what the
automatic built-in lip-syncing offers, you can take full • The following lines contain two items each:
manual control over the process using a separate, and
free, tool called Papagayo (see http://www.lostmarble. • The first item is a keyframe.
com/papagayo/). In Papagayo, you type in the words
ƒƒ The second item is the name of one of the switch
that are being spoken. Papagayo then uses a phoneme
group’s sub-layers. (In this example, the switch
dictionary to break down the words into spoken phoneme
layer should have three sub-layers, named “A”,
components. These are lined up on a timeline, along with
“B”, and “C”.)
the audio waveform.
If you make changes to the switch data file outside
Initially, the lineup on the timeline in Papagayo is rough
of Anime Studio, and you want to incorporate those
and the phonemes are spaced evenly. You then shift
changes, you will need to re-load the data file. To do this,
words and phonemes along the timeline so that they line
double-click the Switch layer in the Layers window, and
up better with the actual sounds you hear. The final result is
in the dialog that opens up, go to the Switch tab, press
saved out as a “switch data file” that can be imported into
Source Data and re-select the data file.
Anime Studio.
You don’t have to use a data file to work with Switch layers
You can also create a switch data file by hand. To do this,
- you can also control them manually from within Anime
the data file should look like this:
Studio. To control which sub-layer is displayed at any frame
MohoSwitch1 in your animation, just right-click on the Switch layer in the
1 A Layers window. A pop-up menu will appear that lets you
2 A choose which sub-layer to display.
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Anime Studio includes several sample mouth sets for doing • You no longer need to select a switch layer’s
lip-sync with Papagayo - take a look at those files to see active child in the Layers palette. You can now
how a switch layer should be set up. Also, check out the lip- simply ALT+COMMAND/CTRL+Right-click on it in the
sync tutorials included in this manual. workspace.
Switch layers have a feature that allows for smooth
• When a layer is added to an empty switch group, it
switching. To use this feature, all the sub-layers need to be
becomes the active child at frame 0.
Vector layers, and they need to have the same number
of control points. Then, when switching, Anime Studio • When a new layer is created inside a switch group,
can smoothly transition between sub-layers. To enable Anime Studio will assign a unique name (which is
this feature, turn on Interpolate sub-layers in the Switch necessary for proper switch group functionality).
layer’s properties dialog. An example of using this feature is
included in one of the mouth sets mentioned above. • When a layer inside a switch group is renamed, the
switch animation channel is updated to use the new
Switch layers can be set up with skeletons, just like bone
name to preserve existing switch animation.
layers. More accurately, a switch layer is a bone layer, just
a specialized one. If you add bones to a switch layer, you • When a new layer is created inside a switch group at
can use them (for example) to change the shape of a a frame other than zero, that new layer is not marked
mouth as it speaks, bending it into a smile or a frown. invisible prior to that time. (The switch layer takes care
Don’t feel restricted to lip-sync animation with switch layers. of its visibility, so setting it separately is redundant and
They have a lot of potential uses (controlling eyes, syncing makes it difficult to re-time the frame-by-frame effect.)
to music & sound effects, switching between different
hand gestures, etc.). • When a new shape is drawn in a vector layer inside a
switch group at a frame other than zero, that shape will
Improvements to switch layers now include behaviors that not be set invisible prior to that time. (Same reasoning
will make them work better for frame-by-frame animation. as for new layers.)
These improvements include the following changes and
enhancements:

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If the children of a switch layer have layer

colors assigned to them (as described in
“Using Layer Colors” on page 174), the
corresponding keys in the timeline will have the
same color when those children are active. This
makes it easier to see at a quick glance what switch
layer is active at what time.

Switch layer keyframes are displayed in the

timeline. You can mouse over one of the
keyframes to see which layer is active at that point.

Particle Layers
Particle Layers
The direction that a particle layer sprays its particles is
Particle layers are a way to simulate such effects as flowing illustrated below.
water, fire, bubbles, or other effects that you can imagine
are made up of many small objects. A particle layer is like
a group layer in that it can contain sub-layers. However,
instead of just displaying its sub-layers as they are, a
particle layer will automatically animate its sub-layers so
that they appear to be flowing outward from the particle
layer’s origin.

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The complete list of settings for a particle layer is as follows.

These settings are accessible in the Layer Properties dialog,
under the Particles tab:

Particle spray direction

During an animation, a particle layer can be turned on or

off. When it is turned off, no more particles will be created,
but those that already exist will continue to the end of their
lifetime. To turn a particle layer on or off, right-click its entry
in the Layers window. A popup menu will appear to let you
turn the particle layer on or off. Particles Layer Settings

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• Particle Count: The total number of particles visible at • On at start: Whether the particle layer should be on at
any one time the start of the animation

• Preview particles: The number of particles displayed in • Full speed start: If the layer is on, this checkbox
the working view (a smaller number than Particle count indicates if it should be running at full speed, or just
keeps the working view from slowing down too much) starting

• Lifetime (frames): The number of frames before a • Orient particles: If checked, then the particles will
particle is recycled and sent back to the source. If set rotate to face the direction they’re moving in
to zero, the particles will keep going for the duration of
the animation. • Free-floating: If unchecked, then the particles will be
tied to the particle layer if it is moved
• Source width: The width of the spray source
• Evenly spaced: if checked, then the particles will be
• Source height: The height of the spray source released in even time increments

• Source depth: The depth of the spray source. If set to • Randomize playback: Normally, particles will start
a number greater than zero, then some particles will their animation from the beginning when they are
appear closer to the camera than others. first created. If this box is checked, then particles will
start playback at a random time. This is useful when
• Velocity: The speed that particles start at (a value of 2 simulating things like crowds of people when you use
will cause a particle to cross the entire screen vertically effects (see “Effects” on page 221 in your Anime
in one second) Studio Tutorial Manual).

• Velocity spread: The amount of random variation in • Use Base Layer as Source: Check this option if you
the particles’ velocity want to use the bottommost layer as a shape that
generates your particles. For more information on
• Damping: This acts kind of like air resistance, or
this feature, see “Tutorial 6.4.2: Custom Particle
backwards acceleration

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Generators” on page 235 in your Anime Studio Tutorial refer to specific parts of your animation (ex. “Use more
Manual. exaggeration here!”).

• Direction: An angle indicating direction to spray

particles in (see above figure)

• Spread: How wide the spray should be (see above

figure) (a value of 360 will cause particles to spray in all
directions)

• Acceleration: The direction of acceleration (straight

down simulates gravity)

• Rate: The rate of acceleration

• Copy all Particle settings to other selected layers: When

multiple layers are selected, check this option and
Note Layers
click the Apply button to copy all particle settings to all
other applicable selected layers.
By default, Note layers do not appear in final rendered
output, so your audience doesn’t need to see your
Note Layers comments to yourself. However, if for some reason you
do want a note to appear in the final product, you can
Anime Studio’s Note layers work kind of like sticky notes. do that by unchecking Don’t render this layer in the Layer
You can add a note layer to remind yourself of something Settings dialog.
you need to work on, or to explain to other animators some
important aspect of your project file. If you add a note
layer at a frame other than zero, the note will only appear
starting at that frame. That way, you can add notes that
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Audio Layers of the model. Anime Studio supports importing OBJ files
into 3D layers - OBJ is a common 3D file format that most
Audio layers allow you to add an audio file to your project. 3D programs can read and write.
You will be prompted to select a file after choosing this When importing OBJ files, Anime Studio will also load any
layer type. A graphic representation of the audio file associated material file, importing the objects’ colors and
appears in the timeline after the file is selected. texture maps.
3D layers can also be used with skeletons. Using a bone
layer, you can warp a 3D model by moving bones
around. Keep in mind that while 3D layers are truly three-
dimensional, bone layers are only 2D. So, any manipulation
you do with bones is going to be limited to some degree.
Because Anime Studio is not a true 3D program, not all
3D features are supported. In particular, lighting. Any 3D
model you import will be flat shaded. However, because
Anime Studio does support texture maps, you can simulate
lighting if a texture map has lighting effects baked into it.
There are lots of quality 3D programs we recommend for
use with Anime Studio Pro. The following are products that
Audio Layers
will work well with Anime Studio Pro:

• Poser
3D Layers • Amapi
3D layers are a way for you to import true 3D models into For further information on importing 3D objects within
Anime Studio. When a 3D layer is rotated in space (or the Anime Studio Pro please see the Anime Studio Tutorials
camera moves around it), you actually see that backside section at http://my.smithmicro.com/tutorials/.
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When preparing a 3D model for use with Patch layers are intended for use when you are
Anime Studio, it’s usually a good idea to constructing a character such as a humanoid figure. For
triangulate the model before exporting it as an OBJ example, let’s say you are drawing different body parts on
file. This will eliminate any problems with concave or different layers in a bone group. The head is on one layer,
complex faces. the torso on another, upper left and right arms on their own
layers, and so on. Each layer has its own outline and fill.
However, when one joint meets another joint, there are
Patch Layers outlines that overlap with other body parts. This is where
patch layers come in, because you can blend the two
Patch layers are used in the Character Wizard to create layers together and “hide” the line where they connect.
objects that appear both in front of and behind objects on
Look at the following example, which shows a number of
another layer. You can also create patch layers manually.
body parts that are placed inside a Bone layer named
Skeleton.

Patch Layers

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3. A dialog asks you to select a target, and you can

select the target layer from the Target drop-Down
menu. Choose the Torso layer and click OK.

4. You’ll see a new circle in the project window. The

circle is the patch. The patch will be named according
to the target layer that you selected in the Patch Layer
dialog. In the case of our example, the patch layer is
named Torso-Patch.

5. Use the Transform Layer tool to position and scale

the patch so that the lines are covered. It should be
positioned at the point where the shoulder will rotate.

Determine the areas that you want to blend with underlying

layers.

Let’s say you want to blend the area between the torso
and the right upper arm (Upper Arm R), which appears
directly above the torso in the Layers window. To do this,
you would follow these steps:
1. Select the Upper Arm R layer, so that the new Patch
layer will appear above it.

2. Create a new Patch layer in the Layers window.

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Double-click the Patch layer to change the target

if necessary.

The new Patch Layer in place.

6. Use the Manipulate Bones tool to test the positioning of

your patch.

If you need to change the target at any time,

you can double-click the Patch layer and
choose a new target from the Patch tab in the Layer
Settings dialog.

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Chapter 7: Layer Tools

The following tools are available to be used with any type
of layer. Their purpose is to modify an entire layer, not just
an individual object in that layer.
If a tool has the following symbol next to it: , then it can
Reset tool options.
be used for animation - using the tool at different frames
in the timeline will cause the object you adjust to change
over time.
Transformation
Anime Studio has a smart tool palette, which
shows and hides tools based on their need. Use this tool to translate, rotate, or scale the entire
The position of the tool shown in the screenshots layer. It doesn’t matter what objects are selected -
may differ, depending on the selected layer in the everything in the layer will move when you use this tool.
Layers palette, and the current time in the timeline.
When the contents of the layer are selected, a pair of
rectangles will surround the items in the layer.
Click the tool icon in the properties bar to
display a submenu. Choose Reset Tool to
reset the current tool to its default settings. Choose
Reset All Tools to reset all tools to their default
settings.

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When you move an object forward or

backward in Z, it appears to move toward
the center of the camera. What you are seeing is a
perspective effect. If you want to move an object
backward but keep the visual size the same, press
the SHIFT and ALT keys together while you transform
the layer. You will see the object move backward or
forward, but it will also be transformed along the X
and Y axes as well. This will make the layer appear as
though it is moving forward or backward from its
center.

Transformation rectangle When you release the mouse after

transforming the layer with the SHIFT+ALT keys,
it will appear as though the layer pops back to its
• To translate a layer: Click anywhere inside the inner
original size. If you rotate the camera you’ll see that
rectangle to move the layer to a new location.
the object has become larger. This helps you
• Hold the Shift key while translating to constrain the maintain the same composition from the view of the
movement to straight horizontal or vertical movement. camera, allowing you to compose your scene in 2D
but then add depth to it in Anime Studio. As you
ƒƒ Hold the Alt key while translating to move the layer move the object forward or backward the change
on the Z (depth) axis. in scale reflects the amount that the object is
moved. After you release the mouse, the object
changes scale to retain the original composition of
the scene.

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• To rotate a layer: Click in the area between the inner When you are working with a 3D camera, the
and outer rectangles, and drag up, down, left, or right original plane of the object might not be the
to rotate the layer around its origin point. best place to move the object. You can use the
Pan and Tilt camera tools to position the camera
• Hold the Shift key while rotating to snap the rotation to along the plane in which you want to move the
45 degree angles. object, and then use the Transform Layer tool to
move the object along the plane of the camera’s
• To scale a layer: Click one of the corner handles to
current view.
scale the layer uniformly. Drag a handle on the top,
bottom, right, or left edge of the rectangle to scale the
If the Show Path box in the tool options area is checked,
object horizontally or vertically.
then the motion path for the current layer will be displayed
• Press the Alt key while scaling to maintain the volume in the working area when this tool is active. This makes it
of the object while you scale ... in other words, if easier to visualize and plan out the motion of a layer.
you increase the height of an object, the width will Direct Path Editing: To edit the motion path directly, hold
decrease; or if you increase the width of an object, the down the Ctrl key (Windows) or Cmd key (Mac) , then
height will decrease. click and drag anywhere on the motion path to adjust the
curve that the layer will follow through space.
Nudging: When this tool is active, you can nudge a
layer by small increments by holding down the Ctrl key
(Windows) or Cmd key (Mac) and pressing the arrow keys.
Hold down Shift in addition to Ctrl/Cmd to nudge the layer
by a greater increment.
Transformation

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Tool Options (for Translating) • Scale Y: Allows you to enter a numeric value for scaling
along the Y axis.

• Scale Z: Allows you to enter a numeric value for scaling

along the Z axis.

Transformation Options for Translating

Tool Options (for Rotating)
• Position X: Allows you to numerically enter a value for
the X coordinate.

• Position Y: Allows you to numerically enter a value for

the Y coordinate. Transformation Options for Rotating

• Position Z: Allows you to numerically enter a value for

the Z coordinate. • Angle: Allows you to enter a numerical value for
rotation along the Z axis.

Tool Options (for Scaling)

Tool Options (Other)

Transformation Options for Scaling

Other Transformation Options
• Scale X: Allows you to enter a numeric value for scaling
along the X axis.
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• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its

default value. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0.

• Show Path: Check this option to display the motion

path on the layer. Uncheck the option to turn the
motion path display off.
Set Origin
• Flip Layer Horizontally: Click this button to flip
horizontally.
Although you can change the origin at any time,
the position of a layer’s origin is not animated. We
• Flip Layer Vertically: Click this button to flip vertically.
recommend setting the layer’s origin just once, and then
leaving it alone for the rest of the animation - otherwise
Set Origin unpredictable movement can occur. In most cases, you
will never need to change the origin of a layer at all.
With the Set Origin tool selected, click anywhere in
the layer to set the origin to that point. The origin of
a layer is indicated by the crosshair displayed when editing
Tool Options
that layer. The origin is the point that the layer rotates
around when using the Rotate Layer tool, and the point
that the layer resizes around when using the Transform
Layer tool. The location of the origin can also define how a
layer will move when it is attached to a group of bones. Set Origin Options

• Origin X: Allows you to view or enter a numerical value

for the X origin

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• Origin Y: Allows you to view or enter a numerical value

for the Y origin

• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its

default value. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0.

• Flip Layer Horizontally: Click this button to flip Follow Path

horizontally.

• Flip Layer Vertically: Click this button to flip vertically. If a layer follows a path, an extra squiggly line
will appear on top of their icon in the Layers
palette.
Follow Path
This tool allows you to assign any layer to follow a path in
your scene. You will need two layers, one with the path,
and the other with the object that will follow the path.

Previously, there was no indication that a

layer was set to follow a path. This could
make it very confusing when opening a file you
weren’t familiar with (or hadn’t used in a while).
Certain layers might move in unexpected ways.
Now, layers that follow a path get a little extra
squiggly line (indicating path following) on top of
their icon in the Layers palette.

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You can click and drag left or right with the Follow Path
tool to position the object along the curve at any point.
You can then move to a later frame in your animation and
set the object to a new position. This allows you to animate
the object travelling along the path.

Two layers, one with a path, and another with a character or

object

To use the tool, select the layer that contains object

that you want to follow the path. Then select the Follow
Path tool from the Layer section of the toolbox. The path
appears in the scene after you select the Follow Path tool.
Click the path in the scene to reposition the object to the The fish before and after it is placed on the path with the
beginning of the curve. Follow Path tool

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You can set the object to rotate so that it follows the path. You can also combine path following with
Double-click the object’s layer in the Layers window, which the Stroke Exposure tool, and expose the
opens to the General tab. Check the Rotate to follow path stroke of the curve while the object moves along the
option in the Options section of the Layer Settings dialog path.
and click OK. This causes the object to automatically orient
itself to follow the path to which it is assigned.
If you hold down the Alt key while clicking on
a curve, the object will now bend along the
curve. This allows for text bending, characters that
warp along a path (like a snake), and so on. You
can animate this effect. For example if you go to
another point in the timeline, you can Alt-click
somewhere else on the curve.

Check the Rotate to Follow Path option in the Layer Settings

dialog to orient the object to the path

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• Percentage: Allows you to enter a numerical value for

the position of the object on the path. A value of 0
places the object at the beginning of the path, while a
value of 100 places the object at the end.

Rotate Layer XY
Click and drag up and down to rotate the layer around
the X (horizontal) axis. This is a true 3D rotation, so that one
half of the layer rotates into the screen and the other half
out of the screen.
Click and drag side-to-side to rotate the layer around
Press the Alt key while using the Follow Path tool to bend the
the Y (vertical) axis. This is a true 3D rotation, so that one
object along the path
half of the layer rotates into the screen and the other half
out of the screen. You can verify this by using the Orbit
Workspace tool to change your view of the scene.

Tool Options

Follow Path Options Rotate Layer XY

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Tool Options

Rotate Layer XY Options

Shear Layer

• X Rotation: Allows you to enter a numerical value for

rotation along the X axis.
Tool Options
• Y Rotation: Allows you to enter a numerical value for
rotation along the Y axis.

• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its

default value. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0. Shear Layer Options

Shear Layer • Shear X: Allows you to view or enter a numerical value

for shear along the X axis.
Use this tool to shear the current layer horizontally or
• Shear Y: Allows you to view or enter a numerical value
vertically. Click and drag to shear, or slant the
for shear along the Y axis.
current layer to the left, right, up, or down.
• Shear Z: Allows you to view or enter a numerical value
for shear along the Z axis.

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• Reset: If pressed at Frame 0, resets a layer back to its

default value. If pressed at any other frame, resets the
layer to the value or values set at frame 0.

Layer Selector
The Layer Selector helps you quickly find and edit the Layer Selector
vector, image, and 3D content in your layers. It is very
helpful, especially when you have dozens or hundreds of
layers in your project and can’t remember which layer a
specific shape appears on.
Inserting Text and Word Balloons
Anime Studio allows you to enter text in your projects. While
This tool can be also be used by Alt+Right-
doing so, you have the option to automatically create a
clicking on the object that you want to
word balloon that encloses the text.
select.
The following example explains how you can add text and
You can Alt+Right click any layer type that has visible a word balloon inside a project:
contents. If you click a shape that appears in a Bone 1. Choose one of the following to open the Insert Text
group, for example, it will select the vector layer that dialog:
appears within that Bone group.
There are no options for this tool. Simply click on the object ƒƒ Click the Insert Text Tool, located in the Layer Tools
you want to select, and its layer is automatically selected section.
for editing. If there are multiple objects in the layer, the
object that you click on is the selected object.

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Insert Text

ƒƒ Choose Draw > Insert Text

ƒƒ Use the keyboard shortcut COMMAND/CTRL+T. The

Insert Text dialog appears.

Insert Text Options

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2. The Select Font list displays all of the fonts on your

system. Select the font that you want to use from the
list.

Enter your text in the text field.

4. Use the remaining settings to set additional text

properties as follows:

Select Font list

3. Enter the text in the Text field. The project window will
update as you type.

Word balloons will automatically resize to

accommodate the text. If you want to break
the text into multiple lines, you will need to press the
Enter key where you want a line break to occur.
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ƒƒ Stroke: Check this option if you want your text to

have an outline. Click the Color swatch to select
the outline color.

ƒƒ Width: Enter the desired pixel width for the outline

stroke in the Width field.

ƒƒ Justification: Click the justification type that you

want to apply to the text. Choices are Left, Center
(the default), or Right.

ƒƒ Create One Shape: With this option checked, your

text object will be added to the currently selected
layer. This text will be added as a vector object
and will not be editable.

If you leave the Create Text Layer option

unchecked, your text object can be
manipulated just like anything else. This includes
Select fill, stroke, and other font options. using any of the drawing tools to distort its shape, or
to add new points in the middle of a character. This
also means that in order to move or rotate a text
ƒƒ Style 1 or Style 2: Select a saved style to assign to
object, you need to select all the points in the
the text.
object. This is easy to do using the Select Points tool
ƒƒ Fill: Check this option if you want your text to be - just click on the filled in area of the text to select all
filled with a solid color. Uncheck the option if of it.
you want your text to only use an outline stroke
(described next). For filled text, click the color
swatch to select the fill color.

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If your text is added as a vector object, you ƒƒ Create Text Layer: With this option checked. a
can use the Freehand tool and Delete Edge new text layer will be created, and you can easily
tool to create uniquely colored text. First, create edit the text afterward. To do so, open the Layer
your text as normal, making sure that there is a Settings dialog and click the Text tab to make your
stroke on the text. Then use the Freehand tool (with changes.
its Auto Weld option on) to slice the text or letter up
ƒƒ Scale: Use the Scale slider to increase or decrease
into shapes that you can color differently. Finally, use
the text size, or enter a scale value in the Scale
the Delete Edge tool to remove the lines that hang
field.
out from the edges of the text. See “Freehand” on
page 38 and “Delete Edge” on page 43 for ƒƒ Leading: Use the Leading slider to adjust the
more information on how to use those tools. spacing that appears between multiple lines of
text. Move toward the left to decrease space,
and toward the right to increase space. Negative
values are also valid.

ƒƒ Kerning: Use the Kerning slider to adjust the

amount of space between letters. Move toward
the left to decrease space, and toward the right to
increase space. Negative values are also valid.
5. If you want to use a word balloon to enclose your text,
select one of the word balloons from the Select word
balloon type list. Otherwise, choose <none> if you do
not want to use a word balloon.

Create colorful text using the Freehand and Delete Edge tools 6. Additional word balloon options (custom for each
with the Insert Text tool. word balloon type) appear beneath the selection.
These options allow you to change the appearance
of the word balloon. For example, you might find
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options that affect the appearance and placement 7. Use the following settings to determine the color and
of the balloon tail, or whether the outer edges of the size of the word balloon:
balloon are smooth or cloud-like. Each of these balloon
morphs are set to zero, initially. You can move the dials
in any combination to change the appearance of the
balloon. The preview window updates as you make
your changes. The text will appear in your document,
pre-filled with the current fill color and style, and it can
be resized and positioned just like any other object.

Choose a word balloon type, if desired, and use the balloon

morphs to customize its appearance.

ƒƒ Custom Fill: Check this option if you want to select

a fill color for the word balloon. Click the color
swatch to choose the desired fill color.

Choose a word balloon type, if desired, and use the balloon ƒƒ Custom Stroke: Check this option if you want to
morphs to customize its appearance. select a stroke (outline) color for the balloon. Click

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the color swatch to choose the desired stroke

color.

ƒƒ Stroke Width: Enter the width of the stroke used for

the word balloon in pixels.

ƒƒ Size Relative to Text: Use this slider to increase

or decrease the amount of white space that
appears between the text and the outer edges
of the balloon. Move the slider toward the left to
decrease the amount of space, and toward the
right to increase the amount of space.

ƒƒ Flip Vertical: Check this option to flip the object

vertically. For example, if the tail is on the bottom
of the balloon by default, it will place the tail on
the top.
Text added as a text layer.
ƒƒ Flip Horizontal: Check this option to flip the object
horizontally. For example, if the tail is on the left
side of the balloon by default, it will flip the balloon
so that the tail is on the right side. Creating Word Balloons
ƒƒ Constrain Proportions: Check this option if you
You can use Anime Studio Pro to create word balloons for
want to keep an equal amount of white space
your own use. Briefly, the following conditions should be
around the width and height of the balloon. When
met when creating word balloons:
unchecked, the height of the balloon will be closer
to the text, and the width of the balloon will have • The Anime Studio files must contain a rectangular point
more white space. group named Text Region. If this point group is missing,
8. Press OK to add the text to your project. the balloon will be considered invalid.
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• If you want to add morph targets to your word balloon, gradient shape will be copied to the clipboard in a
you will need to use the Window > Actions command Web color format. You will then be able to paste that
to open the Actions window. Use the New Action property into the Color Picker to assign that color to a
button in the Actions toolbar to design single-frame fill, stroke, or project background color.
animations that you can use for your morph targets.
For further information on this process, see “Creating
Morphs” on page 315.

• Default word balloons for Anime Studio appear in

the Resources > Support > Word Balloons installation
folder. It is not recommended to put your custom word
balloons in this same folder. Instead, create a content Eyedropper Tool
folder as recommended in “Creating a Content
Folder” on page 10, and place your custom word
balloons in its Word Balloons subfolder.

Eyedropper
To use the Eyedropper, click on a shape to copy its
parameters.
Hold the ALT key to push the current color.

• Press the COMMAND/CTRL key down while you click

to pick up the properties of the underlying object. This
is not limited to vector layers. For example, if you have
a Bone Layer active in the Layers palette but click over
a gradient shape on the stage, the properties of the
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Chapter 8: Special
Tools
Anime Studio includes a number of special tools that are
available in specific circumstances. These tools appear in
the Special section of the tool palette when the conditions Reset tool options.
are met. The sections that follow describe how these
special tools are uses.

Anime Studio has a smart tool palette, which

Poser
shows and hides tools based on their need.
Poser 7 or later must be installed on your system in
The position of the tool shown in the screenshots
order for this feature to work. In addition, the scene
may differ, depending on the selected layer in the
that you import into Anime Studio must contain objects
Layers palette, and the current time in the timeline.
that are contained within your Poser library folders. Refer to
your Poser documentation on how to use, add, and
Click the tool icon in the properties bar to maintain content in your Poser library folders.
display a submenu. Choose Reset Tool to
reset the current tool to its default settings. Choose
Reset All Tools to reset all tools to their default
settings.

Poser

After you create your scene in Poser, save it to a folder

on your hard disk. The file will be saved with a .PZ3 or .PZZ

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extension, depending on whether you use compressed files After the Poser scene has been imported, the Poser tool
or not. In Anime Studio, choose the File > Import > Poser is enabled in the Special section of the tool box. You can
Scene command, and select the scene that you saved click one of the body parts to rotate it with the Poser tool,
from Poser. or you can use the Poser Parameters dialog (Window >
Poser Parameters) to rotate or scale the selected body part
Poser scenes that use dynamic hair are very through the use of sliders.
resource intensive. If your Poser scene uses
dynamic hair or other resource-intensive features, be
careful not to use extreme settings.

Rotate or scale Poser actors with dials in the Poser Parameters

dialog

A Poser figure, imported into an Anime Studio scene

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To select the character’s root actor (usually Tool Options

the BODY), hold down the ALT key while
clicking the figure with the Poser tool.

The parameters for each body part can be animated. For

example, you can pose the figure on one frame in your
Switch Layer Options
timeline, and then move to a frame that appears later in
the timeline and reposition the body part. Anime Studio will
then animate the in-between frames by interpolating the • Active Child: Use this menu to select the active layer
motion between the keyframes that you set. for the switch function

Switch Layer Particle Layer

This is a specialized tool for use with Switch layers This is a specialized tool for use with Particle layers
only. This tool has no effect if you click and drag in only. This tool has no effect if you click and drag in
the workspace. What it does is supply a popup menu in the workspace. What it does is supply a checkbox in the
the tool options area that lists all the sub-layers of a switch tool options area that lets you control whether the particle
group. You can change the active layer by selecting it layer is turned on or not (emitting particles or not).
from the menu.

Particle Layer
Switch Layer

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Options that appear in the Particle Options dialog are

discussed in detail in “Particle Layers” on page 115.
Crop
The Crop tool allows you to crop an image layer to a
specified area. After you add the image, select the Crop
tool and draw a rectangle around the area that you
want to keep. As you draw the rectangle, Anime Studio
Particle Layer Options highlights the area that you want to keep. When you
release the mouse, the image layer will be cropped to the
rectangle that you drew.

Crop tool

Tool Options

Crop tool

• Reset Crop: Click the Reset Crop button to restore the

Particle Options image to its original apperance.

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• Center Image: Click the Center Image button to • Clear Mask: Click the Clear Mask button to remove
center the cropped image around the point that the all areas from the mask and restore the image to its
entire image was originally centered. unmasked state.

Image Masking
Many Anime Studio users do not use Photoshop or other
similar programs, making it difficult to create images with
transparent backgrounds. The Image Masking tool assists
with this task. This tool helps you clear out and remove
background areas from images that you import into Anime
Studio.

Image Masking tool

Import an image into your Anime Studio scene

Tool Options
After you import an image, select the Image Masking tool
from the Layers section of the tool box. Click on an area
that you want to remove from the background. Click and
drag left or right to control the sensitivity of the tool. Drag
toward the left to decrease the sensitivity, and toward the
Image Masking tool

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right to increase it. Release the mouse button when you following sections describe the process of how the video
have masked out the desired area. tracking feature works

Adding Tracking Points

Assume that you have imported a video, and you want to
eventually add an object that will follow the position and
rotation of a person’s thumb and wrist. The first step of the
process is to add tracking points that identify the two points
you want to follow. The Primary tracking point controls
the position of the object’s origin. The Secondary tracking
point controls the angle or scale of the object. To add the
tracking points, select the Video Tracking tool from the
Layer panel.

Click with the Image Masking tool to mask out areas of the
image that you want to hide Video Tracking tool

Click on the first point you want to track. You can click, and
Video Tracking then drag to position the point exactly where you want to
place it. It is optional, but recommended, that you name
To use the video tracking feature, you need to have a the tracked point in the Tracker Name field of the status
movie file in your project. Either import a movie into an bar. For example, since we are tracking a thumb here, we
existing project or open a movie file from scratch. The name the tracking point Thumb.
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The first tracking point is added to the thumb The second tracking point is added to the wrist

Now we add the second tracking point for the wrist, and After you place your tracking points, make sure the Video
name it (appropriately) Wrist. Tracking Tool is still selected. Play the video back and
watch the tracking points follow the points you selected.
Playback runs a little slower during video tracking.
As you play the video back, you’ll notice keyframes
being added to the timeline. While the video is playing,
watch for any problem spots in the way that the tracking

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points follow the items you want to track. When you see a
problem, don’t worry ... there are ways to fix them!

After the tracking points are added, keyframes are generated

in the timeline

Fine-tuning Marker Positions

Markers after they are adjusted (SWF file)
You might notice some places where the tracking points
seem to drift away from the marker, or stop following it
entirely. If this happens, stop the video playback. Go back
Re-syncing Tracking Points
to the beginning of the movie. Zoom in more closely to the
video and use the Video Tracking tool to reposition the You may also find instances where the tracking points go
markers that need to be adjusted. out of sync with the tracked object. The most likely cause
Choose View > Reset to reset the zoom level of the video for this is when the tracked area touches or passes over
back to the default. Play the video again and watch for another area in the video that is very close in color. For
any other problems. Keep making adjustments until you example, when the tip of the thumb goes in front of the
are happy with the results. The following movie shows our paper on the wall, there are similar colors in the paper that
markers after they have been adjusted. cause the tracking point to go out of sync with the thumb.
Fortunately, there is a way to fix that. The next movie shows
one of those problem areas.

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The tracking point loses focus after reaching the paper on the
wall (SWF file)

To fix this type of problem, you scrub through the timeline

Find the point where the point loses focus
until you find the point where it loses track. In the next
figure you see the spot where the thumb appears to blend
After you find the problem frame, advance ahead a
in with the paper. This is the area that causes the tracking
couple of frames until you reach a point where there is
point to lose sync with the thumb.
more contrast. Then drag the tracking point to position it
where it should be. When you press Play, the tracking point
will continue tracking from there.

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points. First, move back to find the last good point before
the thumb crosses the face. Delete the keyframes from that
point until the thumb passes across the face and reaches
the other side.

You can use the Animation > Clear Animation

> From Layer After Current Frame or
Animation > Clear Animation > From Document After
Current Frame commands to delete keyframes from
the current frame to the end of the project.

Advance the video to a clear spot and adjust the tracking

point

Sometimes color similarities occur for a period that is longer

than a couple of frames. For example, in our video there is
a segment where the thumb passes across the face. This is
a much larger area where there is very little color contrast
between the tracked object and the area it passes over.
The solution here is slightly different. You can use
interpolation to calculate the path between two good

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... and we delete the keyframes that occur until the thumb
reaches the other side of the face

Jump ahead in the video to a point after the thumb passes

over the face and reposition the tracking point. When
you play the video back, Anime Studio will interpolate the
motion between the keyframes that are missing.

Here we move to the point just before the thumb passes over
the face ..

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Adjusting Tracking Point Sensitivity

When you add tracking points, you can change the sizes of
the inner and outer rings to adjust the falloff. Click and drag
on the edge of the rings to change the size. The inner ring
defines the region that you are trying to track. For example,
if you are trying to track an eye, adjust the inner ring so that
it surrounds the eye.
The outer ring represents how fast the object can move.
From one frame to the next, the outer ring represents the
maximum distance that you want the object to move. If
you have a fast-moving object you may need to increase
the size of the outer circle for tracking. Expanding the
search area too much can lead to further errors, so you
want to keep it as narrow as possible. The default settings
are generally sufficient for most cases.

On the other side of the face, we reposition the tracking point

to a good spot

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an exclamation point to a new layer. Now we want the

exclamation point to follow the hand in the video.
To assign the layer that will track the points, choose
Animation > Track Layer to Video. The Motion Tracking
dialog lists the videos in your scene (in this case, there is
only one).

Two rings control the sensitivity of the tracking point

Assigning the Tracked Layer

Select the movie to track, then choose the primary and
After you set the two points on the object you want to secondary tracking points
track, you can then assign the layer that will track those
points. In our example, we returned to Frame 0 and added First we’ll assign the Primary Tracking Point, which is
associated with the origin point of the tracked layer. We

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want the origin of the exclamation point to track the Wrist secondary tracking point. Then we check the option to
point. So, we select Wrist here and choose OK. When control Angle.
we play the result, the origin of the exclamation point
(represented by the crosshairs) tracks the wrist.

The secondary tracking point can control the angle or scale of

the tracked layer. We want the thumb to control the angle of
the exclamation point
The crosshairs of the exclamation point, representing the origin,
now follow the primary tracking point The following movie shows the results of our selections. Now
when you play the movie, the origin of the exclamation
The secondary tracking point is optional. You can use it point follows the wrist, and the angle of the exclamation
to control either the angle or scale of the tracked layer. point is follows the angle line from the wrist (primary
In our case, we want the thumb to control the direction tracking point) to the thumb (secondary tracking point).
of the exclamation point, so we select the thumb as the
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The exclamation point now follows the wrist, and points in the
same direction as the thumb (SWF file)

You can offset the object from its origin with the Transform
Offsetting the Origin Points tool

You can use the Transform Points tool in the Draw panel to
move the tracked object away from the origin. The origin Once you have applied video tracking points to another
still tracks to the two tracking points, but the object that layer, the two layers are totally independent. The tracking
you are tracking can be offset. feature creates standard keyframes. You can edit, add
or remove keyframes to the tracked object. You can also
hide or delete the video layer that was used to initially
create the tracking points and keyframes. The layer that
was tracked to the video will still continue to follow the

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motion. This allows you to use a video file as a reference

whether or not you want to see the video in your final
project.

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Chapter 9: Camera
and Workspace Tools

Camera Tools Reset tool options.

The following tools let you move a virtual camera around in

a scene. Although layers in Anime Studio are primarily 2D,
Anime Studio’s camera can be moved around in true 3D Track Camera
space. The camera tools affect all layers in the document,
not just the currently active layer. This tool moves the camera up and down, and
side-to-side. By giving the project’s layers different
If a tool has the following symbol next to it: , then it can depth values, you can create parallax (depth) effects.
be used for animation - using the tool at different frames Holding the Shift key while using the Track Camera tool will
in the timeline will cause the object you adjust to change constrain the camera to only move vertically or
over time. horizontally. Holding the Alt key will move the camera
forward and back.
Click the tool icon in the properties bar to
display a submenu. Choose Reset Tool to If the Show Path box in the tool options area is checked,
reset the current tool to its default settings. Choose then the motion path for the camera will be displayed
Reset All Tools to reset all tools to their default in the working area when this tool is active. This makes it
settings. easier to visualize and plan out the motion of the camera.
(The camera’s motion path is only visible when the Orbit
Workspace tool has been used to view the scene from
outside the camera.)

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Track Camera Tool Roll Camera Tool

Zoom Camera Pan/Tilt Camera

This tool zooms the camera in and out on the scene, This tool changes the viewing angle of the camera.
just like the zoom control on a real camera. Drag the tool up and down to change the tilt angle
Technically, the Zoom Camera tool is changing the field of of the camera, and drag side to side to change the pan
view angle (or focal length) of the virtual camera. angle. Hold the Shift key while using this tool to constrain
the camera to only one direction of rotation.
This tool is most useful when you’ve set up a scene in 3D
(different layers at different depths), and have placed the
camera so that it is sitting somewhere among the layers,
not viewing them from a distance.
Zoom Camera Tool
In order to be consistent with multi-touch
features, the Pan/Tilt Camera tool has had its
mouse direction reversed.
Roll Camera
This tool rolls the camera side to side. Try tilting your
head side to side, and you’ll understand this tool
immediately.
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quick way to pan, regardless of what tool is selected in the

toolbar.

Pan/Tilt Camera Tool

Pan Workspace Tool

Workspace Tools
Change your view of the workspace Zoom Workspace
The last group of tools in the toolbar is always available, The Zoom Workspace tool is similar to the Pan Workspace
regardless of the current layer type or the current selected tool: it moves your view of the project, without modifying
object. These are the Workspace tools, and are used to the objects themselves. With this tool, dragging the mouse
control your view of the project, but don’t actually modify left or right zooms your view of the project in and out.
the project itself.
A shortcut for the zoom tool is to click and drag left or
right in the working area using the right mouse button
Pan Workspace while holding down the shift key - it’s a quick way to zoom,
regardless of what tool is selected in the toolbar.
When the Pan Workspace tool is selected, you can click
and drag in the working area to move the project side
to side and up and down. Note that this isn’t the same as
moving the objects in your project - only your view of them
is changing, not where they appear in the final image. A
shortcut for the Pan Workspace tool is to click and drag Zoom Workspace Tool
in the working area using the right mouse button - it’s a
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Rotate Workspace Orbit Workspace

The Rotate Workspace tool is used to temporarily rotate The Orbit Workspace tool allows you to view your scene
the workspace. Think of drawing on paper - sometimes you from outside the camera. It’s like holding the scene in your
might rotate the physical paper to draw from a different handing and turning it around to look at it from different
angle. The Rotate Workspace tool works in a similar way angles. This tool is mainly useful when you’re working on
- sometimes (especially with the Freehand drawing tool) a scene with 3D elements (layers with different depths,
it may be helpful to orient the workspace in a different complex camera moves, etc.). Hold the Alt key while using
direction. A shortcut for the Rotate Workspace tool is to this tool to move your view forward and back.
click and drag in the working area using the right mouse
button or the touchwheel on a Wacom tablet, while
holding down the control key - it’s a quick way to rotate,
regardless of what tool is selected in the toolbar.
To get back to the normal view of the scene, you can
Orbit Workspace Tool
select Reset from the View menu, click the Reset View
button in the tool options area of the Anime Studio
window, or press the Home key to reset the view. After using this tool to change your view of the scene, a
blue wedge will be visible in the scene, representing the
location of the camera. To get back to the normal view of
the scene, you can select Reset from the View menu, click
the Reset View button in the tool options area of the Anime
Studio window, or press the Home key to reset the view.
Rotate Workspace Tool

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Anime Studio
Windows

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Chapter 10: Anime

Studio’s Main Window

Overview
The Anime Studio interface has various windows that are
used for controlling different aspects of a Anime Studio
project. In this chapter we’ll briefly describe some general
components of the Anime Studio project window.
The more complex parts of the Anime Studio interface, Anime Studio Pro interface
such as the Layers window, have their own chapters that
follow this one. Although this chapter will describe how the
main window works, it won’t go into detail about creating
a drawing or animation. Working Area
Most of the Anime Studio project window is taken up by the
working area. This is the region where you will create and
view your drawings and animations. In every project, even
an empty one, two items will be displayed in this area. The
first is a cross marking the center of the currently active
layer. The second is a blue rectangle that indicates the
visible region of the project. Only objects that are within this
rectangle will appear in your final animation.

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the Escape or Home keys, or choose Reset from the View

menu (see “Chapter 24: View Menu” on page 404).
The background of the working area is usually just a blank
color, but if you drag an image file into the working area, it
will appear in the visibility rectangle. This is a helpful feature
meant to allow you to trace the image with the drawing
tools.
The real work that happens in the working area is not
covered here, but is described in the sections “Anime
Studio Tools” on page 25, and“Anime Studio Windows”
on page 161.

Working Area
Toolbar
Although every project has a fixed image size (for example The toolbar to the left of the main Anime Studio window
640x480 pixels), the working area is basically an endless is where you select which tool you want to work with. The
flat space on which you can draw and animate. The available tools will change depending on whether you’re
blue visibility rectangle mentioned above indicates the currently animating, which objects are selected, and what
actual image area for the project. While working, you type of layer is currently active. The purpose and use of
may want to zoom in or out to see more or less detail in each tool is described in the following chapters:
your project. A quick way to do this is by using your right
mouse button. By dragging the right mouse button in the • Draw Tools: See “Chapter 3: The Draw Tools” on page
working area, you can move around from side to side. If 26
you hold down the shift key while right-clicking and then
drag left or right, you can zoom in and out. If you want to • Fill Tools: See “Chapter 4: Fill Tools” on page 54
restore a reasonable overall view in the working area, press
• Bone Tools: See “Chapter 5: Bone Tools” on page 75
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• Layer Tools: See “Chapter 7: Layer Tools” on page

123

• Camera Tools: See “Chapter 9: Camera and

Workspace Tools” on page 157

• Workspace Tools: See “Chapter 9: Camera and

Workspace Tools” on page 157

Anime Studio Pro Tools (some tools not shown)

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Status Bar
The status bar along the top of the Anime Studio window
displays a short description of the currently active tool in
the toolbar. If you don’t know what a tool does, the best
thing is to read this manual. However, if you just need a
quick reminder, the status bar can be helpful.

Status Bar
Playback controls

Playback Buttons Display Quality

Near the bottom-left of the main Anime Studio window
Near the bottom-right of the main Anime Studio window
are a set of playback buttons that allow you to play/stop/
is a popup box that lets you customize the level of display
rewind/etc. your animation.
quality in the editing area. The Display Quality popup lets
you control the following options.

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• Shape Effects: Displays shape effects

• Images: Display images in image layers.

• Smooth images: Display images with higher quality

alpha blending.

• Masking: Display masking effects.

• Transparency: Display shape transparency.

• Brushes: Display brush effects applied to shape outlines.

• Labels: Displays bone labels on the workspace so you

can easily identify what the bones control.

• Fade unselected layers: Fades the content of

unselected layers so that you can more easily see
and work on the content in layers that are currently
Display Quality options
selected.

Note that this only applies to the editing view - when • Antialiasing: Draw shapes with smooth edges.
rendering your final project, everything will be drawn in full
quality, regardless of the following settings. • GPU Acceleration: Check this option to enable GPU
acceleration; uncheck to disable it. GPU Acceleration
• Paths: Display points and curves for vector layers. improves the display of image and vector layers. An
OpenGL-compatible graphics card is required.
• Fills: Display the fill colors of vector shapes.

• Strokes: Display the outlines of vector shapes.

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layers except one, you would leave Fills turned on in the

Display Quality popup, but turn it off in the Current Layer
popup for the layer in question.

Docking and Undocking Windows

You can dock and undock the windows that appear
at the sides and bottom of the Anime Studio interface
to maximize the area that the document window uses.
The windows that you can dock and undock appear in
the upper portion of the Windows menu as shown in the
following figure:

GPU Acceleration on (top) and off (bottom)

A little way to the left of the Display Quality popup is

another popup box labeled Current Layer. This popup Window commands
contains similar options to those found in Display Quality.
The options in Current Layer apply only to the current layer,
Windows that are normally docked (the Tools, Layers,
while Display Quality’s options apply to the entire project.
Timeline and Style windows) will become undocked if you
So, for example, if you wanted to display fill shapes for all
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choose the Window menu command associated with

that window. Choose the command again to redock the
windows in their default space.
Windows that are normally hidden (Actions, Library, Audio
Recording, and Poser Parameters) will open undocked
when choosing the command. Choose the respective
command again to close the window.

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Chapter 11: Layers

Window
An Anime Studio document is composed of layers, each
of which can be independently edited and animated.
Layers can be thought of as transparent sheets of plastic.
You can draw separately on each of these sheets, and the
final picture is the composition of all the sheets stacked on
top of one another.
Layers can be added, removed, copied, and re-ordered.
The Layers window is where all these operations take place
in Anime Studio, and is the topic of this section.

Overview The Layers window

The Layers window has two sections of interest. As seen

below, these consist of the toolbar and the layer list.
The Layer List
Most of the Layers window is taken up with the layer list. This
is a vertical scrolling list of all the layers in the document.
The layers are stacked in order from bottom to top. That is,
when the project is displayed, the lowest layer in the list is
drawn first, followed by the second from the bottom, and

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so on up to the top. When two layers contain objects that Layer Visibility
overlap, this ordering determines which object is in front
and which is behind. At the left side of a layer’s entry in the list is a visibility
control, which controls whether a layer is visible or not. If
A layer’s entry provides you with three pieces of
a pair of eyes is visible in this box, any objects drawn in
information: what type of layer it is, its name, and whether
the layer will appear in the main Anime Studio window, as
the layer is visible. Each layer is represented in the list with
well as in any rendering of the project. If you click this box,
an entry that looks something like this:
the layer will turn invisible and will not appear in the main
Anime Studio window. This can be a convenient way to
remove clutter in the main window when you don’t need
to see all the layers at once. Also, only visible layers will
appear when you render a view of the project or export an
animation - you can generate test movies much quicker if
you turn some layers invisible that don’t involve what you’re
currently working on.

The visibility box of the currently active layer

behaves differently. The currently active layer
is always visible (how could you edit it if it wasn’t?),
and clicking its visibility box (while holding the Alt
key) will turn all the other layers at the same level
A single layer in Anime Studio
visible or invisible.

You can edit more than one layer at a time in

Anime Studio, as described in “Editing
Multiple Layers” on page 176.

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Layer Type Changing Layer Settings

To the right of the visibility control is an icon that indicates The last thing you can control in the layer list is the property
what type of layer each entry in the layer list is. The set of any layer. By double-clicking a layer in the list, a
different types of layers include vector, image, group, dialog will appear with various options controlling the
bone, switch, particle, 3D, and note layers. appearance and behavior of the layer. This dialog is
described in “Chapter 12: Layer Settings” on page 176.
Certain types of layers act as groups, and can contain
other layers within them. (You can think of them like folders
on your hard drive.) These layers have a triangle on their Copying and Pasting Layers Between
left side. Clicking this triangle opens and closes these group
Documents
layers, allowing you to access or hide the sub-layers they
contain. The Edit > Copy Layer and Edit > Paste Layer commands
allow you to copy and paste a selected layer between
documents. For more information on these commands,
Reordering Layers
see “Copy Layer” on page 361 and “Paste Layer” on
Layers can be re-ordered simply by dragging one layer page 361.
above or below another layer. Just click and drag the
layer you want to move - you will see a red insertion bar
indicate where the layer will be placed when you drop Layer Toolbar
it. When the insertion bar appears at the location you
At the top of the Layer panel is a toolbar that provides
choose, just drop the layer and you’re done. You can also
several layer operations. The buttons in the toolbar are
use this method to drag sub-layers into or out of group
described below:
layers.

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In Anime Studio 10.1 and later, you can copy

a layer and paste it into another opened
document. Select the layer that you want to copy,
and choose the Edit > Copy Layer command. Switch
to the destination document, and choose Edit >
Paste Layer to paste it directly above the currently
selected layer. You can also copy multiple layers as
outlined in “Editing Multiple Layers” on page 176.

• Delete Layer: Deletes the current active layer. This

Layer Toolbar
operation cannot be undone, so you will be asked to
verify if this is really what you want to do.
• New Layer: Adds a new, empty layer to the project. A
popup menu allows you to choose the type of layer • Layer Settings: This command brings up a dialog with
you want to add. The new layer is placed directly various controls to modify the layer’s appearance and
above the current active layer. behavior. The next section, Layer Settings, goes into
detail about these options. The Layer Settings dialog
• Duplicate Layer: Makes a copy of the current active can also be invoked by double-clicking the current
layer and adds it to the project. This new copy is active layer in the layer list.
placed directly above the current active layer. If you
duplicate a group layer, all of the sub-layers inside it will • Layer Comps: Click to display a menu of Layer Comp
be duplicated also. commands. These commands are discussed in the
following section.

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Using Layer Comps

Layer comps are useful if you want to export only selected
items in your scene so that you can composite them
externally in third party software. For example, you can
create a layer comp that relates to background elements,
another that relates to characters, and another that
relates to foreground elements or titles.
Turn groups on and off until you get elements that logically
belong together. Then create a new layer comp from that
group. At render time, you can then choose to render
specific layer comps as a movie file.
Layer Toolbar
The Layer Comp tool appears in the toolbar in the Layers
window. Click the Layer Comps tool to display a menu that
includes the following commands: • New Layer Comp: In the Layers window, hide the layers
and objects that you do not want included in the layer
comp, and make sure that all items that you do want
to include are visible. Then choose New Layer Comp.
Enter a name for the layer comp in the dialog that
appears.

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• Show Layer Comp: Allows you to show a single layer

comp by name. Select the layer comp that you want
to show from the list of layer comps.

• Hide Layer Comp: Allows you to hide a single layer

comp by name. Select the layer comp that you want
to hide from the list of layer comps.

• Show All Layers: Shows all previously hidden layer

comps.

• Hide All Layers: Hides all layer comps.

• Delete Layer Comp: Allows you to delete a layer comp

Creating a new layer comp from the list. Deleting a layer comp does not delete
the content contained within it, it only removes the
references to the deleted layer comp.
• Update Layer Comp: Choose this option if you need to
make changes to an existing layer comp. Make sure
that all items that you want to include are visible on Using Layer Colors
the stage. Choose Update Layer Comp and select the
layer comp that you want to change. If you have many different layers in your Layers window,
you can assign colors to them to help find specific content
• Expose Layer Comp: Allows you to “solo” the items in more easily. To do so, double-click the layer in the Layers
a selected layer comp. All other items will be set to window to open the Layer Settings dialog. In the General
invisible. Select the layer that you want to expose from tab, choose a color for the layer from the Layer Color drop-
the list of layer comps. down selector. The layer will then be displayed in the Layers
window in the color that you choose.

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Choosing a layer color

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Chapter 12: Layer

Settings
The Layer Settings dialog can be invoked either by double-
clicking a layer in the layer list, or by selecting a layer, then
clicking the Layer Settings button in the layer toolbar. The
various controls are grouped into tabs that we’ll describe
in order. Use the Shift or Command/Ctrl keys to select multiple layers in
the Layers palette.
Click the Apply button to apply changes in settings. The
Layer Settings window will remain open so that you can
When multiple layers are selected, the last layer that you
make additional changes.
select becomes the primary layer. The primary layer is
displayed in a slightly darker shade in the layers palette.
Editing Multiple Layers Secondary layers are displayed with a slightly lighter
colored highlight.
When you select a layer in the Layers palette, you can
A message appears at the bottom of the Layer Settings
view the settings for that layer in the Layer Settings dialog.
dialog to indicate that multiple layers are selected. In
In Anime Studio 10, you can use the Shift or Command/Ctrl
addition, a checkbox appears at the bottom, labeled
keys to make multiple selections in the Layers palette. The
Copy all <Tab name> settings to other selected layers.
layers that you select don’t have to be the same type of
Check this option in the applicable tab and click the
layer. For example, you can select an image layer and a
Apply or OK button to copy all settings from that tab to
vector layer as shown in the following figure:
all the other selected layers, as applicable. Reference
the General, Image, Audio, and Text tab sections in this
chapter for minor exceptions that are not copied to the
other tabs when this option is selected.
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setting in the Vectors tab, and then apply that change

to all of the layers in the selection, whether they are
vector or image layers.

• If you make settings that are specific to the primary

layer type, they will not be applied to sublayers of a
different type. For example, if your primary layer is an
Image layer and you make changes in the Images
tab, those changes will not be applied to the vector
The Layer Settings window displays a message when multiple layers in your selection.
layers are selected.
• Where settings are grouped, any change to one of
those grouped settings will cause all settings within
The following rules apply when you are making changes to that group to change on all of the selected layers.
multiple selected layers: For example, the Outline section of the General tab
groups three settings together: Outline On, Width, and
• If different layer types are selected, the Layer Settings
Color. If you change the outline color, Anime Studio
window will only display the tabs that apply to the
will also update the outline state (on or off) and outline
primary layer. For example, if your primary layer is a
width to all of the layers when you click Apply or OK.
vector layer but you have image layers as secondary
Settings are grouped as follows:
layers, the Image tab will not be displayed. However,
you will be able to edit settings that are common to ƒƒ Outline (“General Tab” on page 178): Outline
image and vector layers in the Vectors tab. On, Width, and Color.

• When you change a setting that is common to all ƒƒ Colorizing (“General Tab” on page 178): Colorize
selected layer types, those common changes will be Layer, and Color.
applied to all of the selected layers when you click
the Apply or OK button in the Layer Settings dialog.
In other words, you can change the Blur or Opacity
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ƒƒ Layer Shadow (“Shadows Tab” on page 188): ƒƒ All Settings in the 3D Options tab (“3D Options”
Shadow On, Offset, Blur, Shadow color, Shadow on page 210): Any changes that you make in
threshold, Expansion, and Shadow direction. the 3D Options tab will be applied only to other
layers if they are the same type as the primary
ƒƒ Layer Shading (“Shadows Tab” on page 188):
layer. For example, if the primary layer is a 2D
Shading On, Offset, Blur, Shading threshold,
vector layer, the changes that you make in the 3D
Shading color, Contraction, Inverted, and Shading
options tab will only be applied to 2D vector layers.
direction.
If the primary layer is a true 3D layer (such as an
ƒƒ 3D Shadow (“Shadows Tab” on page 188): imported Poser scene), the changes will only be
Perspective shadow on, Blur, Shadow threshold, applied to other true 3D layers.
Scale, Shear, and Color.
ƒƒ Physics Settings (“Physics Tab” on page 212):
ƒƒ Motion Blur (“Motion Blur Tab” on page 192): Enable physics, Gravity direction, Gravity
Motion blur on, Frame count, Frame skip, Start magnitude, Use baked physics.
opacity, End opacity, and Blur radius.

ƒƒ Depth Sorting (“Depth Sort Tab” on page 202):

General Tab
Sort layers by depth, Sort by true distance, Enable
animated layer order. This tab is available for all layer types, and controls general
ƒƒ Toon Settings (“Image Tab” on page 204): layer properties.
Toon effect, Edge level, Gray level, Black level,
Saturation, Lightness, Quantization.

If you make any settings in the Image tab that

apply to videos, they will only be modified in
secondary image layers that have video files as their
sources.

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here, and the name will appear in the layer list after
you click the OK button. Good names make working
with large projects much easier. Examples of layer
names might be Background, Body, or Head.

• Hide in editing view: Turn on this checkbox to hide

the layer while editing. The layer will still appear in
rendered output, but will be invisible in Anime Studio’s
edit view. This can be useful to reduce clutter and
improve performance. Things you might consider
hiding in the editing view are background details,
texture and detail layers, or special effects like particle
layers. Note that if a hidden layer is the currently active
layer, it will temporarily un-hide itself so that you can
edit whatever it contains.

• Don’t render this layer: If this box is turned on, then the
layer will not appear in any rendered/exported movies.
This option is usually used for some kind of helper layer.
For example, you might draw a layer with some guide
lines to help you draw and animate a scene, but you
don’t want those guides to appear in the final output.
Note layers have this option turned on by default.
General Layer Settings
• Allow animated layer effects: When checked allows
you to animate layer effects by varying settings
• Name: This field allows you to change the name of the
through the timeline. When unchecked, layer effects
layer. You can type in any name for the layer you want
do not animate.

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• Layer Color: Layer colors are used to help you

categorize the content in your project using colors of
your choosing. Use the Layer Color selector to choose
a color for the current layer. Plain will display the layer
in the normal Anime Studio interface color. Other
choices for categorizing your layers are Purple, Blue,
Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red.

Compositing Effects
This group of controls allow you to change certain layer
properties over time. When you modify any of these at
a frame greater than 0, you will add a keyframe to the
corresponding layer effects channel. For example, if you Compositing Effects
go to frame 1 and uncheck Visible, then go to frame 20
and re-check Visible, that layer will not appear in the final
animation until frame 20. • Visible: Controls whether a layer is visible in the final
output. It is important to note that this checkbox is
totally independent of the visibility box displayed in the
layer list: these are two separate notions of visibility,
and don’t affect each other at all. The visibility control
in the layer list is meant for your editing convenience:
you can turn one layer off while you work on another.
The visibility checkbox in this dialog is meant to allow
certain effects during an animation. For example, if you
had a layer with a drawing of a glowing lightbulb, you
could uncheck the visibility of this layer at frame 1, then

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turn it on at frame 10, off at frame 20, on at frame 30,

etc. to create the effect of a blinking light.

• Blur radius: Lets you apply a blur (in pixels) to an entire

layer to simulate such effects as camera focus. The
blur can be animated over time to make a layer look
like its coming in and out of focus. Decimal values
are allowed to provide smoother transitions during
animation.

• Opacity: Allows you to modify the transparency of

an entire layer. An opacity value of 100 will not affect
the layer at all, while a value of 0 will make it totally
transparent. By changing the value from 0 at frame
1 to 100 at frame 10, the layer will seem to gradually
appear out of nowhere, which in some cases is more
desirable than the type of on/off visibility provided by
the Visible checkbox. Without Auto Shading

• Auto shading radius: Allows you to simulate 2D

ambient occlusion effects. Double-click the desired
layer, or highlight a layer in the layers panel. Turn the
Auto Shading option on and set the radius to a value
other than zero. A good starting point is somewhere
between 8 and 16 pixels.

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The threshold is applied to the RGB values at

whatever you add in the threshold field. A
value of 128 is a midpoint value. If you end up with
unusual colors after applying the threshold, you can
use Colorizing to overlay a color on the layer. For
more information about colorizing, see “Colorizing”
on page 184.

• Flip horizontally and Flip vertically: Clicking these boxes

flips the entire layer in the direction specified. (If the
layer is a group layer, then the sub-layers inside it get
flipped as well.) This can be convenient in the case
where you want to duplicate a layer and have the
second copy face the first one as a mirror image.

Outline
With Auto Shading
The General Tab of the Layer Settings dialog displays the
following options for outlines:
• Threshold: Works in conjunction with blur, and can be
used to produce smoother transitions in corners. The
more an object is blurred, the more the threshold will
have an effect. The blur is computed first, and then
the threshold is added on top of it to smooth out the
overall shape.

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and width on a bone group, but not on each layer of a

bone group, the layer outline will only be applied to the
outline of the character (and not each individual part).
After you specify your outline parameters, you will need to
preview your drawing with the File > Preview command, or
use the shortcut Cmd+R (Mac) or Ctrl+R (Windows).

Outline Options

• Outline on: Check this option to create an outline

around the objects on the layer.

• Width: Set the desired width of the outline, in pixels.

• Color: Click to set the color of the outline.

You can add an outline to a layer by enabling the option
in this section and specifying the width and color of the With 10 pixel blue outline around the bone group
outline.
You can set separate colors and widths for each layer to
add nice effects to your drawings. If you set just one color
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Colorizing settings). The figure shown below shows several objects

on a layer which have a blur setting applied (top).
The Colorizing section allows you to overlay a color on the Thresholding is added to soften the shapes between
selected layer. The options are as follows: the objects. After rendering, you may see unusual colors
(middle) because the threshold is applied to the R, G, and
B values in the original object color. To fix this, choose the
Colorize layer option and select your overlay color. Render
again to see the final result (bottom).

Colorizing Options

• Colorize layer: Check this option to apply a color

overlay to the selected layer.

• Color: Click to set the overlay color and properties.

You can use the Colorizing feature to eliminate unwanted
or objectionable colors that occur after you apply
thresholding to objects on a layer (see “Compositing Original objects (top); threshold applied (middle); with color
Effects” on page 180 for information about the Threshold overlay (bottom)

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Options effects like blurs and shadows will become larger or

smaller to match the scale of the layer.
The Options section of the General Properties tab provides
the following options: • Use HSV modifier image: This checkbox lets you use an
image file to distort the colors of the layer. Sometimes
you may want to do this to break up the solid colors in
your project and make it look less computerized. The
exact behavior of this feature is difficult to explain. The
best way to try it out is to use one of the HSV modifier
images included with Anime Studio. These images
should be pretty close to 50% gray. Other images
may produce bizarre, unexpected results. Feel free to
experiment - you can always turn off this checkbox if
you don’t like the results.
General Options

• Immune to camera movements: Sometimes you may

• Rotate to follow path: When this checkbox is turned on, want to make some layers ignore camera movements.
the layer will automatically rotate to follow its direction For example, certain backgrounds or title or logo layers
of movement. (Specifically, the up direction will turn you may want to stay in one place on the screen even
to follow the direction of layer translation.) This can be while you move the camera around.
useful for creating things like flowing arrows that need
• Embedded Script File: Allows you to attach a lua script
to point in their direction of movement.
to a layer. When you play it back in the timeline or
• Scale compensation: When this box is checked (as render a document, the script is executed to go with
it is by default), and you scale an entire layer larger that layer.
or smaller, the lines in the final rendered output will
• Immune to depth of field: The depth of field function
automatically get thicker or thinner so that they retain
(in the Project Settings dialog) lets you simulate the
their relative weight in the overall image. Also, layer
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blurring of objects with different distances from the ƒƒ Face Image Plane X Axis: Rotates the layer on its
camera. This option allows you to turn off this effect for X (horizontal) axis as best it can to keep the layer
any particular layer. parallel to the camera plane.

• Rotate to face camera: In previous versions of Anime ƒƒ Face Image Plane Y Axis: Rotates the layer on its
Studio, a layer would pivot only on the Y axis and face Y (vertical) axis as best it can to keep the layer
the center of the camera. In Anime Studio 9.5.2 or later, parallel to the camera plane.
you can choose different pivot axes, and the layer ƒƒ Face Image Plane Free Rotate: Rotates the layer
can face the camera center or the image plane. This on both its X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) axis as
can be useful when using Anime Studio’s 3D camera - best it can to keep the layer parallel to the camera
especially for scenery-type objects. Trees, for example, plane.
that always face the camera can save you a lot of
work. Choose a rotation option from the popup menu: In the diagrams that appear below, the X
and Z Axes are shown in red and blue. The Y
ƒƒ No: Turns off the Rotate to Face Camera feature.
axis points straight up, so being that we are looking
ƒƒ Pivot X Axis: Rotates the layer on its X (horizontal) at the scene from the top, the Y axis points at you.
axis as best it can to make the layer’s Z axis point at The black pyramid represents the camera view, with
the camera. the point of the pyramid representing the eye. An
image plane appears in front of the camera. This
ƒƒ Pivot Y Axis: Rotates the layer on its Y (vertical) axis
image plane is like film, and represents where the
as best it can to make the layer’s Z axis point at the
rendered image gets focused.
camera.

ƒƒ Free Pivot: Rotates the layer on both its X

There are also three layers in the diagrams: Layer A
(horizontal) and Y (vertical) axis as best it can to
is not set to face the camera. Layer B pivots on the Y
make the layer’s Z axis point at the camera.
axis so that it faces the center of the camera. Layer
C is set to Face Image Plane Y Axis.

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In the first image, the camera is in its default position When the camera is moved to the left of the scene,
and rotation. Layer A, which has the Rotate to Face and rotated to face the center, the image plane
Camera feature off, will not move when the camera also rotates to the same angle. Notice now that
is moved. Layer B, which is set to rotate on the Y axis, Layer A remains in the same position because
turns to face the camera. Layer C, which is set to Rotate to Face Camera is off. Layer B, which is set to
rotate with the image plane, is rotated the same as rotate with the Y axis of the camera, rotates to face
the image plane. the new position of the camera eye. And Layer C,
which is set to rotate with the Y axis of the image
plane, rotates in parallel with the image plane.

An Anime Studio scene, viewed from the top.

An Anime Studio scene viewed from the top, with the camera
moved to the left side

• Layer blending mode: Normally, layers are composited

on top of each other simply according to the
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transparency of each layer. The layer blending mode

popup lets you select a different blending mode
for each layer. This can be very useful for simulating
shading and lighting effects.

• Copy all General settings to other selected layers

(except Name): When multiple layers are selected,
check this option and click the Apply button to copy
all settings (except the name) to all other applicable
selected layers.

Shadows Tab
The controls in this tab allow you to apply automatic
shadows and shading to an entire layer.

Shadows Layer Settings

The Shadows tab includes the following option that applies

to layer shadow, 3D shadow, and layer setting options:

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• Copy all Shadow settings to other selected layers: • Offset: Controls how far the shadow appears from the
When multiple layers are selected, check this option actual objects. A larger offset makes objects appear
and click the Apply button to copy all shadow tab higher up above the layers below them.
settings to all other applicable selected layers.
• Blur: Determines how hard or soft the edges of the
shadow appear.
Layer Shadow
• Shadow Threshold: Works in conjunction with blur,
This section lets you apply a drop-shadow effect to a layer. and can be used to produce smoother transitions in
The options are: corners. The more an object is blurred, the more the
threshold will have an effect. The blur is computed first,
and then the threshold is added on top of it to smooth
out the overall shape.

• Expansion: Allows you to expand the reach of the

shadow. This can be useful for halo-type effects. Try an
Offset of 0, Blur of 8, and Expansion of 8.

• Shadow Color: Clicking on the “Shadow color” swatch

lets you change the color of the shadow that is being
cast. You can also modify the transparency of the
shadow with this control.

Layer Shadow options. • Shadow Direction: Controls the direction the shadow
is cast. Just drag the knob in circles to change the
• Shadow On: Checking the Shadow on checkbox will direction of the shadow.
make all objects in the layer cast shadows on the
layers underneath.

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Layer Shading • Blur: Determines how hard or soft the edges of the
shading appear.
This section is similar to the “Layer Shadow” section above.
However, instead of producing a shadow effect behind • Shading Threshold: Works in conjunction with blur,
the layer, these controls let you apply a shading effect on and can be used to produce smoother transitions in
top of the layer. corners. The more an object is blurred, the more the
threshold will have an effect. The blur is computed first,
and then the threshold is added on top of it to smooth
out the overall shape.

• Contraction: Allows you to pull the shading further into

the center of the layer.

• Inverted: Inverts the shading effect so that the object

looks like it has a rim highlight.

• Shading Color: Clicking on the “Shading color” swatch

lets you change the color of the shading that is
applied. You can also modify the transparency of the
Layer Shading options. shading with this control.

• Shading Direction: Controls the direction the shading

• Shading On: Checking the “Shading on” checkbox will appears. Just drag the knob in circles to change the
make all objects in the layer appear shaded, giving direction of the shading.
them a rounded edges effect.

• Offset: Controls how far inside the layer the shading

appears. A larger offset makes objects appear to have
more “rounded” edges.
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3D Shadow (Perspective Shadows)

Anime Studio allows you to easily create perspective
shadows for the objects in your scene. Select a layer from
the Layers window and open the Layer Settings dialog.
Click the Shadows tab, and adjust the settings in the 3D
shadow area. You can animate this feature by applying
different settings at different points in the timeline. You
will not see the shadow until after you render the current
frame, or all or part of a movie.
The position of the shadow is determined by the Set Origin
tool in the Layer section of the toolbox. When you set a
perspective shadow, pay attention to the location of the
origin of the object. The shadow is cast from the origin
point. The origin represents the ground point, so you can Position the origin point at “ground” level.
position it to make the object look as though it is resting on
the ground, or as if the object is floating in the air. The settings for perspective shadows are as follows:

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• Color: Allows you to select a color for the shadow.

Default color is black.

Motion Blur Tab

The controls in this tab control the motion blur effect for
this layer. Motion blur can be turned on and off during the
course of an animation.

3D Shadow options.

• Perspective Shadow On: Check this button to turn

Perspective Shadows on. Uncheck it to turn Perspective
Shadows off.

• Blur: Sets the amount of blur on the perspective

shadow. Higher values create a softer shadow.

• Scale: Controls the “depth” of the shadow. Higher

values make the shadow seem more elongated, while
lower values make the shadow shorter

• Shear: Allows you to control the slant of the shadow

(the direction that the light source is coming from).

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• Motion Blur On: Checking “Motion blur on” turns on the

effect. The default settings work pretty well for a basic
motion blur effect.

• Frame Count: Controls how many copies of the layer

should trail behind itself. The higher this number, the
longer it will take to render your animation. Sometimes
a high number may be used for an exaggerated
anime or cartoon effect.

• Frame Skip: Controls the separation between blur

frames. A larger number will cause the blur effect to
trail farther out behind the current position.

• Start Opacity and End Opacity: Control how the blur

fades away behind the layer. Generally, a motion
blur effect will fade a bit as it trails behind the layer.
For some special effects, however, you may not want
the motion blur to fade at all. In those cases, set both
values to 100 to keep the motion blur completely
opaque.

• Blur Radius: Controls the radius (in pixels) of the motion

blur effect.
Motion Blur Layer Settings
• Copy all Motion Blur settings to other selected layers:
When multiple layers are selected, check this option
and click the Apply button to copy all motion blur
settings to all other applicable selected layers.
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Masking Tab
This tab is used to control layer masking. Layer masking
controls the visible region of a layer - objects in a layer that
are not within the visible region of the mask will not appear
in the final output. This tab is available when a group or
bone layer is selected.

Masking Layer Settings

If the layer is a group or bone layer, then the following

options are available:

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No masking in this group: Means that no masking will occur • + Clear the mask, then add this layer invisibly to it:
in this group.
• Exclude Strokes: Check this option to exclude outlines
• Reveal all: Means that masking is on, and by default all from the mask.
sub-layers will be fully visible.
• Expand mask by a pixel: Adds an additional pixel
• Hide all: Means that masking is on, and by default all around a layer mask.
sub-layers will be invisible (this is the most common
option when using layer masking). • Copy all Masking settings to other selected layers:
When multiple layers are selected, check this option
All other layers inside a group will have the following
and click the Apply button to copy all masking settings
options for layer masking:
to all other applicable selected layers.
• Mask this layer: Clip this layer against the current mask.
The masking controls are simple but powerful
options that can be used for all kinds of
• Don’t mask this layer: Skip all masking operations for
creative tricks. The best way to explain these is with
this layer.
a hands on example. See “Tutorial 2.7: Layer
• + Add to mask: Add this layer to the mask. Any higher Masking” on page 84 in your Anime Studio Tutorial
layers will be visible wherever this layer is visible. Manual.

• + Add to mask, but keep invisible: Add this layer to the

mask, but don’t show it in the final output.
Masking Tips and Tricks
• - Subtract from mask: Use this layer to cut a hole in the
When setting up masking in a group, the best approach
current mask.
is to first set up the mask, then set up the objects to be
masked. The bottom-most layers should define the mask
• + Clear the mask, then add this layer to it: This makes
by either adding to it or subtracting from it. Then the layers
the mask identical to the transparency value of the
above that should be masked against the defined mask.
current layer.
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For masking to be fringe-free, try to follow these guidelines:

• Masking should only increase in a one-way direction.

The alpha channel must increase monotonically.

• Use additive masks only (use Hide All, instead of Reveal

All)

• Don’t use any of the following modes for child layers in

the group:

ƒƒ Subtract from mask

ƒƒ Clear this mask then add this layer invisibility to it

ƒƒ Don’t Mask This Layer (unless all other layers in the

group above this one also use Don’t Mask This
Layer)

ƒƒ Exclude Strokes (unless all layers in the group

above are set to Masked)
The following examples demonstrate some do’s and don’ts
in masking techniques.

Simple Masking (Produces No Fringing)

This example starts with a group that contains five layers. A group with five layers, each with a different shape.
each with a different shape. This group renders with no
fringe because it follows the rule of only adding to a mask. To mask an example such as this, use the following settings:

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• Group mask: In the Group Mask section, choose Hide

All. In the Layer Masking section, choose Mask this
layer.

• Layer 1: Set to +Add to mask.

• Layer 2: Set to Mask this layer.

• Layer 3: Set to Mask this layer

• Layer 4: Set to + Add to mask

• Layer 5: Set to Mask this layer

After you apply the above settings, the end result will look
as shown in the following figure, when rendered. Result of simple masking.

Mask Reset (Produces Fringing)

This example consists of a group with five layers, each with

an oval shape. This group doesn’t follow the rules. It renders
with fringe because Layer 4 is set to “Clear and Add to the
Mask.”

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• Group mask: In the Group Mask section, choose Hide

All. In the Layer Masking section, choose Mask this
layer.

• Layer 1: Set to +Add to mask.

• Layer 2: Set to Mask this layer

• Layer 3: Set to Mask this layer

• Layer 4: Set to + Clear the mask, then add this layer to

it.

• Layer 5: Set to Mask this layer

After you apply the above settings, the end result will look
as shown in the following figure, when rendered.

A group with five layers, each with a different shape.

This example uses the following settings:

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Result of mask reset.

Complex Masking (Produces Fringing)

This example starts with a group that contains three

layers. each with an oval shape. This masking example
also renders with fringe, because it breaks the rules by
combining additive and subtractive masking in the same A group with three layers, each with a different shape.
group.
This example uses the following settings:

• Group mask: In the Group Mask section, choose Hide

All. In the Layer Masking section, choose Mask this
layer.

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• Layer 1: Set to +Add to mask. here enable the vector “noise effect”. By adding “noise”
to a layer, you can make it look more hand-drawn, or at
• Layer 2: Set to -Subtract from mask (this layer will be least get rid of some of that pesky computer precision.
invisible) Of course, that’s up to artistic interpretation: if you like
computer precision, the noise effect may not be the
• Layer 3: Set to Mask this layer
feature for you.
After you apply the above settings, the end result will look
as shown in the following figure, when rendered.

Result of complex masking.

Vectors Tab
This tab is only available for vector layers, and controls
the appearance of lines and fills in the layer. The controls

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• Noisy Outlines and Noisy Fills: The first two checkboxes

turn on noise for outlines and/or fills. If you turn on
both of these, all the shapes in the layer will become
distorted. However, if you check only one, the effect
will look like someone was coloring but didn’t stay in
the lines. The circle displayed on the right side shows a
preview of what your noise effect settings will do to the
final drawing. (The best way to understand this feature
is to just start clicking the checkboxes and watch the
circle.)

• Animated noise: Controls whether the noise factor will

vary over time in your animation. This can lead to either
a very distracting look, or a very sketchy, free-form
one, depending on your tastes. Again, experiment with
this and watch the circle.

• Extra Sketchy: (Associated with noise settings). Creates

gaps in the outlines. If you have a curve being drawing
you might actually have little gaps in it.

• Offset: Determines how far in pixels (on average) your

drawing will be distorted from its original shape.

• Scale: Determines the “jaggedness” of the distortion.

Vectors Layer Settings
Larger scale numbers will result in smoother, lumpier
distortion, while smaller numbers will give you a more
scribbled look.

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• Interval (Frames): When vector noise is set to be

animated, you can set an interval so that the noise
Depth Sort Tab
changes every nth frame, with n being the number This tab is only available for group and bone layers. Depth
that you enter in this field. Increase the number to Sort has two controls that can be used with Anime Studio’s
reduce the amount of noise. 3D features.

• Line Count: Tells Anime Studio to draw a number of

lines, distorting each in a different way.

• Gap Filling: Sometimes two shapes are drawn that line

up exactly side-by-side with no overlap whatsoever. In
some situations, a small crack can appear between
them. Turn this option on to enable Anime Studio to fill
in these cracks.

• Legacy Curves: Switches a layer back to the curve

drawing method used in Anime Studio 7 and earlier.
Documents created in Anime Studio 7 and earlier
should open in the application with this option turned
on so that the existing artwork does not suddenly
change.

• Copy all Vector settings to other selected layers: When

multiple layers are selected, check this option and click
the Apply button to copy all vector settings to all other
applicable selected layers.

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Normally, layers are drawn in the order they appear in

the Layers window. However, with this option turned
on, layers are displayed according to how far they are
from the camera. Typically, layers are sorted by their
depth from the camera, but if you’re trying to create
a 3D object using multiple Anime Studio layers (like a
cube or pyramid), you may want to turn it on.

• Sort by True Distance: Tells Anime Studio to sort layers

by the distance from the camera to the layers’ origins,
rather than by depth. Usually this option will be left
unchecked.

• Enable animated layer order: During the course of an

animation, you may want to move objects in front of
or behind each other. One example is when simulating
head turns. The children of a group layer have the
ability to move back and forth in layer order over
the course of an animation, but you need to turn this
option on to allow it. If it’s off, then moving one layer in
front of another affects them for the entire timeline.

• Copy all Group settings to other selected layers

Depth Sort Layer Settings (except Name): When multiple layers are selected,
check this option and click the Apply button to copy
all group settings to all other applicable selected
• Sort Layers by Depth: Allows sub-layers to move in
layers.
front of and behind each other during an animation.

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Image Tab
This tab is only available for image layers. There are five
options in this tab.

Image Layer Settings

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• Set Source Image: Lets you select the image to be reaches the last frame of the movie in the timeline.
used in the image layer. Use this if you want to change When unchecked, the movie will no longer appear in
the image, or if it got lost for some reason. the project after the playhead moves beyond the last
frame in the movie.
• Reveal Source Image: Click the button to open
Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) to the folder that • Premultiplied Alpha: If an imported movie has
the current source image is contained within. an alpha channel and the edges look bad after
importing, it may be because the movie has
• AVI movie has alpha: Turn this on if the image layer is premultiplied alpha. Check this option to improve
using an AVI movie, and that movie includes an alpha appearance.
channel.
• Movie FPS: Sets the speed of the movie in Frames per
• Loop movie indefinitely: When checked, the movie Second
plays in a loop for as long as required in the animation.
When unchecked, the movie plays once and stops • Warp using bones: If this box is checked and the image
when it reaches its end. layer is placed inside a bone layer, the bones can
be used to warp the image as if it were printed on a
• Play backwards: When checked, plays a movie layer rubber sheet.
backwards (in reverse frame order).
• Nearest neighbor sampling: When this option is not
• Persist First Frame: When checked, displays the first checked, Anime Studio will try to smooth out the areas
frame of a movie continually until the playhead in between pixels when you enlarge the image. If you
reaches the frame at which the movie begins to play. want the images to look blocky when they are resized,
When unchecked, the movie will not appear in the turn this option on. Anime Studio will not smooth
project until the playhead reaches the first frame in the the image and it will start to look blocky when it is
movie. enlarged.

• Persist Last Frame: When checked, displays the last

frame of a movie continually after the playhead
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Toon Settings and apply the toon effect filter. Immediately afterward,
import the animation as a new movie file. Use the new
The Toon Effect filter is used with images and movies. Load movie file, with the toon effect applied, in your final project.
an image or movie into a new layer. Open the Layer
Some types of images work better than others. Faces
Settings dialog to the Image tab and check the Toon Effect
should be pretty large in the image. If the face is small then
option. The image or movie will be processed through the
a lot of detail will be lost or blurred together.
Toon Effect filter.
The Toon Effect filter has several parameters in the Image
tab:

Toon effects on a photograph

When used with videos, the processing can take quite a

while. When working with videos, open up the movie file
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• Gray level: Darkens the middle areas of the toon effect.

• Black level: Darkens the dark areas of the toon effect.

• Saturation: Increases or decreases the amount of color.

Negative values make the toon more black and white.

• Lightness: Increase the setting to make the image

appear more faded.

• Quantization: Sets the number of colors in the image.

When set at 0, the quantization works the same as
found in Anime Studio 7 and earlier. When set to a
value greater than 1, the value you enter is the number
of colors in the image.

• Copy all Image settings to other selected layers (except

Source Image): When multiple layers are selected,
check this option and click the Apply button to copy all
image settings (except the source image) to all other
applicable selected layers.

Toon settings in the Layer Settings Image tab Audio Tab

This tab is only available for audio layers. The options are:
• Edge level: Controls the width of the edges in the toon
effect. Increase the setting to make the edges wider,
and decrease to make the edges thinner.

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• Set Source Audio: Click the Set Source Audio button to

select an audio source file on your system.

• Reveal Source Audio: Click this button to locate the

audio source file in its folder location.

• Audio level: Displays a numeric value for the audio

volume, with 1 being equal to the default volume of
the audio file.

• Spatial Positioning: Enabled by default. When enabled,

Anime Studio will use and play back

Switch Tab
This tab is only available for switch layers.

Audio Layer Settings

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If you want a quicker lip-sync solution, you

can use an audio file as a data file. In this
case, your switch file should contain several version
of a mouth shape, ranging from closed to wide
open. The volume of the audio file will control which
mouth shape is used at which frame. If you do use
an audio file to control the Switch layer, you can
either use automatic volume gain (recommended)
or set the gain manually. The gain controls how wide
the mouth gets. When using manual gain, start with
a value of 1 - if the mouth seems too wide, try
smaller values (0.75 or 0.5). If the mouth isn’t wide
Switch Layer Settings enough, try higher gain values (1.5 or 2).

• Select Audio Sync Source: Lets you select a data See “Tutorial 5.1: Automatic Lip-Sync” on
file used to control the switch layer. A data file is not page 177 in your Anime Studio Tutorial
required (you can control a Switch layer manually by Manual and “Tutorial 5.2: Phoneme Lip-Sync” on
right-clicking its entry in the Layers window), but if you page 179 in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual for
do want to use a data file you have two choices: examples of using audio lip-syncing functions.

• Interpolate sub-layers: If this box is checked Anime

Studio will do smooth transitions between the sub-
layers as long as they’re all vector layers and contain
the same number of points.

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Particles Tab 3D Options

This tab is only available for particle layers. The description This tab is only available for 3D layers.
for how these controls affect a particle layer can be found
in “Particle Layers” on page 115.

3D Options Layer Settings

Particles Layer Settings

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• Edges: Allows you to control which elements get edges that are closer appear in front of those further away,
(or outlines) and to what degree. You can choose to regardless of the layer order. However, if you turn
enable or disable outlines around silhouettes, materials, this checkbox on for layer X (a 3D layer), then when
or creases. The Crease Threshold setting controls the layer X gets rendered it first resets the z buffer. This is a
level of crease outline that will appear. The Edge way to force a 3D layer to appear in front of other 3D
Extension setting makes the outline thicker. layers that it might actually be behind. In other words,
sometimes you may want multiple 3D layers to interact
• Shading: Controls the type of shading that appears in the Z dimension (hide behind each other, or even
on the 3D object, along with the shading color and interpenetrate so that some parts of one object are
density. Choices of shading include None, Smooth, in front of another and some parts behind). This is the
Toon, or Hatched. normal behavior. Turning on the Reset Z Buffer option
forces 3D objects to act like regular 2D layers and just
• Polygon orientation: Allows you to adjust whether the
be in front of or behind each other according to the
polygons in your model are oriented clockwise or
layer order in the Layers palette.
counter-clockwise. After importing a model, if it looks
turned inside-out or otherwise distorted, try switching • Copy all 3D settings to other selected layers: When
the polygon orientation. multiple layers are selected, check this option and
click the Apply button to copy all 3D settings to all
• Warp using bones: If this box is checked and the 3D
other applicable selected layers.
layer is placed inside a bone layer, the bones can be
used to warp the 3D model. Be aware that although
the model is three-dimensional, bone layers are only Note Tab
two-dimensional, so you will be limited in the ways you
can control the 3D object using bones. This tab is only available for note layers, and lets you
change the text label in the note.
• Reset Z buffer: Anime Studio uses a z buffer rendering
algorithm and the result is that all 3D objects in the • Copy all Note settings to other selected layers: When
scene interact in a visually consistent way. Objects multiple layers are selected, check this option and

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click the Apply button to copy all Note settings to all

other applicable selected layers.
Physics Tab
The settings in the Physics tab are as follows:

ƒƒ Enable physics: Check this option to turn the

physics simulator on.

ƒƒ Gravity direction: Use the directional slider to point

to the direction from which gravity is originated.
By default, the direction is straight down (270
degrees). 0/360 degrees is at the 3:00 position of
the dial.

ƒƒ Gravity magnitude: Controls the strength of the

gravity. Lower values make the gravity less forceful
(objects are lighter) and higher values make the
gravity more forceful (objects are heavier).

ƒƒ Use baked physics (advanced): Turn this option

on to stop the physics simulation from running. It
will play back results from the last time you played
back the animation.

ƒƒ Copy all Physics settings to other selected layers:

When multiple layers are selected, check this
option and click the Apply button to copy all
Notes Layer Settings
physics settings to all other applicable selected
layers.

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Normally, physics simulations are re-run every

time you play back an animation so that
they can respond to other objects in the scene. The
advantages to using baked physics are (1) it is faster
to re-use simulations rather than to re-run the
physics; (2) If the physics simulation doesn’t give you
the results you want, you need to tweak results. You
can’t manually animate objects if they are under
the influence of physics, but you can use the
precomputed physics while you modify keyframes
as you see fit. (3) If you get a result that you like, you
can turn this option on to make sure it doesn’t
change.

Physics will only work with objects that are

filled.

For more information on how to use physics in your Anime

Studio projects, see “Tutorial 5.9: Basic Physics” on page
214 in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.

Physics Settings

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Bones Tab Anime Studio provides an option that allows

you to control the children of a bone’s
The settings in the Bones tab are as follows: children, making it easier to work with bones on
images and vector art. In other words, if you have a
• Binding Mode: Check one of the following to select the group inside a bone layer, and vector layers inside
binding mode that you want to use for bones. that group, the bone layer can warp the artwork in
those vector layers if Allow nested layer control is
ƒƒ Flexible Binding: This option is selected by default.
turned on in the Bones tab of the Layer Properties
This uses Flexi-Binding, which allows greater control
palette and if the group layer is not bound. This
over how bones affect different layers in a bone
allows more powerful bone rigging while also
group. See “Tutorial 3.5: Flexi-Binding” on page
allowing you to organize your layers in a hierarchy.
144 in your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.
This allows you to have parent bones and
ƒƒ Region Binding: Uses the binding style that was “Grandpa” bones ... bones that affect more than
used by Anime Studio prior to version 9.5. See one layer of bones beneath them.
“Tutorial 3.4: Character Setup” on page 133 in
your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.

• Allow Nested Layer Control: Allows you to control the

children of their children, making it easier to work with
bones on images and vector art.

• Copy all Bones settings to other selected layers: When

multiple layers are selected, check this option and click
the Apply button to copy all bone settings to all other
applicable selected layers.

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Bones Settings

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Chapter 13: Style

Window
The Style window is where you set up colors, line widths, fill
effects, and other properties to control the appearance of
your vector artwork. The Style window has two views, Basic
(shown on the right in the following figure) and Advanced
(shown on the left in the following figure).
The Advanced checkbox in the lower-left corner of the
dialog will toggle the Styles palette between Basic and
Advanced views. Check the option to display in Advanced
view, and uncheck it to display in Basic view.
The options in the Style window are displayed and listed on
the following page.
When you edit the fill color, stroke color, or brush settings,
the changes will be displayed live on the canvas so that
you can see the effects of your changes.

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Style Window Options: 27. Checker selection

1. Shape selection drop-down menu
2. Style management drop-down menu
3. Window mode indication
4. Name field
5. Fill enable checkbox
6. Fill color selector
7. Fill color override checkbox
8. Fill effect drop-down menus
9. Fill effect settings buttons
10. Stroke enable checkbox
11. Stroke color selector
12. Stroke color override checkbox
13. Stroke brush selector
14. Stroke line width field
15. Stroke width override checkbox
16. Stroke effect drop-down menu
17. Stroke effect settings button
18. Round end caps checkbox
19. Applied styles drop-down menus
20. 3D conversion thickness field Basic Style Options
21. Color swatch drop-down menu
22. Color swatch
23. Copy button
24. Paste button
25. Reset button
26. Advanced window checkbox

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Shapes

Shape Selection Drop-Down Menu (1)

You can use this menu to select any existing and named
shape on the current vector layer. Select <None> to
deselect all shapes.

Shape Selection Drop-Down Menu

• Shapes: The fill and/or stroke that make vector

construction visible when rendering/exporting. For
example, if you use the Draw Shape (E) tool with the
Auto-fill and Auto-stroke options unchecked, you will
Advanced Style Options create a vector construction without any shape and
it will not be visible when rendered/exported. You can
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always use the Create Shape (U) tool to make a shape

using this vector construction. Enabling either or both
of these Auto options before using the Draw Shape
tool will create a visible shape with the properties
chosen.

Choose Edit >Preferences... and in the Option

tab, you can select Auto-name new shapes
so that all of your shapes have names when
created. Refer to “Options Tab” on page 362 for
more information.

Style Management Drop-Down Menu

(2) Style Management Drop-Down Menu

A style contains all of the properties which define how a

shape should look. Use the Styles menu to create, delete, These are the options of this menu:
and edit your styles.
• New: This option allows you to create a new saved
style.

• Delete: This option allows you to delete a selected

style.

• Delete Unused: This option allows you to delete all

styles that are not currently applied to any shapes.

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• <None>: This option deselects all saved styles. • STYLE: In this mode the style you define will either
create a new style or edit an existing one, depending
• List of style names: If you have created any saved on the option you select from the style management
styles there will be a list of their names. Selecting one of drop-down menu.
these will open that style for editing.

Name Field (4)

Window Mode Indication (3)
The name field allows you to name or rename any
This indicates the current mode of the Style Window. There selected shape or style and displays any existing name. It is
are three modes: only active in SHAPE or STYLE mode.

Window Mode Indication

Name Field

• DEFAULTS (For new shapes): In this mode the style you

define will be applied to any new shapes you create.
This default will retain the style of the last shape you Fills
had selected. This is the default mode when there are
no shapes or styles selected.
Fill Enable Checkbox (5)
• SHAPE: In this mode the style you define will edit the
style of the currently selected shape. Selecting a shape This checkbox determines whether a selected shape has
in the workspace or in the shape selection drop-down a fill.
menu will enter shape mode.

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A fill is the color inside of a closed shape. This option is only The color picker allows you to select the color and
available when you have an existing shape selected. transparency of the fill or stroke of your style. The large field
to the left is where you can chose the color saturation and
brightness. The vertical colored bar to the right of this is
where you chose the color hue. The next, checkered bar is
where you set the color alpha value (opacity). At the top
right are two color chips. The top one is the current color
and the lower one is the previous color ( click to restore).
Below these are manual inputs for the red, green, blue,
Fill Enable Checkbox and alpha values. And last is a hexadecimal field where
you can copy or paste hex values to set the color.

Fill Color Selector (6)

This displays the fill color for the default style, the selected
shape, or the selected style, depending on the style
window mode. Clicking on it allows you to edit the color
with the color picker:

Fill Color Selector

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Fill Color Override Checkbox

This works slightly different, depending on which mode the

window is in:

• DEFAULTS and SHAPE: In these modes the override is

only available if a saved style has been applied (see
19). Enabling this will override the applied style fill color
with the current color in the fill color selector.
Color Picker
• STYLE: In this mode the override determines what
properties are included in the saved style. There is an
override for fill, stroke (see 12), and line width (see 14).
Fill Color Override Checkbox (7) You can create styles with any combination of these
properties.
If checked, the color displayed in the fill color selector will
override any other fill color in the style. • When a style is applied any overrides checked in that
saved style will override those properties in the shape
or default.

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Fill Effect Drop-down Menu (8)

These drop-down menus allow you to select two different
fill effects. There are many effects to chose from:

Fill Effect Drop-Down Menu

• <plain> indicates that no effect is applied in this drop-

down. Expanded Menu
This is followed by a list of fill effects. Some fill and line
effects can be animated, with keyframes being added to Selecting an effect will bring up an effect settings dialog,
the timeline when you change colors, blur radius, angles, each of which are described in the sections that follow.
offsets, blurs, and more. Each effect has a variety of specific parameters for the
user to adjust, as well as an effect preview that updates as
changes are made to these settings.

You will only be able to view the results of

some effects on your shapes by rendering a
single frame (Cmd/Ctrl+R) or exporting the
animation (Cmd/Ctrl+E).

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Many of the fill and stroke effects can be

shown in the workspace, while others can
only be seen once rendered. This can slow down
performance, so it is disabled by default. To enable
effects in the workspace open the Display Quality
settings drop-down at the bottom of the workspace
and enable the Shape effects checkbox.

Shaded Fill Effects

When you choose Shaded Fill effects, a dialog displays the

following options:

Shaded Effect Options

• Light Angle: Provides a dial that allows you to change

the direction that the light is coming from. You can also
enter a numerical value. Zero degrees is located at the
bottom of the dial.

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• Offset: Allows you to assign a value for how far the

shadow is offset from the filled area

• Blur: Controls the softness of the shadow.

• Shadow Color: Allows you to choose the shadow color

from a color palette.

• Shadow Only: Check this option to only display the

shadow, without the fill.

• Threshold: Works in conjunction with blur, and can be

used to produce smoother transitions in corners. The
more an object is blurred, the more the threshold will
have an effect. The blur is computed first, and then
the threshold is added on top of it to smooth out the Soft Edge Effect Options
overall shape.
• Blur Radius: Allows you to increase or decrease the
Soft Edge Fill Effects
softness, or blur, around the edge of the fill.
When you choose Soft Edge Fill effects, a dialog displays
• Threshold: Works in conjunction with blur, and can be
the following options:
used to produce smoother transitions in corners. The
more an object is blurred, the more the threshold will
have an effect. The blur is computed first, and then
the threshold is added on top of it to smooth out the
overall shape.

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Halo Fill Effects • Halo Only: Check this option to only add the halo
effect without the fill.
When you choose Halo Fill effects, a dialog displays the
following options: Gradient Fill Effects

Gradient fill effects can be animated and can also

respond to bone warping. You can animate the location
and color of all of the color markers in the gradient. All
changes in color will show up in the timeline when added.
This is the dialog used to control the gradient effect. The
following options appear:

Halo Effect Options

• Inset Radius: Adjusts the radius of the inner area

• Blur Radius: Adjusts the softness around the halo

Gradient Effect Options
• Halo Color: Click the Color chip to select a color for the
halo.

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• Type: Allows you to choose one of four types of Image Texture Fill Effects
gradient effects:: Linear, Radial, Reflected, or Angle.
The preview shows an example of each type. When you choose Image Texture Fill effects, a dialog
displays the following options:
• Allow transparency: Check this option if you want the
gradient to appear partially or completely transparent
in some areas.

• Color: Allows you to select a color and transparency

for the selected gradient marker (below).

• Gradient bar: This bar shows the current gradient.

• Gradient markers: Below the gradient bar are initially

two markers, one on each end. Selecting one of these
will fill the arrow above it and display its color in the
Color selector to indicate it is selected. These markers
can be moved anywhere along the gradient bar.

• You can also add additional color markers to the

gradient by clicking anywhere just below the gradient Image Texture Effect Options
bar. You can copy an existing marker by holding the
Alt key when you select a marker. You can then drag
this copied marker to a new location on the gradient • Select Texture: Click this button to choose an image
bar, or even click the color selector to change its color. file to be used as a texture fill.

• Tile: Choose this option if you want the image to

repeat more than once to fill the selected area

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• Don’t Repeat: Choose this option if you do not want When the Through Transparency option is checked, you will see
to repeat image used for the fill. The image will be a change after you render a preview. The transparent areas in
rescaled proportionally as needed to fit the width or the texture will now be transparent through the entire shape.
height of the area that will be filled. This causes the transparencies in the image to function similar
to a mask.
• Through Transparency: Check this option to mask areas
of an underlying shape with transparent areas in a
texture fill.
When you apply a texture fill effect, you can select images
that are partially transparent. After you select the image,
the preview in the Texture dialog will apply the partially
transparent image over the shape so that you can see the
underlying color through the texture.

A shape filled with a partially transparent image.

Drop Shadow
The Drop Shadow feature allows you to quickly and easily
create a drop shadow for your objects. The feature allows
you to set the angle from which the light shines, how much
the shadow is offset from the object, and the blur radius (or
A shape filled with a partially transparent image.
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softness) of the shadow. In addition, you can set the color also enter a numerical value. Zero degrees is located
of the shadow through a color swatch. at the bottom of the dial.
When you choose a Drop Shadow, a dialog displays the
• Offset: Allows you to assign a value for how far the
following options:
shadow is offset from the filled area

• Blur: Controls the softness of the shadow.

• Shadow Color: Allows you to choose the shadow color

from a color palette.

• Threshold: Works in conjunction with blur, and can be

used to produce smoother transitions in corners. The
more an object is blurred, the more the threshold will
have an effect. The blur is computed first, and then
the threshold is added on top of it to smooth out the
overall shape.
A preview of the settings appears in the preview window
as you adjust them. When you are satisfied with the
appearance of your shadow, click OK to apply the
settings. You will need to preview the frame (Cmd/Ctrl+R)
or export the animation (Cmd/Ctrl+E) to see the results.

Crayon
Drop Shadow Effect Options
The Crayon feature allows you to simulate the effect of
something that is drawn with a crayon. The feature allows
• Light Angle: Provides a dial that allows you to change
the direction that the light is coming from. You can
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you to adjust the width and density of the crayon stroke. • Minimize frame-to-frame randomness: Check this
You can also use the crayon as an eraser. option to keep the crayon effect from jittering during
the animation.
When you choose the Crayon effect, a dialog displays the
following options: A preview of the settings appears in the preview window
as you adjust them. When you are satisfied with the effect
preview, click OK to apply the settings.

Legacy Effects
Legacy Effects (Anime Studio Pro only). These are older
effects that significantly slow down render speeds, do
not respond to bone influence, and may have other
limitations and drawbacks. You must decide for yourself
whether these effects are worth the extra time to render an
animation that makes use of them.

Crayon Effect Options Splotchy

This effect fills the selected area with a splotchy pattern.

• Line Width: Allows you to increase or decrease the You can control the contrast, scale, and chromatics of the
width of the crayon stroke. pattern fill.

• Density: Decrease the setting to give the crayon a

more grainy appearance. Increase the setting to make
the crayon more “solid.”

• Erase to Background: Check this option to erase

underlying strokes with the crayon.
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Spots

Splotchy Options

• Magnitude: Allows you to adjust the contrast of the

splotchy pattern.

• Scale: Adjusts the scale of the splotchy pattern.

• Monochrome: When this option is checked the

splotchy pattern will only use shades of the fill color. Spots Options

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• Spot length: This option determines the length of the

spots.

• Spot width: This option determines the width of the

spots.

• Length spacing: This option determines the space

between the ends of the spots.

• Width spacing: This option determines the space Fill Effects Settings Button
between the sides of the spots.

• Angle: Provides a dial that allows you to change the

direction of the spots. You can also enter a numerical Stroke
value. Zero degrees is located at the right of the dial.

• Spot color: Allows you to choose the spot color from a Stroke Enable Checkbox (10)
color palette.
This checkbox determines whether a selected shape has
Fill Effect Settings Button (9) a stroke.
A stroke is the outline of a shape. Shapes can exist without
Each of these buttons become active when you have
a stroke or only composed of a stroke. This option is only
an effect selected in the effect drop-down menu next to
available when you have an existing shape selected.
it. These buttons allow you to access and edit the effect
settings dialog of the selected effect.

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Stroke Override Checkbox (12)

If checked, the color displayed in the stroke color selector
will override any other stroke color in the style.

Stroke Enable Checkbox

Stroke Color Selector (11)

Stroke Override Checkbox
This displays the stroke color for the default style, the
selected shape, or the selected style, depending on the This works slightly different, depending on which mode the
style window mode. Clicking on it brings up the color window is in:
picker.
DEFAULTS and SHAPE: In these modes the override is only
available if a saved style has been applied (see 19).
Enabling this will override the applied style stroke color with
the current color in the stroke color selector.
STYLE: In this mode the override determines what properties
are included in the saved style. There is an override for fill,
stroke, and line width (see 14). You can create styles with
Stroke Color Selector any combination of these properties.

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When a style is applied any overrides checked in that

saved style will override those properties in the shape or
default.

Stroke Brush Selector (13)

This displays the current brush used for the stroke of the
default style, selected shape, or selected style.

Stroke Brush Selector

Clicking this box opens the Brush Settings dialog:

Brush Settings Dialog

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• Brush selection menu: This displays all of the available • Random Order: When checked, randomizes the order
brushes. You can click on one to select it for use or of the Multi-Brush shapes while the stroke is painted.
select None for no brush.
• Brush preview: This displays a preview of the chosen
• Current Brush: The name of the currently selected brush settings.
brush appears in the line immediately below the brush
selector. Using Multi-Brushes

• Align brush with curve: This option changes the Anime Studio 10 includes a new feature called Multi-
orientation of the brush to the vector curve it is applied Brushes. If you go into the Brush Settings dialog you will
to. notice several new brushes. Multi-brushes are indicated in
the Brush Settings dialog with three dots in the upper left
• Brush jitter angle: This option determines how much the corner of the brush preview.
orientation angle varies, with zero being to variance.

• Brush spacing: This allows you to set the spacing

between each instance of the brush. Improvements to
brush spacing have been made so that brush spacing
remains consistent whether the brush curve follows
curve points that are either pointed or curved.

• Minimize frame-to-frame randomness: Check this

option to keep the brush from jittering during the
animation.

• Tint brush using stroke color: For brushes that are

Multi-Brushes are indicated with three dots in the upper left
colored (not all black) this option allows the brush to
corner of the brush preview.
take on the selected stroke color instead of the color
displayed in the brush selection menu.
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When you select a Multi-brush, the preview window at

the bottom of the Brush palette displays a preview of the
selected brush. You will notice that there are multiple
images mixed into a single brush stroke.

Multi-Brushes allow you to add multiple shapes in a single brush

stroke.

Some Multi-Brushes mix different textures into a single stroke.

The differences in texture may appear to be more subtle
in the preview window, but the variations will be more
obvious after you render a preview.

Subtle Multi-Brush differences will be more clear after rendering

(as seen in the bottom)

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Creating Multi-Brushes • Fifth number: Tint Brush Using Stroke Color off (0) or on
(1).
It is very easy to create your own Multi-Brushes. First,
locate your User Content folder. If you did not create • Sixth number: Random Order off (0) or on (1).
a User Content folder when you first ran Anime Studio After you create the folder, place PNG files, with
(as described in “Creating a Content Folder” on page transparent backgrounds, for each shape that you want
10) you can use the Help > Set Custom Content Folder the Multi-Brush to paint. The following figure shows three
command to create one. different flower shapes added to the Flowers 1 Multi-Brush
Your Custom Content folder includes a brushes category folder.
folder within it. Beneath this brushes folder, create a new
folder that has the same name as the Multi-Brush that you
want to create.
The following naming convention can be used to save
settings that apply to the brush. The foldername can
contain six numbers, separated by underscores as follows:
Brushname_#_###_###_#_#_#

The numbers represent the following brush settings: Create a Multi-Brush folder in your custom content folder,
within the brushes category folder, and place PNG files into the
• First number: Align brush with curve off (0) or on (1). new folder.

• Second number: Represents the Brush Jitter angle.

The next time you start Anime Studio, you will find the
new Multi-Brush added to the Brush palette. It will appear
• Third number: Represents the Brush Spacing setting.
last in the list. You can further adjust the brush settings as
• Fourth number: Minimize Frame to Frame Randomness indicated previously in “Stroke Brush Selector (13)” on
off (0) or on (1). page 234.

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Stroke Line Width Field (14)

This field allows you to set the stroke line width of the default
style, selected shape, or selected style. The minimum line
width is .25. After clicking in this field you can either type in
or use the mouse wheel to adjust the value.

Stroke Line Width Field

Stroke Width Override Checkbox (15)

If checked, the width displayed in the line width field will
override any other line width in the style.

Stroke Line Width Field

Stroke Width Override Checkbox

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This works slightly different, depending on which mode the

window is in:

• DEFAULTS and SHAPE: In these modes the override is

only available if a saved style has been applied (see
19). Enabling this will override the applied style line
width with the current width in the line width field.

• STYLE: In this mode the override determines what

properties are included in the saved style. There is an
override for fill, stroke, and line width. You can create
styles with any combination of these properties.

• When a style is applied any overrides checked in

that style will override those properties in the shape or
default.

Stroke Effect Drop-down Menu (16)

Stroke Effect Drop-Down Menu
This drop-down menus allow you to select a stroke effect.
There are many effects to chose from. The stroke effects There are two more stroke Legacy Effects:
are the same as the fill effects described earlier.

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Sketchy Angled Pen

Sketchy Effect Options Angled Pen Effect Options

• Radius: Adjust the radius of the effect. • Radius: Adjust the radius of the effect.

• Angle: Provides a dial that allows you to change the

direction of the angled pen. You can also enter a
numerical value. Zero degrees is located at the right of
the dial.

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Stroke Effect Settings Button (17)

This button becomes active when you have an effect
selected in the effect drop-down menu next to it. This
button allows you to access and edit the effect settings
dialog of the selected effect.
Rounded End Caps Checkbox

Older files will open with plain end caps to retain their
original appearance. New artwork will default to round
end caps unless the Round Caps option is unchecked.

Stroke Effect Settings Button

Round End Caps Checkbox (14) (18)

You’ll notice the addition of a Round Caps option in the
Stroke section of the Advanced Style window. Check this
option if you want to use strokes that have rounded ends.
Uncheck the option to use flat ends on your strokes (similar
to those used in Anime Studio 7 and earlier).
Rounded end caps compared to ends that are not rounded.

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Applied Styles Drop-Down Menus

These drop-down menus (19) allow you to apply two
different saved styles.

Expanded Menu

Applied Styles Drop-Down Menus You can define global shading, line width, etc. to maintain
a consistent look throughout your project.
A saved style is a set of information used by a shape (color,
line width, line brush, effects, etc.), but it doesn’t actually
appear on its own in your animation. Instead, after creating
3D Conversion Thickness Field (20)
a style, you can apply that saved style to one or more This option (20) is only available for the default style or
shapes. For example, you might create a “Skin” style, and selected shapes on vector layers that are using either the
apply it to all the body parts of a character. Later, if you Extrude or Inflate options of the vector layer Layer Settings
want to change the color of the character, just modify the > 3D Options tab > 3D Conversion drop-down. This field
Skin style, and any shapes that use that style will change displays the 3D thickness of the default style or selected
instantly. Use the Style management drop-down menu to shape. After clicking this field, you can type in or use the
create new styles and to select a style for editing. mouse wheel to adjust this value.
You can select any saved style you have created to apply These swatches appear in the Color Swatch (22) below.
to the default style or the selected shape. Select <None>
to clear the applied style.

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3D Conversion Thickness Field

Swatches

Color Swatch Drop-down Menu (21)

This menu allows you to select from a variety of color
swatches or select a Custom Image as a swatch.

Swatches menu

Expanded menu

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These swatches appear in the Color Swatch (22) below.

Color Swatch (22)

The swatch you select from the color swatch drop-down
menu shows up here as a simple color picker. You can
Copy, Paste, and Reset buttons
use this as a shortcut for selecting colors for your objects.
Just click a color in this palette to assign it as the selected
shape’s fill color. Right-click a color swatch to assign it as • Press Copy (23) to copy the properties of the selected
the selected shape’s outline color. shape or style.

• Press Paste (24) to apply a previously copied set of

properties to another shape or style.

• Press Reset (25) to switch back to editing the default

fill and line properties - if a shape or style is currently
selected, it will be de-selected.

Advanced Window Checkbox

Color Swatch (26)
As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, this
checkbox switches the style window between Basic
Copy, Paste, and Reset Buttons and Advanced views. The basic view minimizes the style
window to some of the options most used while animating.
There are three buttons that we’ve classified as “other”
controls:
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Advanced Window Checkbox

Checker Selection (27)

When the Checker Selection option is enabled, a
bounding box will be shown around the selected shape
rather than displaying the object with a checkerboard
pattern. This allows you to see the colors and outlines of the
selected shape more clearly.

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Chapter 14: The Library The Library tab contains eight categories, discussed below.
Each category is further divided into subcategories. You

Window can create and remove categories and subcategories,

and can add and remove content, including your existing
content libraries, to/from the Library palette.
The Anime Studio Library window provides access to The following figure shows the various controls and options
all of the content that ships with Anime Studio such as that are contained in the library palette. Navigate through
characters, props, images, audio, etc. It has three tabs: the the Library list as follows:
Library tab that provides access to the content categories,
the Search tab which allows you to search your content • Use the Up and Down arrow keys to move higher or
folders for specific files, and the Favorites tab where you lower in your content tree.
can gain easy access to your frequently used or favorite
content items. • Use the Right and Left arrow keys to open and close
folders.
Virus and ad blocking software may affect
the display of thumbnails in the library. If • Click or select an item in the list to expand the display
thumbnails are not appearing in the library, try and view a larger preview of the content item.
turning off your antivirus or ad blocking software to
see if that resolves the issue, and check to see if your
software allows you to set permissions so that the
thumbnails can be displayed.

The version of Anime Studio Debut that is sold

through the Mac App store offers most of the
functionality described in this section. Differences will
be noted in this chapter where appropriate.

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3. Collapsed folder: Click the right arrow to expand

the contents of the folder. The number that appears
in brackets at the beginning of the folder name
designates the number of items that are contained
within that folder.

4. Expanded folder: Click the down arrow to collapse

the contents of the folder. The number that appears
in brackets at the beginning of the folder name
designates the number of items that are contained
within that folder.

5. Selected item: The currently selected item is

highlighted, and displayed with a larger icon. File
details appear at the left of the icon that indicate file
name and other details if available.

6. Content preview: If a content item is not selected, a

smaller preview icon appears beside the name of the
The Anime Studio Library window file. Click once to select the item to view its details.

7. Double Checkmark (Add button): Click the double-

1. Library Tabs: Allows you to switch between three views
checkmark icon to add the currently selected item to
in the Library Palette: Library, Search, and Favorites.
your scene.
2. Category Icons: Allows you to select one of the eight
8. Create New Folder (+}: Click this button to create a
library categories. From left to right, they are Figures,
new folder or subfolder beneath the currently selected
Props, Images, Audio, Video, Effects, Scenes, and 3D.
library folder. This button appears only when a “My”
content folder is selected (My Characters, My Props,
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etc.). You cannot add folders to the default library From left to right, these icons are:
categories that are furnished with Anime Studio.

9. Save to Library (+): Click this button to save the scene

item that is currently selected into the Library.

10. Add to Favorites: Adds the item that is currently

highlighted in the library to the library’s Favorites tab.

Displaying the Library Window

If the Library Window is not open, select Window > Library
or use the keyboard shortcut Command/Ctrl+Shift+L.
To resize the Library palette: Library Icons

• Drag the left or right side to resize the width of the

Library. • Double checkmark: The Add to Scene (double check)
button adds the selected item to your scene. After you
• Drag the top or bottom edge to resize the height of the choose a content category and locate the item you
Library. want to use in your scene, click the Add to scene icon
to add the item to your project.
• Drag any corner of the Library palette across your
screen to the desired height and/or width. • Create New Folder: Click the Add a Folder (+) button to
create a folder beneath the currently selected Library
• Loading and Managing Items using the Library Icons
folder.
The Library icons appear as shown in the following figure.
These icons appear at the bottom of the palette.

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• Save to Library: Clicking the Save to Library (+) button

adds the selected item to the Library palette.

• Delete from Library: Clicking the Delete from Library

(-) button removes the selected item from the Library
palette.
Category Icons
The Save to Library and Delete from Library
buttons allow you to save and delete
The default categories are broken down by content type:
content to your “My” folders only. You will not be
Figures, Props, Images, Audio, Video, Effects, Scenes, and
allowed to save or delete library content from the
3D. When you switch between categories, the Library
Anime Studio library.
remembers which item was selected the last time you used
a specific category.
Add to Favorites: Click to add the currently
The content items are shown as a series of thumbnails
highlighted library item to your Favorites list.
arranged in a tree hierarchy. This area is called the
Content pane.

About Library Palette Categories

Anime Studio’s library allows you to quickly select
categories and the items contained within them:
Click a Category icon to select a Content category. Then
drill down in the hierarchical list in the Library list to select
the item you want to add to your scene.

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Maintaining Your Content Folders

When you first start Anime Studio, you are prompted
to create a content folder. The steps are discussed in
“Creating a Content Folder” on page 10. You can use
the subfolders in this directory to store your own custom
Anime Studio-compatible content.
In addition, the Library window allows you to add content
to your own folders so that you can access this content
more easily. When you select one of the category icons at
the top of the Library window (such as Characters, Props,
Cameras, and so on), you’ll see a “My” folder at the top
of the content pane. For example, you will see a folder
named My Characters in the Character category.
You can maintain your Library palette by adding and
removing items to and from the Library palette, as
described below.

Creating Subfolders
You can create new subfolders in the library to store your
Content Pane content. Follow these steps:
1. Click the category icon that applies to the subfolder
you want to create. For example, if you will use the
new folder to store your own characters, select the
Characters category.
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2. Highlight the folder beneath which you want the new Adding Items to the Library
folder to appear (such as the Anime Characters folder
shown in the following figure. Saving an item to the Library palette adds the appropriate
item to the currently selected category/subfolder. To add
3. Click the Create New Folder icon located at the an item to the Library palette:
bottom of the Library palette. You are prompted to
enter a name for the new folder. 1. In the Layers window, locate and highlight the
item that you want to save to the library. Assign a
4. Enter a new folder name and choose OK. The folder descriptive name to the object, if necessary, as the
appears in the Library window. Library uses the layer name to identify the Library
object name.

2. In the Library window, select the desired category/

subcategory by clicking the appropriate Category
icon (Figures, Props, Images, Audio, Video, Effects,
Scenes, or 3D).

3. Click the Save to Library icon (+) at the bottom of the

Library palette. The object is saved to the Library folder
that you selected.

Creating a Subfolder

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Searching the Library

The Search tab in the library allows you to perform a
keyword search in all or in selected categories.

Library Icons

Deleting Items from the Library Palette

To delete an item from the Library palette, select it by
clicking its preview image, then click the Delete from
Library icon (-) at the bottom of the palette (see below for
an image of the Library icons).

Deletions are permanent! Be sure you really

want to delete the selected item. If you have
not saved your content elsewhere (such as archiving
the source files), the deleted content will be Library Search Tab
permanently lost. You cannot undo content
deletions.
To perform a search, follow these steps:

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1. Switch to the Search tab in the Library.

Favorites Tab
2. Enter a keyword (such as anime) or a series of
The Favorites tab allows you to quickly add your favorite
keywords (such as outdoor scene) in the Search For
content to library folders that you create yourself.
field.
To add an item to the Favorites tab:
3. Check or uncheck options as follows:
1. Highlight the library item that you want to add to
favorites.
ƒƒ To perform a search throughout all Library
categories, check the All Categories option.
2. Click the Add to Favorites button at the bottom of the
ƒƒ To perform a search in specific categories in your Library palette. An Add to Favorites menu appears
Library, uncheck the All Categories option and above the selected item.
then check or uncheck Characters, Props, Images,
Audio, Video, Effects, Scenes, or 3D as needed to 3. From the menu, select an existing Favorites category,
find the content you are looking for. or choose <<New Folder>> to create a new Favorites
folder. When the New Library Name dialog appears,
enter a name for your new folder and click OK. The
new folder appears in the Favorites tab and your item
appears within it.

Searching specific categories

4. Click the Search (eyeglass) button. Anime Studio

performs a search for the content that you specified,
and search results appear in the Content pane.
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Add to Favorites button

You can also access library content by choosing

Selecting content from the File > Import command
Import > and selecting content from one of the various
subcategories.

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Chapter 15: The

Character Wizard
The Character Wizard allows you to quickly and easily
create characters that you can animate in Anime Studio.
It consists of several different tabs that allow you to specify
body proportions, facial features, movement, clothing and
Click the Character Wizard button to open the Character
other styling features.
Wizard

Using the Character Wizard

You can open the Character Wizard by clicking the
Character Wizard button that is located in the upper right
corner of the Anime Studio interface. It appears just to the
left of the Library button.
The Character Wizard consists of a number of different tabs
that help you design your own character. There are also a
few controls that appear from one tab to the next.

The Character Wizard window

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Presets
The Presets drop-Down allows you to choose from a
number of different character types: Boy Spiky, Creature,
and Mannequin. Each of these different humanoid
character types has a different appearance to start with,
varying in proportion, body shape, head shape, and so
on. Some presets are more “human” while other are more Presets available in the Character Wizard
fantasy-like. You can use the other tabs to customize the
appearance of the Preset even further.
Use the + button beside the Preset drop-Down to create Changing the Character Views
your own preset, or the - button to delete a preset that you
have previously saved yourself. Built-in presets cannot be On the right side of the Character Wizard, you will see a
deleted. preview of the current character. Beneath the preview is a
slider, that allows you to view your character in one of eight
The preset will be saved at its current state. If angles. Move the slider to the right or left to change the
you go back and later change the perspective view of the character. The first bar displays the
character’s appearance (such as changing features character in its front view. As you move the slider toward
or colors), the saved preset does not automatically the right, the view changes to reflect 1/8 of a circle (as if
update to reflect those changes. You can resave the character has turned 45 degrees).
the character under its original name to overwrite
the old one, or save a new preset under a different
name.

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Different character views

Changing character views

Exporting Views
After you complete your character in wizard, either with
a preset or by customizing in the other tabs (described

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in the sections that follow) you can click OK to exit the

character wizard and view the character in your Anime
Studio project.
Before clicking the OK button, you should check the status
of the Export All Views option beneath the view slider. With
this option checked, five views of the character will be
exported to your Anime Studio project (Front, Front 3/4,
Back, Back 3/4, and Side). With the option unchecked, only
the currently selected view will appear in your project.

If any of the parts used in the character have

pre-animated movement (such as eyes that
blink), the movement will also be added to your Some random characters
character. The animation will show on the
Movement tab in the Character Wizard, and will be
added as Actions in your Anime Studio project. Body Tab
The Body tab allows you to adjust the proportions of the
Randomizing Characters various parts of the character’s body. Move the sliders
left or right to adjust the proportions as described in the
The lower-right corner of the Character Wizard contains following sections. The preview window will update the
a Randomize button. When you click this button, the character in real time while you make your adjustments.
Character Wizard combines settings from the different tabs
to create a totally unique character. This is a quick and
easy way to generate a customized character or preset as
a starting point that you can later modify yourself.

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• Torso height: Move the slider toward the left to

decrease the height of the area between the
shoulders and hip, or toward the right to increase the
height of this area.

• Leg length: Move the slider toward the left to shorten

the legs, or toward the right to lengthen them. The feet
will remain stationary on the ground.

• Head height: Move the slider toward the left to make

the head smaller, or toward the right to make the
head larger. The height of the character will remain
the same.

• Belly width: Move the slider toward the left to decrease

the width of the waist, or toward the right to increase it.

Character wizard Body tab

Proportions

• Height: Move the slider toward the left to make the

character shorter, or toward the right to make the
character taller.
Proportion options

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Legs

• Hip width: Move the slider toward the left to decrease

the width of the hip, bringing the legs closer together.
Move the slider toward the right to increase the width
of the hip, creating more space between the legs.

• Leg width: Move the slider toward the left to make the
legs and hip thinner, and toward the right to make the
legs and hip wider.
Leg options
• Leg muscles: Move the slider toward the left to make
the legs appear less muscular (and more bony). Move
the slider toward the right to add more muscle to the
legs. Arms
• Foot length: Move the slider toward the left to • Arm length: Move the slider toward the left to shorten
decrease the size of the feet, or toward the right to the arms from the shoulder, and toward the right to
increase the size of the feet. lengthen them.

• Feet: Use the Feet drop-Down menu to select the • Shoulder width: Move the slider toward the left to
appearance of the feet. Choose Generic to create decrease the width of the shoulder (bringing the
a simple representation of a bare foot with no toes. arms closer toward the body), or toward the right to
Other choices include Anime Boy Sneakers, Bare (with increase the width of the shoulder (moving the arms
toes), Bowling Shoes, Female Sandals, Male Sandals, away from the body).
Reference, and Simple.
• Arm width: Move the slider toward the left to decrease
the size of the arms (making them thinner), or toward

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the right to increase the size of the arms (making them

fatter).
Face Tab
The Face Tab of the Character Wizard allows you to select
• Arm muscles: Move the slider toward the left to make
and adjust the facial features, including the head, eyes,
the arms less muscular and bony, or toward the right to
mouth, and nose. Included at the bottom of the various
make them more muscular.
categories are the following sliders:
• Hand length: Move the slider toward the left to
• Horizontal adjustment: Move the slider left or right
decrease the size of the hands, and toward the right to
to position the facial features, if necessary after you
increase the size of the hands.
adjust the head proportions. For example, you can
move the eyes, nose, and mouth closer to the face
• Hands: Use the Hands drop-Down menu to select a
if they appear to be detached from the face. The
style of hands for the character. Choose Generic to
adjustment slider will be disabled in the Front and Back
create generic hands that have no fingers. Other
views where it does not apply.
choices include Anime Boy Mittens, Female Red Nails,
Long Fingers, Simple, Square, and Toon.
• Vertical adjustment: Move the slider left or right to
adjust the height of the facial features, if necessary
after you adjust the head proportions. For example,
in some cases, the profile of the lips will not match up
with the line of the mouth and this control can match
it more closely.

Arm options

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• Neck width: When you are working with a head where

the size of the neck can be adjusted, this dial allows
you to increase or decrease the width of the neck. The
option will be disabled when the character does not
have a resizeable neck.

• Head top: (enabled for Generic head only) Move

the slider toward the left to decrease the width of the
crown, or toward the right to increase the width.

• Head middle: (enabled for Generic head only) Move

the slider toward the left to decrease the width of the
middle head, or toward the right to increase the width.

• Head bottom: (enabled for Generic head only) Move

the slider toward the left to decrease the width of the
lower head, or toward the right to increase the width.
Character wizard Face tab

Head

• Head selector: Click the Head drop-Down list to choose

from a number of preset character heads. Styles range
from human to fantasy and more. Some characters
have hair or hats, while others are bald.
Head options

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Eyes Mouth

• Eye selector: Use the Eyes drop-Down list to select one • Mouth selector: Use the Mouth drop-Down list to select
of several different eye shapes. one of several different mouth shapes.

• Size: Move the slider toward the left to decrease the • Size: Move the slider toward the left to decrease the
size of the eyes, or toward the right to increase the size size of the mouth, or toward the right to increase the
of the eyes. The size will increase or decrease from the size of the mouth.
center point of each eye.
• Height: Move the slider toward the left to lower the
• Height: Move the slider toward the left to lower the mouth, or toward the right to raise the mouth.
eyes, or toward the right to raise the eyes.

• Spacing: Move the slider toward the left to bring the

eyes closer, or toward the right to move the eyes
farther apart.

Mouth options

Nose
Eyes options
• Nose selector: Use the Nose drop-Down list to select
one of several different nose shapes.

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• Size: Move the slider toward the left to decrease the • Size: Move the slider toward the left to decrease the
size of the nose, or toward the right to increase the size size of the head prop, or toward the right to increase
of the nose. its size.

• Height: Move the slider toward the left to lower the • Height: Move the slider toward the left to lower the
nose, or toward the right to raise the nose. head prop, or toward the right to raise it.

Nose options Head Prop options

Head Prop Movement Tab

Head props are only enabled when the Creature is The Movement tab in the Character Wizard allows you to
selected as a character preset. generate a walk cycle for your character, very quickly and
easily, through the use of sliders. As you design the walk
• Prop: Use the Prop drop-Down list to select one of
cycle, it will be applied to all of the character views (front,
several different head props, such as hats, beards,
back, sides, and quarter-views).
curls, and other facial and head features.
The character is not automatically animated by default.
When you add a character to the scene, the actions
will also appear in the Actions palette so that you can
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manually add actions in the timeline where you want them

to occur. For example, you can apply a walk at frame 1,
and then add a jump action at frame 100 and a wave
action at frame 120.

When you export a single view of your

character, it will appear as a bone group
inside your Anime Studio scene. When multiple views
of the character are exported to your Anime Studio
scene, the character will appear as a Switch Layer.
Beneath that switch layer, you will see a bone group
for each of the character views (front, back, and so
on).

You will not initially see the actions appear in

the timeline because the bone groups and
layers are contained within a switch layer. The Character wizard Movement tab
actions that you use in your animation will be
applied to the currently selected view (active switch The following options appear:
layer) of the character. To view the actions in the
timeline, select one of the bone groups beneath the • Actions: Use the Actions drop-Down list to select the
main switch layer. type of action that you want to use or preview.

The Walk cycle is a computer generated action. The others

(Jump, Kick, and Wave) are custom actions that were
created in Anime Studio Pro. These actions can be applied
to any character.

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the slider toward the right to add more bend (adding

more bounce to the walk).

Actions options

• Steps per second: Move the slider toward the left to

make your character walk more slowly, and toward Other settings options
the right to make it walk faster.

• Step distance: Move the slider toward the left to make

your character take shorter steps, and toward the right Clothing Tab
to make your character take longer steps.
The Clothing Tab allows you to change the style and colors
• Step height: Move the slider toward the left to keep of the pants and shirt that the character wears. There are
the steps closer to the ground (less knee bend); and two sections available in this tab.
toward the right to raise the feet more from the ground
(more knee bend).

• Arm swing: Move the slider toward the left to decrease

the arm swing (making it stiffer), and toward the right to
increase the arm swing (making it looser).

• Torso bend: Move the slider toward the left to add less
bend to the torso (making the posture straighter). Move
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Other settings options

Shirt

• Type selector: Choose whether you want your

character to wear a short-sleeved shirt or a long-
sleeved shirt.
Character wizard Clothing tab
• Color: Click the color ship to open the color palette,
where you can select a new color for the shirt.

Pants

• Type selector: Choose whether you want your

character to wear short or long pants.

• Color: Click the color chip to open the color palette,

where you can select a new color for the pants.
Other settings options
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Style Tab
The Style tab allows you to change the skin color, hair color,
and stroke color and width for your character.

Other settings options

• Skin color: Click the color chip to open the color

palette, where you can select a new color for the skin.

When you create body parts for the

character wizard, special colors MUST be
used for the skin and hair. Use Yellow (R 255, G 255, B
Character wizard Style tab
0) for any body part that you want to identify as skin
color, and Cyan (R 0, G 255, B 255) for any part that
The settings you select here are as follows: you want to identify as hair. Any parts that use these
colors will inherit the skin or hair colors that you
identify in the Character wizard.

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• Hair color: Click the color chip to open the color decrease its size, and changes to stroke width will need
palette, and select a new color for the hair. to be made manually.

• Stroke color: Click the color ship to open the color

palette, and select a new color for the character Designing a Character and Walk
outlines.
Cycle
• Stroke width: Sets the stroke width size to use as the
The Walk cycle is a computer generated action. The others
default.
(Jump, Kick, and Wave) are custom actions that were
If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel, you created in Anime Studio Pro. These actions can be applied
can increase or decrease this value while to any character.
watching the character update in the preview To create a walk for your character, follow these steps:
window
1. Click the Character Wizard button in the upper-right
corner of the Anime Studio interface to open the
• Set as default: Click this button after you change the Character Wizard.
value in the Stroke Width field.
2. Design your character using the Body, Face, Clothing,
• Randomize line width: With this setting on, the line width and Style tabs as outlined in the previous sections. Use
will vary slightly across the character. With the setting the view slider beneath the preview window to view
off, the line width will be uniform. your character from all directions as you design it.

• Scale compensation: When checked, the stroke width

will be proportionally adjusted as the character is
resized. If you make the character smaller, the strokes
will get narrower. If you make the character larger,
the strokes will get wider. When unchecked, the stroke
width will remain the same when you increase or

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Pay attention to the adjustments you make in

height and placement of the facial features.
Use the Horizontal and Vertical adjustment sliders to
position the eyes, nose, and mouth in the side and
quarter-view, and then verify that the changes are
acceptable for each of those views. In other words,
if you use the slider to adjust the position of the nose
and mouth in the side view, also look at how the
changes affect the placement of the facial features
in the Front 3/4 and Back 3/4 views.

3. After you design your character, click the Movement

tab.

Character wizard Movement tab

4. From the Actions drop-down menu, choose Walk (it

should be selected by default).

5. Adjust the Steps per second, Step distance, Step height,

Arm swing, and Torso bend sliders until you are happy
with the walk.

6. The preview window shows a preview of the walk

cycle as it is applied to your character. You can view

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the walk from several angles by moving the slider right

below the preview window. Examine your character
Making Your Character Walk
from all directions and make tweaks as necessary In the previous project you designed a character and
before you export it to your Anime Studio project. You a walk, and saved the preset. When you exited the
will export your character in the next tutorial. Character Wizard, you noticed that the character that
you worked on appeared in the project window. However,
7. Click the + button at the top of the Character Wizard
because you saved the character, you can easily reuse
window. Name your character My First Character and
it at any time in any project you start. We will begin this
click OK to save the preset. Now you will be able to
tutorial with a new project, and you’ll reuse the character
reuse that character preset in any of your projects.
preset that you designed in the previous exercise. In this
tutorial, you will export only one view of the character: the
Side view.
1. Start a new empty project in Anime Studio.

2. Optionally, you can shorten the length of the

animation from its default of 240 frames. To do so, enter
100 in the end frame field in the timeline.

Saving a preset character

8. Click OK to exit the Character Wizard. You will notice

that the character appears in your scene when you do
so. The next two tutorials will explain different ways that
you can export and use the character in your projects.

Decrease the length of the animation to 100 frames.

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3. Click the Character Wizard to open the Character 7. Click OK to exit the Character Wizard. Your character
Wizard. now appears in the scene. Press the Play button and
you will see the character walking in the center of
4. From the Presets menu at the top of the screen, select the scene. Press the Stop button after you view the
the My First Character preset that you created in the animation.
previous exercise. Your custom character appears in
the preview area. 8. Click the Rewind button to move the timeline back to
Frame 0. Then use the Transform Layer tool to move
your character off the screen to the left.

Transformation

Choosing a preset character

5. Move the View slider so that you see your character in

the side view.

6. Uncheck the Export All Views option beneath the

preview window. This will export only the current view,
which is now set to the Side view.

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At frame 96, move the character to the right of the screen.

At frame 0, move the character to the left of the screen.

10. Press the Play button to view your character as it walks

9. Advance the timeline to frame 96, and move the across the screen.
character off to the other side.

Rotating Your Character 360

Degrees
In this exercise you’ll make your character spin around in a
full 360 degree circle.
It’s fairly easy to do, if you follow these steps:
1. Start a new empty project in Anime Studio.

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2. Click the Character Wizard to open the Character As a general rule, you will want to select the
Wizard. Switch Layer (the top layer) when you
translate, scale, or rotate your character. This applies
3. From the Presets menu at the top of the screen, select the changes to all views of your character. If you
the My First Character preset that you created in the want your character to face a different direction at
previous exercise. Your custom character appears in a specific point in the timeline, you simply move to a
the preview area. later frame, and make the appropriate switch layer
active. This will be demonstrated in the next few
4. Select the Front view before you export the character.
steps. For more information about switch layers, see
This is the view that will be visible when you initially
“Switch Layer” on page 143.
import the character into your scene.

5. Make sure that the Export All Views option beneath the 8. If you are not already at Frame 0 in the timeline, use
preview window is checked. This step will be necessary, the Rewind button to return there. Your character
because you will be working with all of the exported should be facing toward the front.
views in this project.
9. Now, advance the timeline to Frame 6. Expand the
6. Click OK to exit the Character Wizard. The character character’s switch layer so that you see the various
appears in your project. views, as shown in the following figure. The view that
has the filled-in bone is the layer that is currently in view.
7. The top layer of the character is a Switch layer, and
the various character views appear as bone groups
beneath it. With the character’s switch layer selected
(the topmost layer), use the Transform Layer tool to
resize your character as needed.

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When you export multiple views of the

character, you will see the character appear
as a Switch Layer. Each of the different views of the
character then appear as individual bone groups
beneath that layer, as shown in the following figure.
The view that is currently visible is the layer that you
had selected at the time you exported the
character (in this case, the Front view).

At Frame 6, right-click the Switch layer (shown here as Man)

and select the Front 3/4 view.

11. Now move to Frame 12 (the next keyframe), and right-

click to select the Side view in the Layers window. Your
character will rotate to face the side.
The different views of the character appear as bone groups
within the switch layer. The layer that shows a highlighted bone 12. At Frame 18, switch to the Back 3/4 view.
is the switch layer that is currently visible for the character.
13. At Frame 24, switch to the Back view. At this point, your
10. At Frame 6, right-click in the Switch layer (shown as character has turned one-half of the circle.
Man in the above figure), and select the Front 3/4
view. Your character should rotate to that view and a
keyframe will appear at Frame 6.

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14. Now select the Transform Layer tool. You won’t actually
use this tool, but you will use the Flip Horizontal button
later in this tutorial.

15. Advance to Frame 30. In the Layers window, right-click

the switch layer, and choose the Back 3/4 view.

16. Next, to make your character continue to spin in the

same direction (rather than return in the same direction
from which it came), you’ll need to click the Flip Layer
Horizontally button in the Transform Layer tool option
bar, as shown below.

At Frame 30, select the Back 3/4 view and then flip it
horizontally.

17. Complete the remaining three frames as follows:

ƒƒ Frame 36: Right-click the switch layer to choose the

Side view.

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ƒƒ Frame 42: Right-click the switch layer to choose the 3. Open one of these projects, and save it into the
Front ¾ view. Character Wizard folder that resides in your custom
Anime Studio Content folder (see “Creating a Content
ƒƒ Frame 48: Right-click the switch layer to choose the
Folder” on page 10). Name the file according to the
Front view.
action that you want to create (twist, dance, Jumping
18. Save the project if you like, and then play back the Jack, etc). This step is important ... if you save the file
animation. You should see your character spin around under its original name and location you will overwrite
in a circle. the original action that is furnished with Anime Studio.

4. The project will consist of five different bone layers that

Designing Your Own Actions animate a mannequin figure: Back, Back 3/4, Side,
Front 3/4, and Front. If you play the animation you will
Advanced Anime Studio users may be interested in notice that all of the views are animated in unison.
creating their own actions for the Character Wizard. The
actions that you create will appear in the Actions selection
menu that appears at the top of the Character Wizard
Movement tab.
The steps to create your own custom actions are briefly as
follows:
1. Use Windows Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) to
locate your Anime Studio installation folder.

2. Navigate from your installation folder to the Resources

> Support > Character Wizard > Actions folder. You will
see three ANME files within that folder: Jump, Kick, and
Wave. These are the three files that are associated with
the actions that appear in the Actions selection menu.
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you make your changes on frames 1 or higher (do not

make changes on Frame 0).

7. Make sure that you adjust the length of your animation

so that the movement is seamless when it is played in a
loop. Add or remove frames as necessary to create a
smooth-flowing animation where you cannot tell where
the loop starts or ends.

Five bone layers display a mannequin in different views.

5. Choose the Animation > Clear Animation from

Document command to remove all of the keyframes in
the timeline. They will be removed from all bone groups
in the document.

6. Use the Manipulate Bone tool to modify the movement

of each view so that you again create five different Edit each view for your figure so that the character moves in
views of the character that move in unison. Make sure the same manner for each view.

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8. After all five views of your character have been “Designing Your Own Actions” on page 277. In addition
animated, save the modified file. You should now see to the Actions folder previously discussed, the Resources >
your new action appear in the Actions menu in the Support > Character Wizard folder contains other subfolders
Character Wizard Movement tab. that store the ANME files for the Character Wizard content
that you select in the Body and Face tabs.

Character Wizard content folders.

The additional subfolders are as follows. Examine the files

for some ideas on how you can create your own content:
Your new action will appear in the Actions menu in the Eyes: Contains the Eyes content that you select from the
Character Wizard movement tab. Eyes section of the Face tab.

• Feet: Contains the Feet content that you select from

the Legs section of the Body tab.
Creating Content for the
Character Wizard • Hands: Contains the Hands content that you select
from the Arms section of the Body tab.
Your Anime Studio application installation folder includes
the Character Wizard subfolder as mentioned previously in

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Eyes, Feet, and Hands come in pairs ... you Heads, Head Props, Mouths, and Noses don’t
have a right eye and a left eye, a right foot come in pairs, so you won’t need to add the
and a left foot, and a right hand and a left hand. Right or Left prefix as you do with paired body parts.
When you create content for paired body parts, When you create switch layers for a “single” body
precede the topmost layer (switch layer, bone part, name the switch layer according to the view
group, or image) with a name that starts with Right that you are creating. For example, if you create a
or Left, where Right corresponds to the right part, head for the Front 3/4 view, place the head in a
and Left corresponds to the left part. For example, if switch layer named Front 3/4. Names are case-
you create a set of animated eyes for the front view, sensitive and should be initial-capped.
place the character’s right eye in a switch layer
named Right Front, and the character’s left eye in a Here are some additional notes and tips about creating
switch layer named Left Front. Names are case- content for use in the Character Wizard. Again, we
sensitive and should be initial-capped. Open one of recommend that you study the various ANME files in the
the files in the Eyes, Feet, or Hands folders and Character Wizard subfolders to learn more about how
examine the layers within them to view the naming these features work.
conventions used.
Pay attention to the point of origin for the layer that you
are working on. The point of origin is important for the main
• Head Props: Contains the Prop content that you select folder (the topmost layer for the part - whether it be a
from the Head Prop section of the Face tab. switch group, a bone layer, or an image). For example, if
there are multiple eyes contained in a switch layer to make
• Heads: Contains the Head content that you select an animated eye, you only need to set the point of origin
from the Head section of the Face tab. on the switch layer, instead of on each individual eye layer
within that switch layer. If you only have one layer for a
• Mouths: Contains the Mouth content that you select
body part, set the point of origin on that one layer.
from the Mouth section of the Face tab.
• The points of origin for eyes, mouth, and nose should
• Noses: Contains the Nose content that you select from
generally be set at the center. On the other hand,
the Nose section of the Face tab.
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if you are creating something like a broken nose, • Skin color is also controlled within the Style tab of the
the point of origin might look better being a little bit Character Wizard. When designing your character,
off center. For moving parts (like hands, feet, and assign the color R 255, G 255, B 0 to any parts that you
head) you should set the point of origin at the point of want to replace with the Skin color selected in the Style
rotation. tab.

• Parts can be resized, but only to a limited degree. In • Stroke color is also controlled within the Style tab of the
order to work well within the “normal range”, parts Character Wizard. Any strokes in your Character Wizard
should be designed to the size of the blue output content file that are pure black (R 0, G 0, B 0) will be
rectangle. This rule can be broken ... for example, if you replaced with the Stroke color that is specified in the
intentionally want small, beady eyes you can make Style tab.
them much smaller.

• Examine the heads that are included within the Heads

folder. Some heads have hair that fall in front of facial
features (for an example, see the Spike head, and turn
visibility on and off for the various layers to examine
how they work).

• Hair color is controlled within the Style tab of the

Character Wizard. When designing your character,
assign the color R 0, G 255, B 255 to the objects that
you are using for hair (or eyebrows, moustaches,
and beards). The Character Wizard will replace this
“special” color with the hair color that you choose in
the Style tab.

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Chapter 16: The Changes are not displayed in the timeline until you actually
create a keyframe change in a channel. For example, you

Timeline Window won’t see a change in the Bone channel until you actually
move a bone.

The Timeline window is used when animating in Anime

Studio to control the current time, and to control objects’
keyframes.

Animation channels are not displayed in the timeline until you

add them to your project

If you then rotate the layer, you’ll see the Rotation channel
added to the timeline, along with its keyframe.

The Anime Studio timeline

The Timeline window only displays information about the

currently active layer in the project. When you switch to a
new layer, the timeline panel will update its display to show
the new layer’s keyframes. A rotation channel added to the timeline

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Consolidating Timeline Channels of a layer that has several channel changes (top), and
what the layer looks like if the Consolidate Timeline
There is a Preferences option that allows you to consolidate Channels option is active (bottom).
timeline channels. This option is off by default in Anime
Studio Pro, and on by default in Anime Studio Debut.

A timeline that is not consolidated (top), and a consolidated

timeline (bottom)

Uncheck the Consolidate Timeline Channels option before you

delete keyframes

This option combines all changes on a single layer into one

line in the timeline. The following image shows an example
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The consolidated timeline view displays a

keyframe when there is a change in any of
the consolidated layers. If you delete a keyframe,
you may not be sure which type of keyframe you
are deleting , or whether or not there are multiple
keyframes being deleted at that point. Be sure to
uncheck the Consolidate Timeline Channels option
in the Preferences dialog before you remove any
keyframes from your timeline.

Click the Timeline Options widget to condense or expand the

Timeline Options.
Condensing and Expanding the
Timeline Timeline options appear at the top of the timeline. These
options can be hidden or shown with a controller that
A condense/expand timeline options widget appears in appears next to the ruler. If the options are hidden, a
the upper left of the Timeline window. Click the button to dialog displays the applicable options, along with an
access the dialog. option to show the options in the timeline again.

Controlling Time
The top of the Timeline window has controls for setting the
current time. Whenever you modify an object in Anime
Studio, the modification is recorded at the current time. The
process of modifying an object, changing the time, and
modifying it again is how an animation is created in Anime
Studio.

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Time in Anime Studio is expressed in terms of “frames”, length of the animation is defined by the shaded area
where there are x number of frames in a second. By in the time ruler). The step forward and back buttons
default, a new Anime Studio project has 24 frames per advance and back up by one frame. The play button
second, although this value can be adjusted in the Project plays back the animation in the main editing area,
Settings dialog. repeating playback in a loop. Finally, the stop button stops
playback.
The first set of controls for adjusting time is a set of VCR-like
playback buttons. (These are actually at the bottom of the At the top-left of the Timeline window is a text control that
main window, not in the Timeline window itself.) From left to indicates the current frame number. You can change the
right these buttons are: rewind, step back, stop, play, step current frame by typing in a new value here and pressing
forward, and jump to end. enter.
Directly below the frame field is a sort of ruler that measures
time. This time ruler has small tick marks, one per frame, and
has labeled frame numbers at intervals along its length.
The time ruler also displays the current frame with a red
triangular marker above the current frame’s tick mark. The
time ruler is used both as an indicator of the current time,
as well as a control to adjust it. By clicking (or clicking and
dragging) anywhere on the time ruler, you can change the
current frame.
A certain range of frames in the time ruler are shaded with
a darker color. This shaded region indicates the length of
your animation. When you play back your animation in
Playback controls Anime Studio or export it as a movie file, this shaded region
is the part that will play back. You can change the start
and end frames of your animation in the Project Settings
Rewind sets the current frame to 0, while jump to end sets
dialog, or you can Alt-click in the time ruler to set a new
the current frame to the last one in the animation (the
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start and/or end time. Alt-Click with the left mouse button of text that identifies the marker. They can be added for an
to set the start of your animation, and Alt-click with the right entire document, or per layer.
mouse button to set the end.
• To add a timeline marker, go to the frame at which you
want the marker to start. Click the Add Marker button
Navigating the Timeline with the in the timeline.

Mouse
To navigate through the timeline with your mouse, you can
use the following:

• Use the mouse scrollwheel to move the sequencer

vertically (up and down through the layers).

• Press the Alt key while you use the scrollwheel to move
the playhead right and left through time.
Add Marker button (circled)

• Right-click and drag to pan left or right through the

timeline. • When the Edit Marker dialog opens, enter a name
for the marker. Check the Document-wide marker
• Use the mouse wheel in Graph mode to zoom in and
option if you want the marker to apply to the entire
out of the timeline.
document, or leave the option unchecked to add the
marker to the currently selected layer.

Using Timeline Markers

Anime Studio provides an option to add timeline markers
that help you identify where specific events take place in
your project. The Marker dialog allows you to enter a string
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Edit Marker dialog

Timeline marker regions are based on the

keyframe’s hold values.

Edit Marker dialog You can manipulate markers just like any
other keyframe type.

• After you create the marker, a label appears in

the timeline. Hover over the marker to see the text
associated with it. You can also double-click the Choosing an Interpolation
marker indicator to edit the settings for that marker.
Method
You can choose a keyframe interpolation method in one
of two ways:

• To change the interpolation method for existing

keyframes: Select one or more keyframes. Then right-
click a selected keyframe to open the Keyframe menu.
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Select one of the available interpolation methods from provide a real-time preview of the changes as they are
the menu. applied.

Choosing a default Interpolation Method

The interpolation methods are as follows:

Choosing an interpolation method for existing keyframes
• Default Interpolation: Uses the interpolation method
that is set by the Interpolation popup.
• To change the interpolation method for keyframes that
you will add to the timeline: Immediately to the right of • Smooth: Takes into account neighboring keyframes,
the Motion Graph tab you will see a popup menu that creating a smooth transition from one keyframe to the
allows you to choose a default interpolation method. next.
The method that you choose here will be applied to
any new keyframes that you create. Anime Studio will

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Smooth interpolation Ease In/Out interpolation

• Linear: Moves an object in a straight line, with no • Ease In: Creates a smooth transition at the beginning.
acceleration or deceleration from one keyframe to the
next.

Ease In interpolation

Linear interpolation
• Ease Out: Creates a smooth transition at the end.

• Ease In/Out: Creates a smooth transition at the

beginning and the end.

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Ease Out interpolation Step interpolation

• Bezier: Allows you to use Bezier handles to shape an • Noisy: Can be used to simulate a handheld camera,
animation curve. but it can be used to interpolate any value. It adds
jitter to the interpolation process so that the object
appears wobbly from one keyframe to the next.

Bezier interpolation

Noisy interpolation
• Step: Holds an object, unmoving, at the previous
keyframe’s position until the next keyframe is reached.
Then it suddenly jumps (or steps) to the new position. • Cycle: Cycles back to a specific frame number
(absolute cycling), or back by a specified number of
frames (relative cycling).

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back again until it settles down on the ending value.

You have control over the scale of the bounces, and
can also allow the elastic effect to happen in reverse.

Cycle interpolation

• Bounce: Creates a bounce between the start and end

points. Settings include the number of bounces, and
Elastic interpolation
the height scale. A setting of 4 for a bounce count and
a scale of .75 would result in an object that bounces
four times, and each bounce would reach 75 percent • Stagger: Creates a stairstepping effect between
of its previous height. keyframes, and gives the illusion of an object that is
staggering against weight.

Bounce interpolation
Stagger interpolation

• Elastic: Similar to bounce, above, except that the

effect overshoots the ending value and then curves

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Choosing an Animation Interval

By default, interpolation is calculated for each frame (an
animation interval of 1). There might be cases when you
want your animation to be calculated less frequently.
The greater the animation interval, the less smooth your
animation will be.
The Animation Interval popup menu will allow you to
select an animation interval between 1 and 6 frames. You
can find this popup menu in the Timeline, between the
Interpolation and Onionskins popup menus.
The interpolation level is normally 1, which means that a
change is interpolated for each frame. When you choose
an animation interval other than one, a change will not Choosing an Animation Interval for selected keyframe(s)
occur until after that number of frames is reached. For
example, an interpolation level of 3 would cause the
• To change the default animation interval: Use the
selected layer to change at every third frame. This can
Animation Interval popup that appears in the Timeline
create motion that looks more staggered, without having
window. Click the Animation Interval button to select
to add a lot of keyframes to accomplish the same effect.
a default animation interval between 1 and 6. This
• To change the animation interval for existing default animation interval will be applied to any new
keyframes: Select one or more keyframes. Then right- keyframes that you add, until you change the default
click a selected keyframe to open the Keyframe menu. setting.
Expand the Interval command to select an animation
interval between 1 and 6.

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Choosing a default Animation Interval

Onion Skin Options

Onion Skins
The Onionskin options are as follows:
Next, just below the time ruler, is the onionskin controller.
Expand the Onionskins menu to enable this feature and set • Enable onion skins: Turns on the display of onion skins
additional options. and allows you to set onion skin markers in the timeline.
You will be unable to add onion skin markers unless
this option is checked. You’ll notice has marks that line
up with the frames in the time ruler. By clicking one of
these tick marks, you can turn on an “onionskin” frame.
Anime Studio can display up to 8 onionskin frames.

ƒƒ To add an onionskin marker, click in the tickmarks,

beneath the frame number at which you want to
add an onionskin.

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ƒƒ To remove an onionskin marker, click the marker form. Onionskins before the current frame will be
that you want to remove. colored red in varying transparencies. Onionskins after
the current frame will be displayed green in varying
transparencies.

Onion skin markers placed in the timeline.

• If you uncheck this option after you set onionskin

markers, it will remove the existing markers With Outlines Only unchecked, onionskins are shown as
completely and the onionskin bar will be inactive. To partially transparent versions of the layer.
remove existing markers but keep the bar active, use the
Clear All button, described below.

• Outlines only: With this option checked, onion skin

frames will be displayed at various levels of opacity.
Frames that are farther away from the current frame
will be more transparent, and frames that are closer
will be less transparent. With this option checked.
the onion skin frames will be displayed only in outline
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• Clear All: Click this button to remove all existing onion

skin markers. The onion skin bar will remain active so
that you can add new onionskin markers.

• Playing a Partial Segment

Sometimes, you may want to play back just a short
segment of the timeline, instead of your entire animation.
For example, you may be working on one small move, and
you want to play it back over and over while you make
small changes to see when you’ve got it just right.
To set a limited segment of the timeline for playback, hold
down the Ctrl key (Windows) or Cmd key (Mac) while you
With outlines only checked, onionskins are shown as red and click in the time ruler. Click with the left mouse button to
green outlines of varying transparency. set the beginning of the segment, and click with the right
mouse button to set the endpoint. To remove the limited
• Relative frames: When this option is checked, you playback segment, Ctrl-click on the segment endpoints to
will be able to scrub through the timeline, and the remove them from the timeline.
onionskin markers will move with the current frame,
keeping the same relative distance to each other.
When unchecked, the onion skin frames will remain
Animation Channels
stationary as you scrub through the timeline. Most of the timeline panel is taken up with animation
channels, drawn as horizontal bars below the time ruler.
• Selected layer only: When checked, this option will
Each animation channel displays a certain type of
only display the onionskins for the currently active layer.
motion or effect that can take place in an Anime Studio
When unchecked, onionskins will be displayed for all
animation. These animation channels only appear in
layers in the scene.

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the timeline if you have keyframes associated with that Layer Motion Channels
particular animation channel.
Different types of layers have different animation channels Layer Translation

available. For example, vector layers are the only ones

with a point animation channel, and bone layers are the Layer Scale
only ones with bone animation channels. At the left end of
each animation channel is a small icon that indicates what Layer Z Rotation
type of channel it is.
Layer Y Rotation
Shown below are the icons for the various types of
animation channels. Note that the red-colored channel Layer X Rotation
icons represent animation for the currently selected object.
(If you’re ever unsure about which channel an channel
Layer Horizontal Flip
icon refers to, just hold your mouse over it momentarily for a
tooltip reminder.)
Layer Vertical Flip

To help reduce visual clutter, not all animation

Layer Shear
channels have to be displayed at once in the
timeline. For example, you won’t often have to refer
to the Layer Shading channel in the timeline. Hidden
channels are still doing their work behind the scenes, Layer Effect Channels
they just aren’t displayed in the timeline.
Layer Visibility

Layer Blur

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Layer Opacity Selected Point Motion

Layer Shadow Point Curvature

Layer Shading Selected Point Curvature

Layer Motion Blur Fill Color

Selected Fill Color

Camera Channels
Line Color

Camera Tracking
Selected Line Color

Camera Zoom

Camera Roll Bone-Only Channels

Camera Pan/Tilt Bone Angle

Selected Bone Angle

Vector-Only Channels
Bone Translation
Point Motion
Selected Bone Translation

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Bone Scale
the layer, a keyframe will appear in the layer scale channel
at frame 24.
Selected Bone Scale Keyframes appear as small markers on the channels. At
points in time that lie in between keyframes, Anime Studio
Bone Lock automatically calculates how to move an object from one
keyframe position to the next.
Selected Bone Lock
Keyframes are not just static elements displayed in the
animation channels. They can be moved, deleted, and
copied. Anime Studio remembers what key frames are
Switch-Only Channels selected when you change layers, delete keys, move keys,
and so on.
Switch Layer

Editing Keyframe Settings

Particle-Only Channels The Window > Keyframe command opens the Keyframe
window so that you can manage settings for the keyframes
Particles On/Off
in your project.
1. Select the keyframes that you want to modify.

2. Choose Window > Keyframe or use the shortcut Ctrl/

Working with Keyframes Command+Alt+E to open the Keyframe dialog.

Keyframes are displayed along the length of an animation

channel. A keyframe represents a point in time at which
you, the animator, made a modification to an object. For
example, if you set the current time to frame 24, then scale

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keyframe selection. These methods are described

in “Choosing an Interpolation Method” on page
287.

ƒƒ Stagger: Check this option to apply a “stairstep”

effect to the selected interpolation method.

ƒƒ Hold Duration: Enter the number of frames desired

for the hold duration (the number of frames you
want to hold the objects in their current position)
and press Enter to apply the setting. For additional
information, see “Hold Durations” on page 303.

ƒƒ Interval: By default, interpolation is calculated at

every frame. Increasing the setting creates an
animation that is less smooth. For more information,
see “Choosing an Animation Interval” on page
292.
Keyframe dialog
ƒƒ Label: Use the Label dropdown to choose a color
3. Modify the following settings as applicable. Settings are that later helps you identify keyframes that share
applied live as you modify them: common settings.

ƒƒ Keyframe: Displays the frame number at which

your keyframe selection begins. The plus sign
indicates that the selection extends beyond the
designated frame number.

ƒƒ Interpolation: Use the Interpolation menu to

select the desired interpolation method for the
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Copying and Pasting Keyframes

Another way of creating keyframes is to copy an object’s
position from another point in time. Keyframes can also be
copied from one layer to another, or from one document
to another.
To copy keyframes:
1. Select the keyframes you want to copy.

Keyframes with a color label applied. 2. Press CMD/CTRL+C to copy the keyframes to the
clipboard.

3. Select the layer or document to which you want to

Adding Keyframes paste the keyframes.

Keyframes are added automatically when you make a 4. Set the current frame to when you want the copied
change (such as position, rotation, scale, etc) on any keyframe to appear (using the time ruler or the step
object in your project. forward/back buttons).
Use the Animation > Add Keyframe command to add
5. Press CMD/CTRL+V to place a copy of the keyframes
a new keyframe to any animation that already has
at the current time. When you paste keyframes, they
keyframes.
become the new selection so that you can move,
You can also add a keyframe to the current frame at scale, or finetune them.
any time by double-clicking the timeline in any animation
channel. This also works in graph mode.

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You can also use the Edit > Paste Relative

command to paste keyframes and continue
animation relative to the current position in the
timeline. See “Paste Relative” on page 361 for
more information.

Selecting Keyframes
To modify a keyframe, first it must be selected. This is
accomplished simply by clicking a keyframe in the timeline
panel. A selected keyframe shows up in a highlighted
color.
Multiple keyframes may be selected by holding the shift
key while clicking on keyframes. Alternatively, you can click
and drag a rectangular selection box around the group of
keyframes you want selected.
You can also right-click a keyframe and then use the Select
Keys to Right command in the context menu to select all Keyframe context menu
keyframes that appear in time after the currently selected
keyframe. This helps when you need to add space in the
middle of a long animation, because you won’t have to Deleting Keyframes
scroll through to the end of the animation while selecting
keyframes manually. To delete selected keyframe(s), press the Delete key.
Deleting a keyframe removes motion from an object.

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Moving Keyframes
Keyframes can also be moved by dragging them forward
and back in time. If you want some motion to take less
time, drag its keyframe to the left. To take more time, drag
it to the right. You can also move selected keyframes
beyond other keyframes.

Coloring Keyframes
You can use color to label the keyframes in your timeline
in ways that are meaningful to you. For example, you
can assign one color to keyframes that pertain to a
particular character in your scene, and another color for
another character. This helps you visually keep track of the
movements associated with a particular object or group of
objects.
To add color to keyframes, select the keyframes that you
want to assign color to. Then right-click to display the Assigning a color label to keyframes
Keyframe context menu, and choose Label > followed
by your color choice (Gray, Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow,
Orange, or Red).
Editing Multiple Keyframes
If you have a number of keyframes that you want to edit.
you can now select multiple keyframes and edit them
at the same time. For example, if you want to move an

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object to a different part of the screen but want to keep appear in the frames where the keyframe is held in its set
the animation of that object the same, you can select all position.
the keyframes and translate them all at the same time.
You can also right-click the keyframe in the timeline to
Select all the keyframes for that object and use the mouse
display the keyframe context menu, and then enter a hold
to move the object to the new location. Then release the
duration (in frames) in the Hold Duration dialog.
mouse button to complete the movement.
This works for both layer movement and point movement.
For example, let’s say that you have a circle that squashes
and stretches, but you want to turn it into a petal shape.
You can select all of the keyframes and then reshape the
object on the first keyframe as needed. Then the reshaping
will be applied to all of the keyframes that follow.

Hold Durations
Hold durations shown in the timeline.
There are times when you need to hold an object in the
same position for a while, before the animation starts. In
cases like this, you can add a hold duration that keeps
the object in place for a set number of frames. Place a
Keyframe Transitions
keyframe in the first frame where you want the object to
As mentioned before, Anime Studio automatically
stay still, and then add a hold duration for the number of
calculates what happens in between keyframes. However,
additional frames where you want the object to pause.
you do have some control over this. By default, Anime
To directly modify the hold duration for a selected Studio will compute a smooth transition from one keyframe
keyframe, hold down the ALT/OPTION key while dragging to the next - most of the time, this is probably what you
the keyframe in the timeline. A red-colored rectangle will want. However, you can change the transition type by
right-clicking a keyframe and choosing a new method

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from the popup menu that appears. The transition methods The Sequencer allows you to easily move a layer forward
are: smooth (the default), ease in/out (also a smooth or backward in time. Move the clip toward the left to have
motion, but the object starts off moving kind of slowly and it start sooner, or toward the right to have it start later.
slows down again as it approaches the next keyframe), The green arrow in the time ruler, located at the top of
linear (motion is straight from one keyframe to the next, the Sequencer timeline, indicates the frame at which the
leading to a somewhat mechanical look to the motion), currently selected clip will start.
step (there is no transition at all - the object just jumps
from one keyframe to the next), noisy (the object moves You can also reposition your clips in the
in a slightly wobbly motion), and cycle (the value from Channels timeline view. Select the channel
this keyframe to the next will be taken from some earlier you want to move, then right-click in the Time Ruler
section of the timeline). to drag the green arrow to the right or left. You’ll
notice the keyframes and arrow relocate with the
mouse.
Sequencer
For example, you can reposition a layer from frame 1 to
The sequencer provides another view of the timeline. It frame 38, causing the animation in that layer to start at
displays each layer as a block of time. Keyframe changes a later time. To move a layer and its sublayers, click the
are not displayed in the sequencer, but you can create topmost layer and move all of them at the same time. To
keyframe changes in this view. move a sublayer, click the desired sublayer to move it on
its own.

The Sequencer

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window, and the track in the sequencer will appear as

though it ends at the point where it was hidden.

Select a layer to move it and its sublayers

You can also move a sublayer by itself

You can also use the sequencer to show or hide a layer at

any time during the movie. Advance to the frame where
you want the layer to become invisible. Open the Layer
Settings dialog for the layer that you want to hide, uncheck
the Visible checkbox, and close the Layer Settings dialog. Check or uncheck the Visible setting in the Layer Settings
The contents in the layer will disappear in the project dialog to show or hide a layer

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To make the layer reappear later in the timeline, repeat character disappears from the scene. You can place the
the process. Select the layer you want to unhide, open pop in the right place.
the Layer Settings dialog, and check the Visible checkbox.
It works the same way if you import a video layer. For
After you close the Layer Settings dialog the layer will
example, if you want an explosion to happen just before
reappear in the sequencer.
the pop, you can import a video layer and place it just
before the sound effect.

You can precisely place audio and video files in Sequencer

view

Motion Graph
The sequencer shows a break where the layer is hidden
In the Motion Graph in the Timeline window, you can
If you import an audio file, it has a fixed duration in the enable Anime Studio’s graph mode. In graph mode, the
sequencer. You can see where the sound effect will animation channels of the current layer are displayed
happen. Say you want a pop to happen when your graphically, rather than just as points along a line. In the
example below you can see what graph mode looks like:
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Page Up/Page Down, you can move the graph up

and down.

ƒƒ Press the End key, to automatically scale the graph

to accommodate the currently active channel.

The Timeline window in graph mode

The main body of the timeline is now a graph, showing the

value of the animation channels as curves:
Use the scrollwheel on your mouse to increase the vertical
range of the animation curves.
• The horizontal dimension represents time in frames (just
as in the regular timeline mode). To move forward or
backward in time, you can scrub the playhead left or If all animation channels were displayed at once, the
right. graph would become too cluttered to be useful, so it’s
up to you which channels to display at any given time. To
• Depending on the values in your animation channels, turn the display of a channel on and off, click its icon on
the curves on the graph may be too large to view, the left side of the timeline. Channels that are turned on
or too small to work with easily. You can change the become highlighted in the color of their respective curves
vertical scale of the graph in the following ways: in the graph - in the following example, three channels are
turned on: Move (red), Scale (green), and Rotate (olive).
• Scroll the mousewheel to increase or decrease the
vertical scale.

ƒƒ Set the vertical scale numerically in the Scale text

field in the Graph Mode popup.

ƒƒ Press the Page Up/Page Down keys to zoom in and

out vertically. If you hold the Shift key while pressing
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Use the scrollwheel on your mouse to increase the vertical Double-click a channel icon to make it the active channel.
range of the animation curves.
In graph mode, you can still add keyframes (use the popup
To further reduce clutter, only one channel can be active menu through the right mouse button), delete keyframes,
in editing mode at a time. The active channel’s icon on the and move keyframes back and forth. In addition, you can
left is outlined to indicate this - here the Layer Z Rotation move keyframes vertically - that is, change the value of
channel is active. Double-click a channel icon to activate keyframes.
it. The active channel is the only one that has its keyframes
Something that will become apparent in graph mode is
displayed in the graph - the keyframes look the same as in
that some channels have more than one value for every
regular mode.
keyframe. For example, the Layer Translation channel has
separate values for X, Y, and Z translation. These values will
appear as separate colors in the graph: Red for X, Green
for Y, and Blue for Z.

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Different colors are used for X (Red), Y (Green) and Z (Blue)

layer translations.

Another thing you may notice when using animation

cycling: A channel that cycles will have a repeating curve,
without more keyframes after the one that cycles.
For a hands-on example of using the timeline in graph
mode, see “Tutorial 5.4: Animation Curves” on page 185 in
your Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.

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Chapter 17: Other • Sync with Timeline Playback: If this box is checked, the
timeline will play back while you record the audio (and

Windows when you play back the audio). This lets you record in
sync with the visuals if you choose to do so.

• Microphone Drop-Down List: Selects the microphone

that you want to use for audio recording.
Audio Recording
• Pitch Shifting: Use the Pitch Shifting slider to raise or
Anime Studio allows you to record audio tracks within the lower the pitch of the recording. Move the slider
application. Select Window > Audio Recording to open the toward the left to lower the pitch, or toward the right to
Audio Recording palette. You will see the following controls raise the pitch. The Reset button returns the recording
and settings: to its original pitch.

• Record Button: Press the Record button to start a • Add to Project: Once you are satisfied with the
recording. After you have recorded the content you recording, click this button to save the recording as
want to record (speech, sound effects, etc.), press the a WAV file. The WAV file also appears in the Layers
same button to stop the recording. window as a new audio layer, and in the timeline of
your current project.
You can start a recording at any selected
frame in the timeline. Simply select the frame
at which you want the recording to begin, and start
your recording at that frame.

• Play Button: After the recording is complete, press the

Play button to hear the recording.

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head turns, walk cycles, etc. The Actions window (as you
may have guessed) is where you create and use actions.
“Tutorial 5.6: Actions” on page 194 in your Anime Studio
Tutorial Manual shows you step-by-step how to use actions
in Anime Studio.
When you start up Anime Studio, the Actions window is
hidden. To bring it up, select “Actions” from the Window
menu. The Actions window looks like this:

Audio Recording Window

Actions Window
In Anime Studio, “actions” are short clips of animation that
can be inserted into the timeline and re-used over and
over again. You might use actions to create little bits of
animation that you don’t want to have to re-create each
and every time you use them - for example, eye blinks, The Actions window

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Across the top of the window are four buttons: New Action,
Insert Reference, Insert Copy, Delete Action.
Below the buttons is the actions list, which contains a list of
all actions available for the current layer. You can display
the Actions list in one of four views:

• All: Displays all actions in your project.

• Regular: Displays actions of a general nature, and

which are not configured as morphs or smart bones.

• Morphs: Displays a list of actions that apply to morphs

only. See “Creating Morphs” on page 315 for further
steps.

• Smart Bones: Displays a list of actions that apply only

to Smart Bones. See “Smart Bones” on page 90 for
more information.
New layers have no actions, just “Mainline”, which
represents the main animation timeline. Creating a New Layer

Creating New Actions Editing Actions

To create a new action, just click the New Action button.
To edit an action, double-click it - this will switch an action
Anime Studio will prompt you to name the action. The new
into editing mode. (When you create a new action, it also
action is created in the current layer and, if the layer is a
starts off in editing mode.) You can tell which action is in
group-type layer, in all of its child layers.
editing mode by the red arrow to its left, as seen below.
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working on a little reusable clip. Actions by themselves do

not appear in your final animation - they only appear if
you use them in the main timeline. To switch back to the
main timeline, double-click on the “Mainline” action in the
actions window. (Mainline is not really an action - it’s just a
way to refer to the main animation timeline.)

Using Actions
When you simply create actions, they won’t appear in the
final animation - they need to be used in the main timeline.
To use an action, you just need to insert it into the main
timeline, which is a simple process.
Make sure the “Mainline” action is active (double-click it so
that it has a red arrow next to it).
1. Set the current time to the frame at which you wish to
use the action.
The Blink action in editing mode.
2. Click once on the action you wish to use to highlight it.
When you’re editing an action, you’ll also notice a couple
3. Click either the “Insert Reference” or “Insert Copy”
things change in the Timeline window. First, the title bar of
buttons in the Actions window. This is what the Actions
the timeline will indicate the active action. Second, the
window would look like just before inserting the “Step”
background of the timeline changes color to remind you
action:
that you’re editing an action, and not the main timeline.
As you edit an action, the timeline works like normal,
but instead of working on your main animation, you’re
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other normal keyframes. If you later modify the action, any

changes you make will not appear in the mainline.
If you create actions for objects in your scene you can
assign shortcuts to those actions. You can assign the
shortcut when you create an action, or you can right-click
on an existing action and assign a shortcut.
The shortcuts make it easy to reuse the actions in an
animation. You can press the shortcut keys while an
animation is playing back to insert the action into the
timeline.

Inserting an action.

If you insert an action by reference, Anime Studio will

insert a special keyframe in the Mainline that refers back
to the action you used. Later, if you make changes to the Setting an Action Shortcut.
action, these changes will automatically be reflected in
the mainline. On the other hand, if you insert an action by
copy, Anime Studio will simply copy all of the keyframes
in the action to the mainline, and they will act just like

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Deleting Actions
To delete an action, click once to make sure it is
highlighted, then click the Delete Action button. When you
delete an action, if that action was inserted by reference
into the mainline at any point, those inserted references will
also disappear. If you inserted the action as a copy, those
copies will remain unchanged.

Creating Morphs
Anime Studio allows you to blend several different morph
targets together to create a combination of actions or The Actions window.
effects. For further information on this feature, see “Blend
Morphs” on page 411. To create a new morph, click the New Action button (the
first button in the Actions toolbar). Enter a name for your
To create morph that you can use with the Window > Blend
morph in the Action Name dialog.
Morphs command, choose Window > Actions to open the
Actions window. This window allows you to create little
reusable clips of single-frame animations.

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Assign a name for your morph.

Default state (left) and Happy morph (right).

Then, move some points around in your scene to represent

After you create your new morph, click the Mainline
the morph that you are creating. The following shows
(top) line in the Actions window. The character should
an example of the scene before and after the Happy
return to its default state. Select the Happy action again
changes are made:
in the Actions window, and notice a single-frame action
in the Channels tab of the timeline. Notice that all of the
keyframes are on Frame 1. This is very important when
blending poses. A general action can have as many
keyframes as you like … but if you want to blend poses, the
action can only contain a single keyframe at Frame 1.

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Select the Happy morph in the Actions window, and notice a

single keyframe in the timeline

Continue creating additional actions that you want to

blend together. In our demonstration, we have created You can morph any type of value. The Angry morph will
two additional actions – Angry, and Sad – both shown in change the color of the face in addition to changing the facial
the following image. Note that your action can change features.
keyframes for anything. In addition to moving some points,
the Angry action also changes the color of the face. Now
you should have a number of actions, all with single-frame
animations that have keyframes on frame 1.

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Anime Studio
Menus

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Chapter 18: File Menu

File Menu

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New documents than can be displayed there. Click this

chevron to display a menu of all opened documents.
Creates a new, empty Anime Studio project using the When you choose a document from the menu, Anime
default project settings (NTSC D1, 720 x 534 pixels). Use the Studio will move it to the first tab in the document tab
Project Settings command (“Project Settings...” on page bar.
324) to change your project settings if desired.
Anime Studio names the first new document Untitled.anme.
After that, each new document is named Untitled x.anme,
where x is a number that is one higher than the number of
untitled documents that are currently opened.

Multiple Document Support

When you create a new document, it will open in a new
tab and keep the other documents open in their own tabs.
You can drag the tabs left or right to change the order in Click the chevron at the far right corner of the document tab
which they appear. Anime Studio 10 allows you to have up to display a menu of additional opened documents.
to 64 documents open at the same time. You will receive
an alert when that number is exceeded.
• Open documents also appear in a list at the bottom of
Use the View > Show Document Tabs command or the the View menu. Select one of the documents in the list
keyboard shortcut Command/CTRL+Shift+J to show and to bring it to the foreground.
hide the document tabs in the interface. If the tabs are
hidden, you can select documents in the following ways: • To switch to the next document press Ctrl+Tab
(Windows) or Alt+Tab (Mac).
• A chevron control appears in the far right corner of
the document tab bar when you have opened more

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• To switch to the previous document press Ctrl+Shift+Tab documents from Windows Explorer or Finder to open them
(Windows) or Alt+Shift+Tab (Mac). in Anime Studio. Each document will open in its own tab.
Autosave files are generated for all open documents. If the
Anime Studio will display an alert if you try to
application doesn’t shut down properly for some reason,
open more than 64 documents.
a dialog will give you the opportunity to reopen them the
next time you launch Anime Studio. Viewport settings and
See “Multiple Document Support” on page 320 for more
tool selections will also be restored.
information.

New from Template If you open an Anime file that references an

image file that has been renamed, you only
Allows you to create a new project based on a template. need to locate it one time, even if it used multiple
Expand the submenu to see an available list of templates. times in the Anime file.

Templates are standard ANME files that are

saved to the Templates folder within your
Anime Studio installation folder. For example, if you
Open Recent
want to create a template for use in Anime Studio Displays a list of recent files that you can reopen. Files
Pro, you can save your ANME file to Smith Micro > that have been moved or deleted since saving them will
Anime Studio Pro 10 > Templates folder. automatically be removed from the list.
To clear the list of recent files, choose File > Open Recent,
and click the Clear Menu command at the bottom of the
Open... list.

Prompts you to open a Anime Studio project file that was

previously saved to disk. The Open dialog allows you to
select multiple documents. You can also drag one or more

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Close Anime Studio documents are now saved with

a preview thumbnail. By default the it
Closes the current project. You can also close a document generates a thumbnail that is 128 x 128 pixels. You
by clicking the X that appears in the left side of the can set thumbnail preferences in the Preferences
document tab when you hover over the tab. dialog. See “Options Tab” on page 362 for more
information about thumbnail options.

Save As...
Prompts you for a name and location, then saves the
project to disk.
Click the X in the tab to close the current document.

Revert
Save Revert the current document to its last saved state.
Saves the current project to disk.

Your Anime Studio project is automatically Gather Media

saved every 30 seconds while you work, to a
When you import something into an Anime Studio project,
temporary location on your hard drive. If the
such as an image, movie, or audio file, the original
application crashes, you will be asked if you want to
locations of the imported objects are only referenced
reopen the previous project the next time you start
within the Anime Studio project. In other words, they are
Anime Studio.
not actually part of the project file itself, rather the project
file links to the files on your disk(s).

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If your project contains many external files, we recommend After choosing the command, you are prompted to select
that you place them in a common folder. When you do or create a folder in which to store the project-related files.
that, you have a self-contained folder that you can copy, You then enter a name for the gathered project and click
archive, or move the project and the project will still work. Save to save it to the selected folder. When you look in
the folder, you will see the Anime Studio project file, along
If you haven’t kept your files in a single folder, the File >
with Audio, Images, and/or Movies folders that store the
Gather Media command allows you to create a single
collected media associated with it.
location for all related project files. This is very useful
if you need to send your project to someone else for
Poser scenes will not get gathered, due to the
collaboration or for technical support.
complex structure of the Poser library folder
hierarchy.

A Gathered Media folder

Gather Media command

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Export as Version 9 File • Threshold effects

• Use of new brushes.

The File > Export as Version 9 File commands will export a
project file that is compatible with Anime Studio 9.
The algorithims that underly blurs (layer blur, Project Settings...
shadows, shading, depth of field, etc.) and variable
width lines changed in Anime Studio 10. Exporting them to Brings up the project settings dialog. As seen below, the
Version 9 may produce slightly different results. project settings dialog lets you control the pixel width and
height of the project, as well as the number of frames per
Any of the following features that are used in an Anime
second. You’re free to change these values at any time,
Studio 10 project will not be exported when you choose this
although it’s easiest if you set up the values you want
command:
before you start creating your animation (particularly the
frame rate). Also in this dialog, you can set the start and
• Bone targets
end frames of your animation, defining how long the
• Independent bone angles overall animation will be.

• Squash and Stretch bones

• Hidden bones

• Shy bones

• Stagger interpolation

• Bounce and Elastic interpolation

• Texture fill effects with transparency option

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ƒƒ NTSC D1 Widescreen: 872 x 486 pixels, 24 frames

per second

ƒƒ PAL D1/DV: 788 x 576 pixels, 24 frames per second

ƒƒ PAL D1/DV Widescreen: 1050 x 576 pixels, 24 frames

per second

ƒƒ 480p Widescreen: 852 x 480, 24 frames per second

ƒƒ 720p (HDV/HDTV): 1280 x 720 pixels, 24 frames per

second

ƒƒ 1080p (HDV): 1440 x 1080 pixels, 24 frames per

second

ƒƒ 1080p (HDTV): 1920 x 1080 pixels, 24 frames per

second
The Project Settings dialog ƒƒ VGA: 640 x 480 pixels, 24 frames per second

ƒƒ Web: 320 x 240 pixels, 24 frames per second

Dimensions ƒƒ Web Widescreen: 426 x 240 pixels, 24 frames per

second

• Dimensions menu: Allows you to set Custom ƒƒ YouTube: 480 x 320 pixels, 24 frames per second
dimensions, or choose from a wide variety of presets.
ƒƒ YouTube HD: 1280 x 720 pixels, 24 frames per
Presets include the following:
second
ƒƒ Custom: Allows you to enter or edit your own
ƒƒ iPhone: 480 x 320 pixels, 24 frames per second
settings.
ƒƒ iPhone 4: 960 x 640 pixels, 24 frames per second
ƒƒ NTSC D1: 720 x 534 pixels, 24 frames per second
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ƒƒ iPhone 5: 1136 x 640 pixels, 24 frames per second ƒƒ Frame Rate: The number of frames per second in
the animation.
ƒƒ iPad: 1024 x 768 pixels, 24 frames per second
ƒƒ Start Frame: The starting frame of the animation.
ƒƒ iPad HD: 1280 x 1024 pixels, 24 frames per second
ƒƒ End Frame: The ending frame of the animation.
ƒƒ Android: 480 x 360 pixels, 24 frames per second

ƒƒ Android HD: 1280 x 1024 pixels, 24 frames per

second
Background Color
ƒƒ Droid: 854 x 480 pixels, 24 frames per second • Background Color: Sets a background color for the
project - just click on the color swatch.
• Constrain Proportions: This option allows you to
maintain the aspect ratio of your animation project.
When the option is checked, you can enter a Depth of Field
new width or height, and the other dimension will
automatically change to maintain the same width-to- • Depth of Field: Depth of field simulates a camera,
height aspect ratio. If you choose one of the preset where a certain range of objects are in focus, while
configurations from the Dimensions drop-down list, it closer or more distant objects become blurry
will ignore the Constrain Proportions option and resize
your project to the dimensions specified in the selected ƒƒ Enabled: Check this option to enable or disable the
preset. Depth of Field feature in your project.

ƒƒ Focus Distance: The focus distance value is the

• When you select a preset, the following settings
distance from the camera to the plane of perfect
appear below.
focus.
ƒƒ Width: The width, in pixels
ƒƒ Focus Range: Objects that are within the “focus
ƒƒ Height: The height, in pixels range” distance of this plane will also appear in
focus. For this feature to work correctly, you need

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to set up multiple layers with different depth values Pen. The preview window updates as you make your
so that some can be in focus, and others out of selections.
focus. If you move the layers (or the camera)
in your animation, the focus will automatically
change based on distance from the camera.

ƒƒ Max Blur Radius: Sets a maximum value for the

blurriness of your scene.

Enhancements in Anime Studio 10 make it easier to

define sharp and blurry areas when Depth of Field
is used. “Tutorial 6:5.2: Crowds, Particles, and Depth
of Field” on page 243 in your Anime Studio Tutorial
Manual shows how to use these enhancements.

Render Style
The Render Style section allows you to select the type of
rendering that will be performed when you choose the File
> Preview command, or use the Cmd +R (Mac) or Ctrl+R
(Windows) shortcuts.
The following settings are included in this section:

• Fill Style: Select the fill style that you want to use each
time you render. Choices are Normal, None (same
as turning the Fill option off in the Style window);
Background; Back Transparent; Crayon; Hatched, and
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• Stroke Style: Select the stroke style that you want to

use each time you render. Choices are Normal; None;
Basic Black; Sketchy; Crayon; and Pen. The preview
window updates as you make your selections. In
addition, there is a Chalk style that is designed for use
with a white stroke color on a dark background as
shown below.

The Crayon style is also available as an effect

in the Advanced view of the Style window.

Global Fill styles

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Chalk Stroke style.

• Layer Style: Select the layer style that you want to use
each time you render. Choices are Normal, Heavy
Global Stroke styles.
Outline, and Cutout. The preview window updates as
you make your selections.

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Other Settings

• Sort Layers by Depth: The “Sort layers by depth”

checkbox allows top-level layers in Anime Studio to
move in front of and behind each other during an
animation. Normally, layers are drawn in the order they
appear in the Layers window. However, with this option
turned on, layers are displayed according to how far
they are from the camera. See “Tutorial 5.5: Sorting
Layers by Depth” on page 189 in your Anime Studio
Tutorial Manual for an example of using this feature.

• Sort by True Distance: Typically, layers are sorted by

their depth from the camera, but if you’re trying to
create a 3D object using multiple Anime Studio layers
(like a cube or pyramid), you may want to turn on “Sort
by true distance”. This tells Anime Studio to sort layers
by the distance from the camera to the layers’ origins,
Global Layer styles.
rather than by depth. Usually this option will be left
unchecked.
• Minimize frame-to-frame randomness: If this option
is not checked, styles like crayon will have lines that • Noise Grain: With the “Noise grain” field, you can set
appear different on each frame, which can cause up some noise grain for the project. Noise grain is a
some distraction unless frame rates are lower and subtle film grain-type effect that adds slight variations
the effect is intentional. When you turn this option to the pixels in your project and leads to a more natural
on, Anime Studio will try to use the same crayon look to the final image. It can also increase the visual
strokes from frame to frame to reduce the amount of quality in some kinds of movie compression when you
flickering. generate an animation. If you want to try out noise

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grain, a value of 16 is a good start for a subtle noise Choose View > Stereo to see a live preview of
effect. the Red/Blue stereo effects. This makes it
easier to preview and reposition your 3D objects
• Stereo Rendering: Use the Stereo Rendering drop-Down
to select the type of stereo rendering you want to
perform: • Eye Separation: This setting controls how far apart the
right and left eyes are when rendering two images
ƒƒ None: Turns off stereo rendering capabilities. for a stereo rendering. If the value is too close, the 3D
effect is lost. If the value is too far apart, the 3D effect
3D Rendering settings should be set to None if
will cause eye strain or won’t look as effective.
you do not want to render out in a 3D
format). • Extra SWF Frame: Check this option to add an extra
frame at the end of the video
ƒƒ Red/Blue Anaglyph: When you render or preview
your project with this setting enabled, you will see
3D objects rendered as a red/blue stereo pair. You
will need special red/blue stereo 3D glasses to see
the object in three dimensional space.

ƒƒ Side By Side (YouTube friendly): Produces two

separate images rendered side by side in the same
image, one for the left eye and one for the right
eye.

ƒƒ Cross-eyed: Looks similar to Side by Side, except

that the left eye image is on the right side, and the
right eye image is on the left side. This is the type of
stereo rendering that YouTube expects.

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• Restore Defaults: Resets the project to the default

values.

Import
Anime Studio can import several kinds of other media files
into an animation project. The commands in this sub-menu
let you import these files.

• Anime Studio Object: This command will ask you to

choose a Anime Studio project file. Once you’ve
chosen a file, a list of layers in the project will show up
in the dialog

3D Stereo view

• Save as Defaults: When you create a new project in

Anime Studio, your animation defaults to 320x240 pixels
at 24 frames per second. If you create most of your
projects at different settings, you can change these
defaults. Just type in new values in this dialog, and
click “Save As Defaults” to make the new settings the The Insert Object dialog
default settings for all new projects.

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Checkboxes appear to the left of each of the items • Movie: Imports a movie file as a new Image layer.
in the scene you want to import. Check one or more Anime Studio supports importing QuickTime (Windows
of the layers to add it to your own project (a preview and Mac OS) and AVI (Windows only) movie files. A
of the selected layer appears on the right side of the movie that you import into Anime Studio will play back
dialog. The Uncheck All or Check All buttons can be along with the Anime Studio animation, allowing you
used to deselect or select all of the items in the project. to combine 2D and 3D elements, or to composite an
Press OK to copy the selected layers into your open Anime Studio animation on top of a pre-recorded
project, including any animation in the layer. This is an video sequence. On Windows, if you have problems
easy way to share objects between project files and importing QuickTime movies, then you probably need
reuse bits of animation here and there. to download and install QuickTime (http://www.apple.
com/quicktime/). Anime Studio will also import native
Several files are included with Anime Studio that Moho files (files ending with .moho).
contain scenery, characters, props, etc. You are
welcome to include these in your own projects by using • Vector File: (Anime Studio Pro only) Asks you to select
this menu command. an Adobe Illustrator (.ai) file (http://www.adobe.com),
SVG file, or EPS file. Anime Studio will import the bezier
• Image Imports an image file as a new Image layer. The curve shapes in this file into a new Anime Studio vector
most common type of file to import into Anime Studio is layer. These objects can then be further edited and
images. It doesn’t matter how the images are created, animated in Anime Studio. Anime Studio can import
so feel free to use pictures from digital cameras, vector artwork created in other vector illustration
backgrounds from scanned drawings or painted on programs. These files can be in Adobe Illustrator, EPS,
the computer, textures, computer-generated 3D or SVG format. If your files are in Illustrator format,
scenery, etc. The image formats supported by Anime make sure that you save them as Illustrator 8 (or earlier)
Studio are: JPEG, BMP, Targa, GIF, and PNG. Generally, format.
we recommend PNG, since the PNG format provides
for variable levels of transparency, allowing you to You can open multiple Illustrator files at once.
create non-rectangular images that can blend in Simply drag and drop multiple Illustrator files
smoothly with other elements in the scene. into the Anime Studio window.

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• Tracing Image: (Anime Studio Pro only) Loads an export to OBJ. OBJ files can include texture maps, and
image file to be used for tracing purposes. The image if your model uses one, Anime Studio will import and
formats supported by Anime Studio are listed in use it as well. If you’re new to 3D, and you’re looking
“Appendix A: Product Comparison” on page 421. for a program to create 3D models for use with Anime
The Tracing Image command is the same thing as Studio, we recommend Poser (http://store.smithmicro.
“Select Tracing Image” in the View menu. com/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=10430).

• Audio File: Loads a sound file to be used as a • Poser Scene: If you already own Poser, you can import
soundtrack for the current animation. The audio Poser scenes directly as discussed in “Import Notes and
formats supported by Anime Studio are listed in Tips” on page 338.
“Appendix A: Product Comparison” on page 421.
This command is the same thing as “Select Soundtrack”
in the Animation menu. Anime Studio has limited
support for audio, but you can import a single sound
file as a soundtrack for your animation. Anime Studio
uses libsndfile to handle sound files (see http://www.
mega-nerd.com/libsndfile/), so any format that
libsndfile supports is fair game. Generally, it’s best to
stick with uncompressed WAV or AIFF files.

• OBJ 3D Model (Anime Studio Pro only) Imports a

3D model as a new Anime Studio 3D layer. Anime
Studio can import 3D files that are in OBJ format.
More information about 3D layers can be found in
“3D Layers” on page 119. Finally, Anime Studio can Materials appear as Shapes in the Style window
import 3D files created by 3D modeling programs. At
this time Anime Studio can only import OBJ files, but it’s
a quite common format, and most 3D programs can
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They are also editable in the Style window. You can When you are using a 3D layer, you can open
turn the stroke on or off, and adjust the width of the the Layers window and go to the 3D Options tab
stroke. to control some additional properties. See “3D
Options” on page 210 for more information.
Many OBJ files and Poser objects have multiple
materials. The multiple materials will show up as
Shapes in the Style window. Select a material from the The lower section of the File > Import menu displays
Shapes drop-Down (discussed in “Tutorial 3.1: Bone several different categories that allow you to open
Binding” on page 107 in your Anime Studio Tutorial content that is furnished with Anime Studio. You will also
Manual) and change material settings if desired. If you find these items in the Library (see “Chapter 14: The
select None from the Shapes drop-Down it controls the Library Window” on page 246). In the Import menu
default material and stroke. this content is arranged in the following categories: 3D,
Audio, Characters, Effects, Images, Props, Scenes, and
Video.

Real-Time Media Connection

The “live linking” feature allows you to import images,
movies and sound files and then edit them in their native
editors without worry. Any edits you make later in third party
editors will automatically be recognized and updated
within Anime Studio.
Real-time media connections, combined with Photoshop
Materials appear as Shapes in the Style window
layer support on import, provide an exceptional way to
design characters and other content for your Anime Studio
scenes. For more information on Photoshop support, see
“About Photoshop Layer Support:” on page 342.

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Poser Integration
Anime Studio allows you to import Poser scenes into your
Anime Studio projects. In order for this feature to work,
Poser 7 or later must be installed on your system, and
content used in your Poser scene must be installed into a
Library folder that is recognized by your Poser application.
Choose File > Import > OBJ 3D Model. You will be allowed
to choose OBJ files or Poser scenes (PZ3). Locate the file
that you want to import. After a brief wait, the Poser file will
be imported into your scene. It appears as a 3D layer, so
you will be able to control the appearance of the Poser
content by opening the Layer Settings dialog and clicking
the 3D Options tab.

An imported Poser object

Poser must be installed in order for the Poser

integration features to work.

When you rotate the integrated Poser content, the display

of the character switches to Box mode to reduce demand
of your computer resources.
The Poser integration features also import any animation
associated with the Poser scene. The Poser tool, located

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in the Layer section of the tool box, allows you to select After importing the Poser scene, you may
a Poser figure or actor (such as a body part) within the notice a difference in the time length of your
scene, and then modify the parameters of the selected animation after you import into Anime Studio. Poser’s
item. You will be able to edit many of the same parameters default frame rate it 30 frames per second, whereas
as you can in Poser. For example, you can select a Anime Studio’s default frame rate is 24 frames per
body part and then adjust the Bend, Twist, Front-Back, second. To make the time match up to that created
or Side-Side parameter to rotate the body part to a in the Poser program, choose File > Project Settings,
different position. You can also use the Window > Poser and set the frame rate of your Anime Studio project
Parameters command to open the Parameters window to 30 frames per second.
for the selected body part. When you move a body part,
keyframes appear in the timeline.

If the Poser project used a BVH motion

capture file to generate the animation on the
character, you will see keyframes on every frame.
You can select and delete some or all these
keyframes and edit the animation within Anime
Studio if desired. A new keyframe will be added at
any point in the timeline when you make a change
in the Poser Parameters palette.

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Import Notes and Tips

Referenced Files
Please note that Anime Studio references the directory
location of images, OBJ’s, sound files and movies files that
have been imported for use. When exporting into movie
format, Anime Studio continues to reference this directory
location. Moving referenced items from one location
to another will prevent the item from being displayed
or heard. We recommend that all items used in your
animations or artwork accompany it’s native file format
(ANME) and final exported format.

Startup Folder
Use the Poser Parameters window to adjust scale or position of Adding your own .anme file to the “Startup Folder”
body parts. (located in the root directory of your Anime Studio
installation) will always make Anime Studio open this .anme
document first when it’s initially launched. Please make
sure to rename your .anme file to “StartupFile.anme”.

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Moho Files The Library content files (characters, props,

etc.) are installed in a shared documents
Anime Studio will also import native Moho files (files ending location on both Windows and Macintosh. This
with .moho). allows multiple users on the same computer to share
library resources, and to install additional content
that they might download (from Content Paradise,
Library Content for example). On Windows systems in particular, it
can be difficult to add new files to the Program Files
Please read Section 6 of the EULA (End User License
directory when running newer versions of the
Agreement) for rules on using the content that has been
Windows operating system, which is why the shared
supplied with your version of Anime Studio. Please note that
documents location is used.
when importing existing content/movies from the Anime
Studio Content Library using the File > Import option, some
animations/movies exceed the default “End Frame”. This
will prevent you from seeing the full movie. To adjust the Importing 3D OBJ’s (Anime Studio Pro
default “End Frame” settings, please select File > Project only)
Settings and change the field beside “End Frame”. You
can also double click the movie/content file you would Please note that loading 3D OBJ files may take some time.
like to view from within the Content Library. To access the Loading times depend on the complexity of the OBJ file.
Library, select Help > Open Content Library.

Photoshop Tips

Importing Photoshop Files

When you use the File > Import > Image command to
import a Photoshop file into Anime Studio, a dialog will ask

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how you want to handle the layer import within Anime

Studio.

Photoshop images can be imported with individual layers, or

as a composite image.

The choices are:

• Individually: Choose this option if you want to retain

Photoshop layers shown in Photoshop.
the Photoshop layers when you import your Photoshop
file. Each Photoshop layer will appear in the Layers
window and will be named exactly as they are named
in the original Photoshop file. You will be able to show
and hide the layers individually within Anime Studio
in the same way that you can in Photoshop, and you
will be able to use the Anime Studio tools to modify or
animate the layers.

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Photoshop layers shown in Anime Studio Pro.

Mouth group in Photoshop (with one mouth layer visible).

Further, you can group layers in Photoshop that can be

interpreted as layers in Anime Studio. For example, you
can create a Photoshop group that contains various
mouth positions. If you make only one of those mouths
visible in the group before you import the Photoshop
file into Anime Studio, the other layers in the group will
be configured as switch layers for the visible mouth
when it appears inside Anime Studio.

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The opacity of a Photoshop layer will be

baked in Anime Studio when imported. In
other words, if the opacity of a layer was set to 50%
in Photoshop, Anime Studio will see that as the 100%
value. You will not be able to increase to 100% in
Anime Studio.

• Composite: Choose this option if you want the

Photoshop file to be combined into a single image
layer in Anime Studio.

About Photoshop Layer Support:

When importing a PSD file, you have the option to load
layers individually or load the composite as a single layer.
Mouth group in Anime Studio Pro (with the same mouth layer
The live linking feature between Photoshop
visible).
and Anime Studio may work unexpectedly in
certain situations. The live link works as expected
There will also be a live connection between Anime when layers are edited and left visible in Photoshop.
Studio and Photoshop, such that if you make changes However, the live link may work unexpectedly after
to the Photoshop file and resave it, the changes will importing into Anime Studio if you later move,
also appear in your Anime Studio project. delete, or hide layers in Photoshop and then return
to Anime Studio.

Photoshop has many features, and not all of them are

supported within Anime Studio. In general, standard 8-bit
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RGB files with regular pixel layers are the best way to go for Exporting from Photoshop
compatibility.
Anime Studio is equipped with a Photoshop export script
Anime Studio has been tested with several Photoshop
that will give you the ability to take your PSD files and
examples, and the following Photoshop features are known
export them into .ANME format. The .ANME format is the
to work within Anime Studio:
native Anime Studio format. This process helps users from
• Blending modes are supported having to re-draw or export individual layers as images into
Anime Studio.
• Layer opacity is supported
The PSD to ANME script is named Export Layers To Anime
• Groups are supported. Groups where only one child of Studio.jsx. To access this script, please make sure you’ve
the group is visible come in as switch layers. configured a content location as described in “Creating
a Content Folder” on page 10. The script will be copied
• Smart objects and smart filters do work internally to the into that folder.
PSD. They store a flat representation of themselves. To use the script within Adobe Photoshop, copy the Export
The following Photoshop features are not supported in Layers To Anime Studio.jsx file to your .../Photoshop/
Anime Studio: Presets/Scripts folder. You should then be able to open up
a Photoshop document, run this script from File > Scripts >
• Layer effects are not imported. Export Layers to Anime Studio, and it will generate a new
Anime Studio file complete with an image layer for each
• Any layer that has a mask in Photoshop gets skipped.
original Photoshop layer. Basically, the script converts PSD
formatted files to .ANME files. It exports every layer that
• 3D layers, text layers, and other kinds of non-basic or
was created originally in Adobe Photoshop and makes it
non-pixel layers cannot be imported.
completely readable when imported into Anime Studio. All
• Layers that have visibility turned off in Photoshop will versions of Adobe Photoshop since version 7 should support
have their names grayed out in the Anime Studio this script.
Layers palette.

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The script exports the following 2 things: Firstly, it converts is of lower quality, but is quicker to generate than a fully
the PSD file into a .ANME file. Secondly, all the individual rendered image.
layers of the PSD file are converted into individual PNG files
When the Preview window opens up to display your work,
and are placed in a folder of the same name as the .ANME
you can save the preview as a still image, using the popup
file. The folder with the PNG’s and the newly converted
menu in the Preview window. By default, the file will be
.ANME file will be located side by side. It is important
named with the name of your project, followed by the
to note that whenever you open the .ANME file, it will
frame number.
reference the PNG folder. So please keep them side by
side. If the PNG folder and the newly converted .ANME are The following options are available in the Preview window:
not located in the same folder, the layers within your newly
opened .ANME will not work properly in Anime Studio.

Refresh Media
The File > Refresh Media command (or the keyboard
shortcut Command/Ctrl+M) causes Anime Studio to
check the modification dates of all of the media that is
referenced in the project, and will reload the media that
has changed.

Preview
Preview window.
Generates a preview image of what your project will look
like. If you’re in the process of animating your project,
the image will be of the current frame in your animation. • Render Cache: Click to place a preview render in
A preview image does not contain all the fill styles, and your render cache. By default you can store up to 100

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preview images in your render cache, which has to be

located in a User Content folder. If you did not set up a
Preview Animation
User Content folder during installation, you can choose The File > Preview Animation command performs a screen
the Help > Set Custom Content Folder to configure one. capture of the items on the canvas during playback and
See “Set Custom Content Folder” on page 419 for saves it as a movie file. You can also generate a preview
more information. animation by holding down the Option key (Mac) or Alt key
(Windows) while clicking the Play button.
The Options tab in the General Preferences
dialog allows you to specify the number of
images stored in your Render Cache. See “Options Export Animation...
Tab” on page 362 for more information.
This command brings up a dialog that lets you export an
animated sequence and save it to disk. The Anime Studio
• Save As: Expand the menu to choose the file format
project file is where your work is saved, but to view the
(JPG, BMP, Targa, or PNG). You can also copy the
animation as a movie, to put it on the web, or to work with
image to a clipboard and paste it into another
it in other programs, you have to export the animation.
application.

• Zoom: Move the scrollbar left or right to zoom in

and out of the image. You can also use the mouse
scrollwheel to zoom in or out.

• Percentage field: Allows you to enter a zoom

percentage value.

• Restore Defaults: Resets the preview window to the

default zoom level.

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The options in this dialog are:

• Start Frame: Enter the start frame for your exported

movie here.

• End Frame: Enter the end frame for your exported

movie here.

• Entire Animation: Press this button to reset the start and

end frames to include all frames in the movie

• Output Format: The options in the Export Animation

dialog are described in “Saving Movies in Windows”
on page 348 and “Saving Movies in Mac OS X” on
page 349:

• Antialiased edges (Anime Studio Pro only): Normally,

Anime Studio renders your shapes with smoothed
edges. Uncheck this box to turn this feature off.

• Apply shape effects (Anime Studio Pro only): If this box

is unchecked, Anime Studio will skip shape effects like
shading, texture fills, and gradients.

• Apply layer effects: If this box is unchecked, Anime

Studio will skip layer effects like layer shadows and layer
transparency.
The Export Animation dialog.

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• Render at half dimensions: Check this box to render a • Variable line widths (SWF) (Anime Studio Pro only):
smaller version of your movie. The output resolution is Exports variable line widths to SWF. See “What to
as indicated in the dialog. This makes rendering faster if Avoid” on page 354 for more information about
you just want a quick preview, and is useful for making variable width lines and Flash.
smaller movies for the web.
• Enable multi-threaded rendering: With this option
• Render at half frame rate: Check this box to skip every unchecked, only one thread will be used to rendering.
other frame in the animation. This makes rendering With the option checked, up to four threads will be
faster, and results in smaller movie files. used.
When exporting a movie, Anime Studio will include an
• Reduced particles (Anime Studio Pro only): Some
alpha channel if the codec you’re using supports it. This
particle effects require hundreds of particles to
makes it possible to composite Anime Studio movies with
achieve their effect. Check this box to render fewer
other media in a video editing program.
particles. The effect may not look as good, but will
render much faster if all you need is a preview.
If you’re using QuickTime, set the color depth to
“Millions of Colors+”. The “+” is QuickTime’s indication
• Extra-smooth images: Renders image layers with a
of an alpha channel. The codecs that support this
higher quality level. Exporting takes longer with this
include Animation, None, PNG, TGA, and TIFF.
option on.

• Use NTSC-safe colors: Automatically limits colors to be

AVI on Windows doesn’t include any built-in codecs
NTSC safe. This is only an approximation - you should
that support alpha channels. However, at least one
still do some testing to make sure your animation looks
such codec does exist, and you can download it for
good on a TV monitor.
free - the Huffyuv codec found at http://neuron2.
net/www.math.berkeley.edu/benrg/huffyuv.html.
• Do not premultiply alpha channel: Useful if you plan
to composite your Anime Studio animation with other
elements in a video editing program.

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Anime Studio can only export to a maximum size

of 900 pixels x 900 pixels and 3000 frames. (Anime
Studio Pro does not have this limitation.)

Saving Movies in Windows

The Export Animation dialog also has several options for
adjusting the output quality of your animation. These
default to the highest quality rendering, but you may
sometimes want to lower the quality to increase rendering
speed or to output animations with smaller file sizes for
streaming over the internet.
Supported formats for Windows include the following:

Movie Export Formats: Windows.

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ƒƒ AVI Movie: (Windows XP and higher only). Saves

the movie in avi format. In the next dialog, the
ƒƒ Image: Supported image formats are JPEG, BMP,
user will be prompted for the video codec of the
Targa, PNG, or PSD.
export.
ƒƒ MP4 Movie (H.264 AAC): (Windows 7 and higher
ƒƒ QuickTIme: (Mac and 32-bit version of Anime
only). Saves the movie in mp4 format using an
Studio for Windows only, not available in Anime
H.264 video and AAC audio codec.
Studio 64-bit Windows). Saves the movie in
ƒƒ iPhone Movie: (Windows 7 and higher only). Saves QuickTime (mov) format. In the next dialog, you will
the movie as a 480 x 320 file in m4v format. be prompted for the video codec and quality of
the export.
ƒƒ iPhone 4 Movie: (Windows 7 and higher only).
Saves the movie as a 960 x 640 file in m4v format. On Windows, this output format only appears
ƒƒ iPhone 5 Movie: (Windows 7 and higher only). in the 32-bit version of the software and
Saves the movie as a 1136 x 640 file in m4v format. QuickTime must be installed

ƒƒ iPad Movie: (Windows 7 and higher only). Saves the

ƒƒ Flash (SWF): Exports your animation to a Flash SWF
movie as a 1024 x 768 file in m4v format.
file, using the dimensions of your project.
ƒƒ iPad HD Movie: (Windows 7 and higher only). Saves
the movie as a 1280 x 1024 file in m4v format.
Saving Movies in Mac OS X
ƒƒ AVI Movie (DV): (Windows XP and higher only).
Saves the movie as a 720 x 480 file in avi format. When saving movies from Anime Studio on the Mac, you
can select from the following choices in the Output Format
ƒƒ AVI Movie (Uncompressed): (Windows XP and
menu.
higher only). Saves the movie in avi format using an
uncompressed video codec. Expect these movies For further information about these formats, see your
to be large compared to a compressed format QuickTime documentation.
like DV.

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• Movie formats include the following:

ƒƒ Apple M4V: Available in two formats. H.264-AAC

and JPEG-AAC.

ƒƒ MP4: Available in two formats. H.264-AAC and

JPEG-AAC.

ƒƒ QuickTime: Available in seven formats. H.264-AAC,

H.264-PCM, JPEG-AAC, ProRes 422-AAC, ProRes
4444-AAC, ProRes 4444-ALAC, and PNG-AAC.

ƒƒ iPhone Movie: Available in 480x320, iPhone 4

(960x640) and iPhone 5 (1136x640)

ƒƒ iPad Movie: Available in 1024 x 768 and iPad HD

(1280x1024)

ƒƒ QuickTIme: Saves the movie in QuickTime (mov)

format. In the next dialog, you will be prompted for
the video codec and quality of the export.

When choosing a compression format or

codec for export, keep in mind that viewers
must also have the same codec available to view
Movie Export Formats: Macintosh. the file. We recommend that you select a basic
compression format/codec that is installed with Mac
OS X.
• Image formats include JPEG, BMP, Targa, PNG and
PSD:

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ƒƒ Flash (SWF): Exports your animation to a Flash SWF Flash Tips

file, using the dimensions of your project.
Advice for working with Anime Studio and Flash
Quality choices allow you to choose a range of movie
qualities between Maximum and Minimum, with the Among the other export formats that Anime Studio offers,
default selection being High quality. The higher the quality, you also have the option to output Flash SWF files. SWF is a
the larger the file size will be, and the longer it will take for format created by Adobe as a way to deliver animated
others to download. vector artwork and interactive applications. Flash
animations are very common on the web, and most users
After you select your format and quality, choose Save to
already have the Flash player installed on their computers.
render the QuickTime Movie.
Because Anime Studio is also vector-based, there are
enough similarities to make it possible for Anime Studio to
Exporting Flash export SWF files.
However, Anime Studio and Flash are not completely
Anime Studio can also export Flash files in SWF format.
compatible. Therefore, not all the features of Anime Studio
Flash is a common vector animation format on the Web.
can be exported successfully to Flash. In addition, because
When exporting Flash, Anime Studio will also include the
Flash is a web format, small file size is important - there are
soundtrack (if any), if the soundtrack is in MP3 format. If you
certain issues to keep in mind when working with Anime
plan on exporting Flash files, it is important to read “How to
Studio if Flash is your intended output format.
Create Efficient Flash Files” on page 353.
When exporting SWF files, you may want to use
If you plan to export your animations to Flash Macromedia’s Flash authoring tool to combine multiple
(SWF) format, you will need to use MP3 audio SWF files, add extra elements, sound, etc. Be aware that
files instead of WAV audio files. In addition, if you Anime Studio’s SWF files are compatible with Flash MX and
plan to render to SWF format, you can only use a later - Flash 5 and earlier are not able to load Anime Studio-
single audio file in the project. created SWF files.

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What Can be Exported Studio to play MP3 format audio files, you must have
QuickTime installed
Most common objects in Anime Studio can be exported to
Flash. These include: What Can’t be Exported

• Vector layers On the other hand, some things in Anime Studio are just not
compatible with Flash, and cannot be exported to a SWF
• Fills/Outlines/Colors file. The following list covers the most important of these
objects and effects.
• Transparency
• Brushes
• Gradients
• Fill and line effects (except gradients)
• Variable-width lines (try to use these sparingly - see
below) • Layer effects (shadows, shading, layer blur, motion blur,
etc.)
• Bone warping of vector layers
• Image warping or 3D movements in image layers
• Image layers (PNG and JPEG only, and only if they are
not warped by a bone layer) • Image layers that use progressive JPEG images (Flash
can’t handle progressive JPEG images)
• Particle layers (careful - a complex particle effect can
easily overwhelm Flash) • Layer masking

• A soundtrack can be exported if it’s in MP3 format, and • 3D layers

at either 44100 Hz, 22050 Hz, or 11025 Hz sample rate.
If you want your SWF file to contain audio, make sure • Multiple audio tracks, or audio tracks other than MP3
that your project contains only one audio track, and format
that the audio track is in MP3 format. In order for Anime

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How to Create Efficient Flash Files

When you’re creating an animation with the intent to

produce an SWF file as output, there are several things
to keep in mind. An important concern with SWF files is
keeping the file size down. The key way to do this in Anime
Studio is to keep as many layers “optimized” as possible. An
optimized layer when exported to SWF will take up much
less space than a non-optimized one. (For other formats,
like QuickTime or AVI, it doesn’t matter.) You can tell which
layers are optimized by looking for a little red dot next to
the layer’s icon in the Layers window:

Notice the red dot by the optimized layer.

A new layer is optimized to start with, but depending on

the effects you apply, that optimization can go away. The
following things will “de-optimize” a layer. Note: a non-
optimized layer will still export to Flash, it just won’t be nearly
as efficient.

• 3D camera movements (this will de-optimize all layers

in the project, so it should be avoided if possible when
targeting SWF)
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• 3D layer rotation (X or Y rotation, or perspective • Consider using a lower frame rate (12 fps, for example)
rotation) for your animation. Fewer frames means a smaller file.

• Layer shear • If some of your layers can do without any animation

at all, or just layer translation/scaling/rotation
• A group layer that has 3D rotation or shear will cause all (background scenery, props, background characters,
of its sub-layers to be non-optimized etc.), that can save a lot of space.

• Uneven scaling in the X and Y directions • If most of a layer is stationary, except for one small
object, move that object into its own layer if possible.
• Point animation
Example: a character who is waving his arms, but
• Bone animation is a common cause of non-optimized is otherwise still - move the arms into a separate
layers. What’s happening is that because Flash doesn’t layer from the rest of the body. The body will remain
have a bone system like Anime Studio, Anime Studio optimized and take up much less space.
needs to export a lot of extra information for Flash to
• If an object sits still for a time with no animation,
be able to produce the same effect. One way to use
consider replacing it with a non-animated object for
bone animation and to stay optimized is to attach a
that time period.
vector layer to a single bone, instead of letting the
bones warp all the points in the vector layer. The vector What to Avoid
layer will then remain optimized. While you can’t do this
in all cases, sometimes you can break up a character If your goal is to create a SWF animation, there are some
into multiple body parts - some parts will be warped things you should try to avoid. Besides the effects that
with the bones, and some will be attached to a single just are not possible to export, you should try to avoid the
bone. At least some parts of the character can remain following effects if possible. These are all things that can be
optimized. exported - it’s just that they make for a less efficient SWF file.
Of course, you won’t want to avoid all of these things all
Here are some other things to think about when exporting
of the time. However, if you plan your animation carefully,
to SWF:
and use as few of the following effects as possible, the
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resulting SWF file will be smaller, and will load quicker over Exporting Still Images
the web.
Finally, you can export an animation as a sequence of
• 3D camera moves - no Flash optimization is possible numbered still images. This option is not used very often, but
when you’re moving the camera around in 3D. Simple sometimes for certain post-processing tasks, you may prefer
side-to-side pans and zooms are OK, but when you to work with a sequence of separate still image files. You
start using camera pan/tilt, Flash efficiency goes down can choose between JPEG, BMP, PSD, Targa, or PNG.
the drain.

• Try to use as few control points as possible in your Export FBX

vector artwork.
The File > Export FBX command exports your Anime Studio
• The freehand tool and the insert text dialog can project in FBX format so that you can import it into other
generate a lot of points, resulting in a big SWF file. 2D or 3D applications that support the FBX file format. No
export options are provided. After choosing this command,
• Limit the use of variable-width lines. It’s easy to
you will be prompted to specify a folder and filename for
overwhelm Flash with the complexity of variable-
the export.
width lines, making the resulting SWF file play back
unpredictably. Read “Flash Movie Size Limit” at http:// Many Anime Studio commands (point binding,
kb2.adobe.com/cps/144/tn_14437.html for more curvatures, bone stretching, etc.) that are not
information. If possible, only use variable-width lines in supported in FBX format. When designing files for FBX
SWF-optimized layers. export, we recommend that you use the View > FBX
Preview command to preview your project before
• Avoid compound shapes (two adjacent circles filled as
export. For additional information on how to address
one, shapes with holes, or figure 8’s).
unsupported features, see “FBX Preview Mode” on
page 407

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Export OBJ Upload to YouTube

If your scene contains 3D objects, including those that The File > Upload to YouTube command allows you to
you have converted from 2D to 3D with Anime Studio’s upload your Anime Studio animation to YouTube. After
3D Conversion feature (see “3D Options” on page 210), choosing the command you are prompted to locate the
you can use the File > Export OBJ command to save the animation that you want to upload. Before performing the
objects to WaveFront OBJ format. You will be prompted to upload, you will need to enter your YouTube Username
enter a file name and choose a location for the exported and Password in the Web Uploads tab of the Preferences
OBJ file. dialog, as discussed in “Web Uploads:” on page 366.

If you import an OBJ file that has been

exported from Anime Studio into your 3D Upload to Facebook®
software, and some or all of the faces appear to be
missing, it may be due to inverted normals. Select The File > Upload to Facebook command allows you
the missing faces and invert the normals in your to upload your Anime Studio animation to your page
modeler. on Facebook. After choosing the command you are
prompted to locate the animation that you want to
upload.

Export POV Before using this features, you will need to sign
in to your Facebook account and authorize
You can use the File > Export POV command to export Anime Studio as an application that can upload to
3D objects from Anime Studio to POV format, which is your Facebook account.
compatible with POV-Ray, a free raytracing application
that produces high quality 3D renderings. For more
After logging in to your Facebook account and choosing
information about POV-Ray, see http://www.povray.org/.
the Upload to Facebook command, your browser will
display a screen that prompts you to allow the Smith Micro
Software Video Uploader to upload files to your Facebook
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account. Click the Allow button to enable this feature, and

then the upload will continue. You should only need to
authorize the uploader the first time you use it

Batch Export... (Anime Studio Pro

only)
Anime Studio’s batch export window lets you line up
several Anime Studio project files to be exported one at
a time. This is very convenient when you’re working on a
large project with separate project files for different scenes,
and you want to render them all at once (like during lunch
maybe):
The Batch Export window.

The batch export window has many of the same controls

as the Export Animation dialog The options are as follows:

• Add Files: To queue up files for batch export, click the

Add Files button to select files on your system, or drag
the Anime Studio files into the window. They will appear
in the list view at the bottom.

You can remove a file from the queue by

selecting it and pressing the Backspace or
Delete keys (this will not delete the file from your
system, just remove it from batch export).

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You can change rendering options by • Render at half dimensions: Check this box to render
selecting a file and then changing the a smaller version of your movie. This makes rendering
options at the top of the window. The options that faster if you just want a quick preview, and is useful for
are set before you queue up any files will apply to all making smaller movies for the web.
the files as you add them. The output file format you
select will be the same for all files in the batch. • Render at half frame rate: Check this box to skip every
other frame in the animation. This makes rendering
faster, and results in smaller movie files.
The plus (+) button at the bottom of the
dialog allows you to read items that are • Render layer comp: When you batch export layer
already in the export list. This button is helpful for comps, the name of the layer comp will be added
when you are exporting multiple layer comps from to the name of the output file. Check the option and
the same file. You won’t have to go back to add the select the layer comp you want to render.
files over and over again, just select the file in the
export list and press + to add it again. • Reduced particles (Anime Studio Pro only): Some
particle effects require hundreds of particles to
achieve their effect. Check this box to render fewer
• Antialiased edges: Normally, Anime Studio renders your particles. The effect may not look as good, but will
shapes with smoothed edges. Uncheck this box to turn render much faster if all you need is a preview.
this feature off.
• Extra-smooth images: Renders image layers with a
• Apply shape effects: If this box is unchecked, Anime higher quality level. Exporting takes longer with this
Studio will skip shape effects like shading, texture fills, option on.
and gradients.
• Use NTSC-safe colors: Automatically limits colors to be
• Apply layer effects: If this box is unchecked, Anime NTSC safe. This is only an approximation - you should
Studio will skip layer effects like layer shadows and layer still do some testing to make sure your animation looks
transparency. good on a TV monitor.

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• Do not premultiply alpha: Useful if you plan to • Start: When all your files have been added and the
composite your Anime Studio animation with other options set, press the Start button to begin batch
elements in a video editing program. export. The window will display the progress of each file
as it is exported. When a file is finished and disappears
• Variable line widths (SWF) (Anime Studio Pro only): from the list, you can find the rendered result in the
Exports variable line widths to SWF. See “What to same folder as the Anime Studio file itself.
Avoid” on page 354 for more information about
variable width lines and Flash.
Relaunch in (x)-bit Mode
• Overwrite existing files: You can also check an option
to overwrite existing files if desired. If you choose not to The Universal installer allows you to install Anime Studio Pro
overwrite existing files, a number will be appended to in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The File > Relaunch in
name of the new file to prevent overwriting the existing 32-bit Mode and File > Relaunch in 64-bit Mode commands
version. allow you to switch between modes.

• Start Frame/End Frame: Enter the start and end frames

of the range that you want to render. Quit
• Format: Select one of the supported movie formats Quits Anime Studio. Anime Studio will prompt you to save
from the Format chooser. any unsaved projects before closing.

• Export files into the same folder as the project file:

Allows you to specify whether or not to export all files to
a single folder.

• Export all files to a selected folder: Allows you to select

or create a folder in which to export all of the files.

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Chapter 19: Edit Menu Undo

Choose this command to undo the last operation. You
may undo up to 8 of your most recent editing operations in
Anime Studio.
You will not receive a warning when you undo an
operation. You will be able to undo the operation by using
the Edit > Redo command.

Redo
This command will redo the last operation that you “un-
did” with the Undo command.

Cut, Copy, Paste

These are the traditional clipboard commands. They can
be used together with the Draw editing tools for vector
layers, and operate on the currently selected group of
points or keyframes.
Edit Menu
When pasting keyframes, the Edit > Paste command pastes
an exact copy of the keyframes. For example, if you copy
keyframes that translate an object from a start point to an
end point, and then move to a later frame and paste the

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keyframes in, the object will move back to the start point
and repeat the same action.
Paste Layer
After using the Edit > Copy Layer command, select the
layer above which you want to paste the copied layer.
Paste Relative Then choose Edit > Paste Layer to paste the layer in the
clipboard above the selected layer.
When using the Edit > Paste Relative command to paste
keyframes that are copied into the clipboard, the pasted
keyframes will continue animating the object from the
last keyframe that was copied. In other words, if you copy
Select All
keyframes that translate an object from a start point to an Selects all the points in the active vector layer.
end point and then use the Paste Relative command to
paste them later in the timeline, the object will continue
from wherever it is at that point. Select None
De-selects all the points in the active vector layer.
Clear
This command is the same as pressing the backspace or Select Inverse
delete key: the currently selected object in the working
area will be deleted from the project. Selects the opposite points in the active vector layer.
Selected points will become de-selected, and de-selected
points will become selected.
Copy Layer
Places a copy of the selected layer into the clipboard so Select Connected
that you can paste it into the current document or another
opened document. Selects all points that are connected to any other currently
selected points. For example, if you have a complex shape
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like a character’s head, just select a few points on it, then Options Tab
choose this command: if all the points on the head are
somehow connected together, the whole head will now
be selected.

Preferences...
Mac users will find the Preferences command
in the Anime Studio menu category.

Brings up a dialog that lets you customize some aspects of

Anime Studio, such as the display colors used in the working
area of the Anime Studio window. Some of these features
including Edit Colors and GUI Colors are only available in
Anime Studio Pro.

Options

• Auto-assist with bone locking keyframes: Adds an

extra keyframe when bones are locked or unlocked to
prevent them from “drifting”.

• Scale compensation for new layers: When a layer is

scaled up (or down), its lines get thicker (or thinner)

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to match. If you don’t want this behavior, turn off this • Status bar at top of window: Shows the status bar at the
option. You can also control this on a per-layer basis in top of the window, rather than the bottom. The status
the Layer Settings dialog. This option controls it for any bar is where tools show their descriptions, like what
new layers you create. modifiers keys do what, etc.

• Show paths for new layers: Determines whether the • Inline Layer Naming: Allows you to name the layer in
paths (previously called construction curves) are the Layers panel when you create a new layer.
displayed for new layers. They’re always shown for the
selected layer, but usually hidden otherwise. • Auto-scale imported vectors: Makes it easier to import
multiple Illustrator files (for example, multiple body parts
• Auto-name new shapes: Shapes can be named by in a character). The imported files will all be in scale
the user. If this is turned on, all bones and shapes get with each other when this option is checked. When this
names like “1”, “2”, etc. option is turned off, you may need to press the Esc key
to automatically zoom in to the selected points after
Anime Studio names bones automatically as you import the files.
you create them. For more information, see
“Add Bone” on page 82. • Automatically check for updates: When this option is
checked, Anime Studio will automatically check for
updates upon startup. Uncheck this option if you prefer
• Zoom with drag box: When this option is on, allows you
to manually check for updates.
to draw a box around the area that you want to zoom
into, rather than using a continuous zoom. • Open and switch to new file after gather: If you gather
a document when this option is checked, Anime Studio
• Consolidate timeline channels: Instead of showing
will close the current document (the document that
separate channels (point animation, bone animation,
you gathered) and open the gathered document.
layer translation, layer rotation, etc.), this option groups
If the preference has not yet been set, Anime Studio
all channels into one in the timeline palette. This is on
will give you the opportunity to select the default
by default in Debut, and off in Pro.
preference the first time you gather a document.

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• Disable GPU: Check this option to disable GPU • Show angles in degrees in timeline: Angle values
acceleration if it is not supported by your hardware. (like layer rotation or bone rotation) are shown in
radians in the timeline’s Motion Graph. This is because
• Highlight frame 0: If on, a red box is drawn on the angle values in radians are smaller numerically and
canvas if the current time is set to 0. This can be helpful fit in better with other values in the graph. But if the
to remind you when you’re working on frame 0 (the user chooses to, they can display these curves using
setup frame) vs. some other frame. degrees with this option.

• Enable drawing tools only on frame 0: Creation tools • Disable custom tool cursors: A long time ago there was
(Add Point, Freehand, Draw Shape, Add Bone) are a bug on some Windows systems where tool cursors
only available on frame 0 if this option is on. Otherwise, didn’t display correctly. Turning on this option will
they can be used at any time. just use the standard system arrow cursor, regardless
of what tool is active on the canvas. It may not be
In Anime Studio, there are certain tasks that
needed anymore (I’m not sure if that bug happens for
can only be performed on Frame 0, many of
anyone these days).
which pertain to rigging. Beginning with Anime
Studio 10, when you move to Frame 0 in your • Disable audio feedback: When welding points, you
project, each layer will go to its own “Frame 0,” hear a “clicking” sound in Anime Studio. Turning this
regardless of where it starts in the project timeline. If option on will disable the click.
a layer starts before Frame 0, you will now be able to
make edits to that layer without moving it back into • Legacy curves for new layers: When checked, uses the
the project timeline. old style curves, rather than the smoother curves found
in Anime Studio 8 and later.

• Use SMPTE timecode: Shows time in the timeline using • Nearest neighbor sampling for new image layers:
SMPTE timecode instead of frame numbers. SMPTE When an image is scaled up larger than its original
timecode looks like this: 00:02:34:07 That would be 0 size, Anime Studio will try to smooth out the areas in
hours, 2 minutes, 34 seconds, and 7 frames. between pixels to create a smoother image. Turn this

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option off if you want the enlarged image to appear • Allow sending analytics information to Smith Micro:
blocky. When this option is checked, Anime Studio will send
hardware information and feature usage statistics to
• Auto save for crash recovery: When turned on, Anime Smith Micro. Analytics will not be sent until after the
Studio will automatically save your work every thirty application has been properly activated/serialized.
seconds to a temporary file. If the application crashes,
you can recover your work the next time you start the • Default Startup File: Allows you to start Anime Studio
application. In the event that you are working on very with a default startup file, an empty document, or a
large files and your workflow is slowed down by saving specified project file.
every thirty seconds, you can turn this option off to
improve performance. • Document Preview Thumbnail Size: Anime Studio can
automatically generate thumbnails when you save
• Auto Center New Layers: If the camera is in its default your documents. The default maximum size for the
position (such as it would be in a new document) this thumbnails is 128x128 pixels. Other options are None
option won’t do anything. The option will become (will not automatically generate a thumbnail), 256x256,
noticeable if you have moved the camera (for 512x512, and 1024x1024.
example, if you are looking 90 degrees to the left). If
this option is unchecked in such a case, new layers • Max Render Cache Size: Enter the number of renders
will be centered at 0,0,0 and will be off-camera. If that you want to store your Anime Studio render
this option is checked in such a case, the new layers cache. The default setting is 100 images. In order to
will appear centered in front of the current camera store these images, you must create a user content
position. folder. If you did not do this during setup, see “Set
Custom Content Folder” on page 419.
• Confirm before reverting document: When checked,
Anime Studio will ask for verification before a • Poser Location: Allows you to specify the location of
document is reverted to the last saved version. the Poser executable.

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• Language: Select the desired language for the Anime

Studio interface. Choices are English, German, Spanish,
and Chinese.

Web Uploads:
This tab is used to enter your YouTube user account name
and passwords. Anime Studio will log into this account to
post YouTube videos when you select the File > Upload
to YouTube command to send a project file to another
person.
Enter the following information:

• Username: Enter your YouTube user name.

• Password: Enter your YouTube password.

• Private uploads: Check this option if you want your Web Uploads
Anime Studio uploads to be private uploads rather
than public uploads.
Editor Colors:
Allows you to change the color scheme for the editor
window, including various options for background and
object colors. Press the Reset button to return to default
application colors. The Default Stroke Width option allows

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you to specify the default Stroke Width setting that appears

in the Style window.

Editor Colors

Editor Colors GUI Colors:

Allows you to change the color scheme for the application,
including various options for background, text, and widget
colors. A preview of your changes appears in the Sample
Widget area as changes are made.

• Click the Color Theme button at the top of the GUI

Colors tab to choose from one of several different

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color schemes. You can then modify the color scheme

further if desired.

• Press the Reset button to set the color scheme back to

the default settings.

• Check the Use Large Fonts option to increase the size

of the fonts used in the application.

GUI Colors

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Chapter 20: Draw

Menu

Draw Menu

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Insert Text... You can use the Randomize button to randomize the
transitions between minimum and maximum percentages.
Choose Draw > Insert Text or use the keyboard shortcut
Command/Ctrl+T to open the Insert Text dialog, which is
described in “Inserting Text and Word Balloons” on page
133.

Snap to Grid
If the grid is turned on in the working area, then this
command can be used to snap all selected points to the
nearest grid intersection.

Random Line Width dialog.

Reset Line Width
Using the Line Width tool, you can adjust the width of a line
at any point. Choosing this menu command will reset your Peak
custom line widths at any selected points.
This command creates a peaked (or hard) transition
between the curves at the point that you click.
Random Line Width
Use this command to randomize the width of the line(s) Smooth
through the currently selected points. You will be asked
to specify the minimum and maximum width, and Anime This command smooths the transitions between the curves
Studio will assign random line widths within that range. at the point that you click.

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Raise Shape Trace Image

Select this menu item to raise a shape in the stacking Anime Studio has always allowed you to import black
order. This will move it in front of the next higher shape. The and white or color bitmap images and work with them.
stacking order only applies to shapes within the same layer However, they are not as flexible as vector objects for
- all shapes in a layer will appear above any lower layers several reasons. You can’t zoom in an infinite amount, you
and behind any upper ones, regardless of stacking order. can’t bend them quite as much, and you can’t edit them.
Note that if there is no shape overlapping the selected Anime Studio includes Automatic Image Tracing, which
one, you may not see any change when this item is allows you to convert a black and white or color bitmap
selected, even though the shape gets moved higher. image to a vector object.
For this feature to work its best, you should choose drawing
Lower Shape that have bold lines, such as those created with a felt pen.
Pencil sketches will be more difficult to trace.
Select this menu item to lower a shape in the stacking After you import your drawing into an Image layer, you
order. can use the Draw > Trace Image command to display the
Trace Image dialog. The Trace Image dialog contains the
following settings.
Raise to Front
Works like Raise Shape, but raises the shape above all
others in its layer.

Lower to Back
Works like Lower Shape, but lowers the shape below all
others in its layer.

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ƒƒ Photo Edges: Check this option if your source

image is a line drawing and you only want to
convert it to strokes; or if you want Anime Studio to
only draw strokes where one color meets another
color.

Tracing Black and White

You can convert either a color or a black and white image
to a black and white vector layer. When you choose a
Black and White conversion, the following settings are
available:

• Threshold: Adjusting the Threshold value can help

Trace Image dialog. remove unwanted gray from the black and white
conversion. Move the slider toward the left to allow less
gray, or toward the right to allow more gray.
• Conversion type selection: Choose one of the following
radio buttons, based on the type of image you are
importing:

ƒƒ Black and white: Check this option if your source

image is black and white, or if you want to create
a black and white vector image.

ƒƒ Color: Check this option if your source image is

color and you want to create a vector image that
is also color.

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Low threshold (left); high threshold (right).

• Detail reduction: Move the slider toward the left to add Maximum detail (left); reduced detail (right).
more detail to the vector layer. This will increase the
number of points in the object and make it harder to • Fatten Lines: When Black and White is selected as an
edit, but it will look more like the original image. image type, this option controls the width of the lines in
the black and white drawing. Move the slider toward
the left to decrease the width, and toward the right to
increase the width.

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Default lines (left); thickened lines (right)

A close-up of the traced result

After you click OK, Anime Studio traces the image and
adds a new vector layer to the Layers palette. The image
layer that contains the original bitmap image is turned off.

The Automatic Image Tracing feature

remembers your last settings. If you are not
quite happy with the results that you get, you can
return to the Trace Image dialog and tweak your
settings.
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Tracing Color
When you choose a Color conversion, the following settings
are available:

• Number of Colors: Move the slider toward the left to

reduce the number of colors in the traced result. Move
the slider toward the right to increase the number of
colors. As you move the slider, the number of colors
that will appear in the traced result will display above
the slider.

4 colors (left); 5 colors (right).

• Detail reduction: Move the slider toward the left to add

more detail to the vector layer. This will increase the
number of points in the object and make it harder to
edit, but it will look more like the original image.

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A close-up of the traced result

Maximum detail (left); reduced detail (right). After you click OK, Anime Studio traces the image and
adds a new vector layer to the Layers palette. The image
• Outlines: When converting to a Color vector layer, you layer that contains the original bitmap image is turned off.
can check this option to also convert outlines in the
drawing, or uncheck the option to omit the outlines. Tracing Photo Edges
To create a vector image that only contains the outlines in
your original bitmap, check the Photo Edges option at the
top of the Trace Image dialog. You are presented with the
following settings:

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• Threshold: Move the slider toward the left to accept

less outline, or toward the right to accept more outline.
Show All Shapes
Shows all shapes that have previously been hidden.

Hide Selected Points

Sometimes when projects are complex and you have a lot
Freeze Points
of points and bones, you only want to work on one object After selecting points, choose this command to freeze all
or reshape it. When scenes are complex you sometimes points so that they cannot be edited.
select points in the group.
Select the object you want to work on, then choose Edit
> Select Inverse to select all the points you want to hide.
Freeze Selected Points
Then choose Draw > Hide Points to hide the selected
Adds a keyframe at the current time for all selected points.
points. The shapes are still there, but the points are hidden
and you can’t accidentally select them.
Freeze Visible Points
Show All Points Adds a keyframe at the current frame for all points that are
currently visible.
Choose Draw > Show All Points to unhide the points that
were previously hidden with the Hide Selected Points
command. Reset Points
Moves the selected points back to their original positions,
Hide Shape adding a new keyframe for them at the current time.

Hides the currently selected shape

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Reset All Points

Same as above, but moves all points in the layer back to
their original positions, not just the selected ones.

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Chapter 21: Bone

Menu

Bone Menu

Bone Menu

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Release Points influenced by all the bones in the parent bone layer,
depending on the strength and region of influence of each
This command detaches the selected points from any bone. This results in more of a “squishy” type of motion
bones they may be bound to. when the skeleton is animated.

Flexi-Bind Points Release Layer And Points

This command binds the selected points to bones in such a Detaches selected points and layer from any bones that
way that they will influenced by all the bones in the parent they are bound to.
bone layer, depending on the strength and region of
influence of each bone. This results in more of a “squishy”
type of motion when the skeleton is animated. This is the Use Selected Bones for Flexi-
default behavior for all drawings in Anime Studio, so you Binding
usually won’t have to use this menu command - the points
are probably already flexi-bound. Assigns the selected bones to the currently-selected layer
in the Layers palette. For more information, see “Tutorial 3.5:
Flexi-Binding” on page 144 in your Anime Studio Tutorial
Release Layer Manual.

This command detaches the current layer from any bone it

may be bound to. Create Smooth Joint for Bone Pair
This command works on a pair of selected bones (for
Flexi-Bind Layer example, bones for the upper and lower arms, or upper
and lower legs). The two bones also have to have a
This command binds the current layer to the bones in parent-child relationship, and start out in close to a straight
the parent layer in such a way that the child layer will line.

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For more information about using bone pairs

and smooth bending, see “Tutorial 3.6: New
Bone Features” on page 147 in your Anime Studio
Tutorial Manual.

Before applying Elbow binding, the joint collapses when it is

bent.

If you are using vector shapes, the collapsing can be

Two bones (a parent and its child) are arranged in a straight remedied, in part, by using Smart Bones (discussed in
line. “Smart Bones” on page 90). However, Smart Bones
only work on vector shapes. Elbow binding, on the other
Applying this command on a pair of selected bones helps hand, works with either vector shapes (, or with scanned or
prevent a bend from collapsing when the child bone imported images.
is bent. It is ideal for use with elbow or knee bends in a To use this command, go to the Layers palette and select
character. the layer that is controlled by the two bones. Then use the
Select Bones tool to select two bones (the upper and lower
arm bones in the case of this example). Next, select the

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layer that is controlled by the bone, and choose Bone >

Create Smooth Joint for Bone Pair.
After you apply the command, you will notice an
improvement in the elbow joint when you rotate the lower
arm bone. There is a nice smooth bend around the joint,
and it pinches together on the inside.

You can offset the bone from the artwork to amplify the bend
effect.

Use All Bones for Flexi-Binding

Reassigns the selected layer in the Layers palette so that it
After you apply Elbow binding, the joint bends more smoothly. is controlled by all bones in the bone group, rather than by
selected bones that were previously assigned with the Use
If you offset the bone and place it to the side of the object, Selected Bones for Flexi-Binding command.
the bend will be amplified. This is an easy way to create
cartoon characters with rubbery arms.

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Hide Selected Bones Show All Bones

Select the bone or bones that you want to hide, and Use the Bone > Show All Bones command to redisplay
choose Bone > Hide Selected Bones. The bones and their bones that have previously been hidden with the Hide
associated keyframes will be hidden. Selected Bones command.

Hide/Show Shy Bones Track Bone to Video

The Select Bones tool provides an option to identify a Allows you to link a bone to the tracking points that you
bone as a “shy bone.” Shy bones can be displayed or defined with the Video Tracking tool. For a description of
hidden as needed to reduce workspace clutter. Toggle how to use this tool, see “Video Tracking” on page 146.
this command on or off to show or hide all bones marked
as “shy.” For more information, see “Select Bone” on page
75. Make Smart Bone Dial
The Create Smart Bone Dial command is an easier and
Hide Controlled Bones more convenient way to set up smart bones. Smart bone
creation involves several steps. You create a bone, give
Hides any bones that are set up to have their angle or it a name, and set up actions and restraints for it. This
position controlled by another bone. These types of bones command simplifies the process.
are often not animated by the user (their animation is
When you want to use the Create Smart Bone dial to set up
“automatic” through the control feature), and hiding them
your smart bones, the process is as follows:
can clear up some of the clutter in the workspace. This
function is not available when the time is set to frame 0. 1. Create the bone that you want to use as your smart
bone control dial.

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example, you can enter a value of -90 to create

an expression that looks less angry, or happy).

ƒƒ Maximum Angle: Enter the value that represents

the maximum setting of the bone. For example,
you can enter a value of 90 to represent the
maximum strength of the Angry expression.

ƒƒ Duration (Frames): Enter the number of frames over

which you want the smart bone to travel from its
minimum to maximum values. A higher number of
frames creates a smoother range of motion.

Create your control bone.

2. Choose Bone > Make Smart Bone Dial.

3. The Create Smart Dial dialog appears, with the

following settings:

ƒƒ Name: Assign a name that is descriptive of what

the dial controls. For example, if you are creating a
dial that gives your character an angry expression,
Enter your settings in the Create Smart Dial dialog.
name the bone Angry.

ƒƒ Minimum Angle: Enter the value that represents 4. Click OK. A bone appears on the screen, labeled
the minimum setting of the bone. You can use with the name that you assigned in the Create Smart
negative values to create the opposite state (for Dial dialog. The Actions window opens to display the
associated action.
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Modify the scene for the minimum and maximum dial settings.

The control dial and the associated action appear in the

window.
Freeze Pose
The rest of the process is similar to that described in “Smart Keyframing can be tricky sometimes for new users of
Bones” on page 90. Scrub the timeline to the minimum Anime Studio, or for those who are new to animation. For
setting and change the scene to the way you want it to example, let’s say you move a left foot up on frame 12,
appear when the bone is at its minimum value. Then scrub and then down again at frame 24. At frame 36, you want
the timeline to the maximum setting (90) and change the the right foot to move up, and then down again at frame
scene to the way you want it to appear when the bone is 48.
at its maximum value.
The problem is, the right foot will start to move up at frame
0, and then be fully up at frame 36. In reality, you want the

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right foot to move up from frame 24 through 36, and not

from frame 0 through 36.
Freeze Visible Bones
To accomplish this, you choose the Bone > Freeze Pose Sets a keyframe for all bones that are currently visible in the
command at Frame 24. This sets a keyframe for every project.
part in your animated character or object so that you are
assured that the pose you want to use is correct for that
portion of your animation. Then you set the keyframe that
Reset Bone
moves the right foot up at frame 36, and down again at
Moves the selected bone back to its original position,
frame 48.
adding a new keyframe for it at the current time.

Reset All Bones

Same as above, but moves all bones in the layer back to
their original positions, not just the selected one.

Freezing a pose

Freeze Selected Bones

Sets a keyframe for all currently selected bones.

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Chapter 22: Animation

Menu

Animation Menu

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Allow Frame Skipping For more information about bone dynamics, refer to
“Tutorial 3.3: Bone Dynamics” on page 126 in your Anime
Normally when playing back an animation, Anime Studio Studio Tutorial Manual.
will display each frame one at a time. Depending on the
complexity of your animation, the display quality settings,
and the speed of your computer, the animation may play Reset All Layer Channels
back slower than its specified speed. Select this command
Resets all channels in the current layer to their initial values,
to force the animation to play back at actual speed.
adding a new keyframe at the current time.
In order to accomplish this, Anime Studio may have to
skip some frames to keep up to speed, so the animation
will play back at the correct overall speed, but may not Consolidate Layer Channels
appear as smooth. The best way to see the animation
at final speed and quality is of course to use the Export This command corresponds to the Consolidate timeline
Animation command in the File menu. channels preference (see “Options Tab” on page 362).
Choose this command to consolidate timeline layers into a
single track in the timeline.
Enable Bone Dynamics
Use the Animation > Enable Bone Dynamics command to
preview bone dynamics on the canvas. Playback of bone
dynamics is much more accurate in Anime Studio 10.1 and
later, but it can also cause animations to run slower as the
more accurate dynamics are calculated.
When this option is unchecked, animation playback is
faster, but will not preview the automatic bone dynamics
animation. The dynamics will still appear in final renderings.

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Select All Keyframes

Selects all the keyframes in the current layer. This is useful if
you want to move all the animation in a layer forward or
backward.

Rescale Keyframes...
With this command you can rescale a group of keyframes
so that a portion of your animation takes more or less time.

Timeline layer channels can be unconsolidated (top) or

consolidated (bottom).

Set Layer Start Time

Offsets the start of an animation within a layer to the
current selected frame.

Align Layer with Camera

Allows you to rotate the selected layer to face the camera.

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• Start Frame: Enter the existing frame number at which

to start scaling.

• End Frame: Enter the existing frame number at which to

end the scaling.

• New Start Frame: Enter the new target frame number

for the start of the scaling.

• New End Frame: Enter the new target frame for the
end of the scaling.

• Rescale the following channels: Check or uncheck the

channels that you want to include or exclude from the
scaling operation. The icons representing the various
animation channels are described in the Timeline
Window section.
Examples:

• To reduce the amount of time the animation takes (in

other words, to speed it up), you could set the start
The Rescale Keyframes dialog.
frame (and new start frame) to 30, the end frame to
60, and the new end frame to 45. (45 - 30 = 15, which is
Options included in this dialog are: half as long as 60 - 30 = 30)

• Rescale entire document: Check this option to rescale • You can shift a section of your animation by changing
all frames in the document. the start time. For example, to shift the range of
keyframes between 30 and 60, you could set the start

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frame to 30, the end frame to 60, the new start frame
to 90, and the new end frame to 120. The duration will
be the same (120 - 90 = 60 - 30), but the animation will
take place between frames 90 and 120, instead of 30
and You can rescale a portion of the entire document
by clicking the “Rescale entire document” checkbox.

• To rescale the current layer, select the animation

channels that you want to be affected. For example,
you may want to rescale the bone animation, but
leave the layer rotation alone.

Copy Current Frame...

With this command you can copy values from the current
frame in the timeline to any other frame in your animation.
For example, if you position some objects in a way that
you really like at frame 243, you can use this command to
copy that position back to frame 0, to make it the starting
position as well.

The Copy Current Frame dialog.

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Add Keyframe • From Layer At Current Frame: Clears the keyframes on

the currently selected layer, only at the current frame.
This command adds a keyframe for all channels in your
• From Document: Clears all animation keyframes from
project, at the currently selected frame.
the entire document.

Clear Animation • From Document After Current Frame: Clears keyframes

from the entire document, beginning with the frame
Several commands allow you to clear keyframes from a after the currently selected frame and including all
single layer, or from all the layers in your project. Use the keyframes to the end.
Animation > Clear Animation commands as follows:
• From Document Before Current Frame: Clears
• From Layer: Clears all animation keyframes from the keyframes from the entire document, beginning with
current layer. A warning appears to notify you that the frame before the currently selected frame and
animation will also be deleted from sublayers and including all keyframes to the beginning.
asks if you want to continue. Choose Yes to clear the
• From Document At Current Frame: Clears the
sublayers, No to keep keyframes in the sublayers, or
keyframes in the entire document, only at the current
Cancel to exit the dialog without making changes.
frame.
• From Layer After Current Frame: Clears keyframes from
the currently selected layer, beginning with the frame
after the currently selected frame and including all
Track Layer to Video
keyframes to the end.
This command allows you to link a layer to tracking points
that have been set up with the video tracking tool. For
• From Layer Before Current Frame: Clears keyframes
a complete description of the process, refer to “Video
from the currently selected layer, beginning with
Tracking” on page 146.
the frame before the currently selected frame and
including all keyframes to the beginning.

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Nudge Physics Object causes the ball to fly off again to the left. Smaller nudge
values cause objects to wobble.
A nudge is an instantaneous force that affects a physics
object in small or large amounts, depending on the setting
in the Physics Nudge dialog. It can be a large force, but Mute Audio
after the nudge keyframe, the object will start falling, or
Mutes the soundtrack when playing back your project
bouncing, or whatever the situation requires. It won’t keep
in Anime Studio, but the soundtrack is still a part of the
going in the nudge direction forever.
project. Just un-mute it to hear it again.

Restart Audio Track

Starts the audio track in the selected track over again from
the beginning. This allows you to add repeats in the audio
track.

Audio Level
Opens a dialog that allows you to enter a numerical value
The Physics Nudge dialog. for the audio level.

For example, assume that when you play your animation

back you see a red ball roll down and bounce to a stop
Restart Movie
against a block. You can position the timeline shortly after Starts the video in the selected track over again from the
it stops, and then apply a large nudge (such as 10) that beginning, allowing you to add repeats in the video track.

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Chapter 23: Scripts The Scripts menu contains commands that are provided by
script files or plug-ins. Anime Studio includes several scripts

Menu for a variety of different tasks, and you can also download
more scripts written by other Anime Studio users. These
scripts are all written in the Lua programming language - if
you’re interested in creating your own scripts, feel free to
examine the scripts in the scripts/menu sub-folder in the
Anime Studio program folder.
The scripts in this menu are divided into several sub-menus,
according to their function:

3D
The scripts in this menu are used to create or manipulate
3D models.

Auto-Scale
When you import a 3D OBJ file into your scene, it may
be way out of scale with the Anime Studio scene. For
example, a building may be so large that the Anime Studio
camera is inside it, or off to one side, and you don’t really
see anything on import. This script centers the object and
Scripts Menu scales it to an appropriate size for the default Anime Studio
camera.

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Cube Torus
Creates a new 3D layer that contains a simple cube. The Creates a new 3D layer that contains a simple torus
color of the cube is determined by the current fill and line (donut). The color of the torus is determined by the current
colors. fill and line colors.

Rotate X Camera
Rotates the current 3D layer 90 degrees around the X These scripts are used to move the camera around and to
axis. This can be useful when importing a 3D model if the create camera-related effects.
model’s “up” direction is not the same as Anime Studio’s -
just use this command (and the other rotate commands) to
align the model properly. Handheld Camera
Adds noisy interpolation to the camera animation channels
Rotate Y to simulate a handheld camera.

Rotates the current 3D layer 90 degrees around the Y axis.

Orbit Camera...
Rotate Z Adds animation to the camera to cause it to rotate around
the current scene. You can specify how long this should
Rotates the current 3D layer 90 degrees around the Z axis. take, how far out the camera should be, and the direction
of rotation.

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Draw Simplify Curve

These scripts can be used to create vector objects in Reduces the number of points in a curve by removing
Anime Studio. points which are calculated to be “unnecessary” to
maintain the shape of the object. This makes it easier to
edit your shapes later.
Apply Sketchy Effect
Applies a sketchy effect to the outline of the shape. Split Curve
Automatically inserts points into selected curve segments,
Auto Weld allowing you to modify existing shapes.

Finds vector points that are near each other and welds
them together. Only operates on selected points. This can Star...
be useful if you have accidental gaps in a drawing, or
sometimes when working with imported Adobe Illustrator Draws a star shape in either the current vector layer, or a
files. new layer. Uses the current fill and line colors to color the
star.

Polygon...
Toggle Legacy Curves
Draws a polygon shape in either the current vector layer, or
a new layer. Uses the current fill and line colors to color the Turns on old style curves, which are less smooth than the
polygon. new curve style. However, this is beneficial for use with files
created in older versions of Anime Studio.

Remove Bad Fills

This script fixes “leaky” fill shapes.
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Zig Zag Spherical Panorama

Creates zig-zagged shading between two selected curves. Converts a spherical panorama image into a 3D sphere
You can control the number of spikes, curviness, and that can be viewed from any angle with the camera tools.
randomness.

Layer Effects
Image
These scripts can be used to generate special layer effects.
These scripts can be used to process image layers.

Layer Trail...
Fisheye
Creates an animated trail effect that follows the origin
Turns a fisheye image into a curved, wide-angle surface point of the current layer.
that can be panned around with the camera tools.

Magic Lines
Import Image Sequence...
Allows you to create a number of curves and apply this
Imports a numbered sequence of images. Each image is script to create an effect. For example, you can use the
imported as its own layer, and the entire group is enclosed Freehand tool to draw several curves that represent smoke
in a switch group. The image files should be named using a or swirly magic lines, and then run the script to create a
numerical sequence. For example, “file0001.jpg”, “file0002. smoky or magical effect.
jpg”, “file0003.jpg”, etc.

Perspective Shadow...
Automatically creates a pseudo-3D shadow effect for the
current layer.
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RT: Break Apart Shapes Explosion...

Offers a number of different options in how you can break Creates an explosion effect. The explosion starts at the
apart the shapes on a layer. You can put each shape in current frame, and will fade to a smoke cloud over time.
its own layer and group them together or put all shapes
in one layer creating separate geometry for each shape.
Additional options allow you to select filled shapes only,
Rain
and to name layers according to group names or shape
Inserts a falling rain effect.
names. This script is very useful when working with physics.

Smoke...
Particle Effects
Inserts a plume or cloud of smoke.
These scripts can be used to create particle effects like
smoke, fire, or rain. Many of these effects can be time-
consuming to render, so be aware of that if you plan to use Snow
several of them in a single animation. Also, even though
Creates a falling snow effect.
they can be exported to Flash, these effects can be too
complex for the Flash player to play at full speed. Plus,
without the blur effects these scripts use, they won’t look Sparkles...
very good in Flash. These effects are really useful only if you
plan to export to a movie or still image format, not Flash. Inserts a cluster of spiraling sparkles. This effect is very
effective if you bind it to another moving object - for
example, the end of a magic wand.
Energy Cloud...
Creates a blobby glowing cloud effect.

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Script Writing List Channels

This menu contain utility scripts that can be used as Shows how a script can iterate through all of the animation
examples for writing your own scripts. If you don’t plan channels in a layer. You can access every animateable
to write your own scripts, you can completely ignore this parameter in the layer.
menu.

Load Data File...

Alert Test
This script is a demonstration of how a Lua script can read
Demonstrates how a script can use an alert box to provide data from an external file. It doesn’t do anything useful
some information to the user. itself, but it could be used as a starting point if you wanted
to write a script to import some kind of custom data.

Automation Test
Print Anime Studio API
Shows how you can write a script that will open or save
a document, create a new document, and render a Prints out all functions, constants, and global variables that
document. The script opens all documents in a given Anime Studio provides through its scripting interface. This
directory and renders a frame for each one. is not meant to be the documentation for Anime Studio’s
scripting interface, but some script writers may find it useful.

Error Test The Resources > Support > Extra Files folder in your
Anime Studio Pro installation folder contains Lua scripting
This script intentionally creates a runtime error. The purpose documentation that you might find useful.
is to show how the Lua Console appears to display the
error. When you write your own scripts, the console window
will be very helpful when tracking down errors.

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Anime Studio merges user scripts and factory If the version is missing or lesser than the factory
scripts internally at runtime. If you name a user default, the factory default will be used and a copy
script in the same corresponding folder (tools, utility, of the factory default will be saved to the user folder
etc) with the same name as a factory script in the with the name _reference_tool_list.txt.
corresponding location, the user script will be
preferred over the factory script. User scripts that do
The _reference_tool_list.txt file is not for
not replace factory scripts are loaded after factory
editing. It is a reference to use when updating
scripts, as previously supported, unless a different
your custom _tool_list.txt for the current version. This
order is specified in the active _tool_list.txt file for tool
allows new tools and other changes to be
scripts.
accounted for when you make your customizations.
When the factory defaults version changes, a new
The _tool_list.txt factory default file now begins with a copy of this file will be saved for you to reference.
line that is similar to this:

/* anime_version 9010000 (9.1.0 Print Globals

rev 0) */
Prints out all global variables currently defined in Lua.

If you have a _tool_list.txt file in the user scripts/tools

location that begins with this line, and the version Print Test
number is the same or higher than the factory
A simple example that shows how you can print output
default version, your user _tool_list.txt will be used
in a Lua script. The printed output will appear in the Lua
instead of the factory file.
Console window. Printing data in the console window is
not generally useful when your script is delivered to regular
Anime Studio users, but can be very helpful when writing a
script to track down bugs.

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Sound Number Sequence

The scripts in this menu use sound to control some part of Adds a sequence of numbers based on the number of
an animation. frames in your animation.

Bone Audio Wiggle... Spinning Text

This script uses the volume of a sound file that you select to Creates 2D or 3D spining text. Several settings provide
animate the angle of the currently selected bone. Use this control over length, rotation, translation, opacity, and
script to make a character or object move in sync with a scale. Some presets are provided.
sound.

Tiling
Layer Audio Wiggle...
These two scripts allow you to create a repeating texture
Use this script to make a layer move in sync with a sound. pattern to fill the workspace. These tiled surfaces can be
animated.

Text
Visibility
Allows you to add credits or spinning text to your projects.
These scripts affect the visibility of a layer - for example,
causing it to fade in and out.
Credits
Allows you to select a text file that contains your credits.
You can specify font, duration for each screen, delay
between screens, and number of frames for fade.

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Collapse Layers Warp

Allows you to animate the collapsing or uncollapsing of This set of scripts is used to distort the contents of a vector
layers contained in a group layer. layer, applying various animated warping effects.

Fade... Black Hole...

Causes the current layer to fade in or out over a specified Causes the selected points in a vector layer to swirl around
number of frames. If you want a layer to appear or in an inward spiral motion towards the origin point of the
disappear suddenly, it is better to change the value of layer.
the layer’s visibility channel. However, this script should be
used when you want a layer to appear or disappear more
gradually. Wavy...
Causes the selected points in a vector layer to move in a
Unroll Shapes wavy or underwater style.

If you have a vector layer that contains several shapes,

you can run this script to “unroll” or expand the shapes Other Popular Scripts
out from nothing in a cascade. Unroll Shapes can also be
used in combination with Elastic or Bounce interpolation for Opens your web browser to www. animestudioscripts.com,
interesting effects. where you can download popular scripts written by other
members of the Anime Studio user community.

Wavy Fade...
This script combines the Fade effect above with the Wavy
effect below. It can only be used with vector layers.

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Scripting Documentation
Opens your web browser to www.animestudioscripting.
com, where you can view the latest scripting
documentation.

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Chapter 24: View

Menu

View Menu

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Reset Show Play & View Controls

Resets the view of the working area to the starting pan and Toggles the display of the play controls and other toolbar
zoom values. Use this command when you want to jump settings that appear above the timeline.
back to the original view of the project.

Show Timeline Options

Zoom In
Toggles the display of the timeline options toolbar (the area
Use the View > Zoom In command, or the keyboard between the Play and View controls and the timeline ruler).
shortcut Command/Ctrl+= (equal sign) to zoom in closer to
the elements in your scene.
Direction
Zoom Out This sub-menu lets you select a direction to view your scene
from. The default view is through the camera - however,
Use the View > Zoom Out command, or the keyboard sometimes when you’re working on a scene with a 3D
shortcut Command/Ctrl+- (minus sign) to zoom out farther layout, you may want to view the scene from a different
from the elements in your scene. point of view. Options are Camera, Front, Top, Right, Back,
Bottom, and Left.

Show Output Only

Enable Grid
In OpenGL mode, this option will use a semi-transparent fill
so that you can see what is behind it. Toggles display of the grid on and off. A checkmark
appears beside the command when the grid is displayed.

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Grid Settings Show Output Only

Displays the Grid Settings dialog, which allows you to set This command will hide all artwork that lies outside the final
the number of pixels between each grid space. Default is output rectangle. This makes it easy to visualize the final
20 pixels. staging for your shot. Of course, it’s hard to edit what you
can’t see, so be sure to turn this option off when you need
to edit an object that lies outside the visible area of the
Disable Grid Snapping project.

When the grid is turned on, control points will snap to the
nearest grid intersection as you draw them and move Select Tracing Image
them around. Select this menu command to disable grid
snapping - that way you can use the grid as just a visual Use this command to select a tracing image to display in
guide, without it interfering in your drawing. Anime Studio’s editing view. This image will not appear in
your final output - it’s just used as a tracing guide to help
you draw your artwork in Anime Studio.
Video Safe Zones
This command turns on the display of NTSC “safe zones”. Show Tracing Image
When creating output for video, it is important to keep
important action and titles within the safe zones, because Use this command to show or hide the tracing image that
most televisions cut off some portion of the outside of the you have added to the scene using the Select Tracing
picture. (The inner rectangle is the safe zone for titles, and Image command.
the outer one for important action.)

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Show Curves Design Mode

Use this command to globally show or hide the curves in Returns the project to Frame 0, where you can add new
your scene. layers, draw vector shapes, change bone rigging, and
so on. Anime Studio will remember the frame that you
were previously on before choosing the command. If you
Auto Hide Curves choose the command again after adding the desired
elements at Frame 0, you will return to the frame that was
When checked, Anime Studio will automatically hide
current before you applied the command the first time.
curves when you use drawing tools that do not affect
curves. This helps reduce onscreen clutter while you draw.
Uncheck this option if you prefer to display curves at all FBX Preview Mode
times.
The View > FBX Preview Mode command allows you to
preview your Anime Studio project before you use the
Fade Unselected Layers File > FBX Export command to export to another 2D or 3D
application that supports the FBX format (such as Unity or
This option allows you to easily identify the layers and
Autodesk products).
objects that you are working on, without having to turn
other layers off. When this option is off, all layers in the It is important to note that the FBX file format does not
current project will be displayed normally. When this option support all of the features found in Anime Studio, such
is turned on, any layers or children of layers that are not as point animation, curvatures, point bindings, and other
selected will be grayed out. similar features. Any features that are supported in Anime
Studio but not supported in FBX format will not be exported.
While working in FBX Preview mode, you can play back or
scrub through your project to view the animation as it will
appear in other applications that support FBX file format.
You may notice that some parts are left behind when the
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character animates, or that things are not bending and Select only the bones that you want to use to animate
stretching as they should. This gives you the opportunity to a selected body part, and then apply the command.
make modifications that will help improve performance in Repeat this for any body part that uses point binding.
other applications. When you turn FBX Preview mode off Make sure to preview again in FBX Preview Mode to
after making changes (such as changing point binding to see the result of the change.
flexi-binding), the project will play back using the original
methods, but the changes that you made while working in • Use the Bone Strength tool to verify bone strengths
FBX preview mode will be carried over. for each of the body parts to make sure they are not
being under- or over-affected. Adjust bone strengths
The following general comments address Anime Studio
as needed before exporting the project.
features that are not compatible with FBX format:
• Bone scaling and stretching is not supported in FBX
• Vector layers will be exported as though they are
format.
images.

• Remember that when designing a project for FBX

output, everything is about flexi-binding. Other binding
Stereo
methods will produce undesirable results in FBX format. If Enable Stereo (Red/Blue)Rendering is enabled in the
Project Settings dialog (see “Project Settings...” on page
• Characters that use features like point binding, point
324), this command makes it easier to preview and
bending, curvatures, and other similar features will not
reposition your 3D objects for stereo rendering.
move in the same way when exported as an FBX file
and imported into another application. You will need
to modify the characters using some of the following Show Document Tabs
recommendations.
Open documents appear as tabs in the main window.
• If a character uses point binding methods to link bones You can show or hide the document tabs with the View >
to vector layers, use the Bone > Use Selected Bones for Show Document Tabs command, or by using the shortcut
Flexi-Binding command to remove the point binding. Command/Ctrl+Shift+J.
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Open documents also appear as a list at the bottom of the

View menu. Select a document in the list at it will appear in
the view port area.
The following shortcuts allow you to cycle through open
documents:

• To switch to the next open document, press Ctrl+Tab

(Windows) or Alt+Tab (Mac).

• To switch to the previous open document, press

Ctrl+Shift+Tab (Windows) or Alt+Shift+Tab (Mac).

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Chapter 25: Window Layers

Menu Shows/hides the Layers window. The Layers window
is shown by default when you start Anime Studio. See
“Chapter 11: Layers Window” on page 169.

Timeline
Shows/hides the Timeline window. The Timeline window
is shown by default when you start Anime Studio. See
“Chapter 16: The Timeline Window” on page 282.

Style
Shows/hides the Style window. The Style window is shown
by default when you start Anime Studio. See “Chapter 13:
Window Menu Style Window” on page 216.

Actions
Tools
Shows/hides the Actions window. The Actions window
Shows/hides the Tools window. The Tools window is shown is hidden by default when you start Anime Studio. See
by default when you start Anime Studio. Tools are discussed “Actions Window” on page 311.
in the section beginning with “Anime Studio Tools” on
page 25.

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Library window. Adjust the sliders until you get a combination of

the morphs that you want to keep. Then click OK to set the
Displays the Library window, which is discussed in “Chapter new combination.
14: The Library Window” on page 246.
The Default slider is associated with the
default state of the object at Frame 0. To
Audio Recording blend the other morphs with this default state, check
the Relative Blend option.
Displays the Audio Recording window, which is discussed in
“Audio Recording” on page 310.

Blend Morphs
You can use the Window > Blend Morphs command
to blend poses (or morph targets) together to create a
combination pose or morph. This feature in Anime Studio is
very easy to use.

Anime Studio Pro allows you to both create

and blend poses. See “Creating Morphs” on
page 315.

To blend your morphs, begin by moving to the frame at

which you want the new morph to appear.
Next, choose the Window > Blend Morphs command. The
Blend Morphs dialog appears. The sliders in this dialog are
named the same as the morphs you created in the Actions
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You can select which animation channels to copy to a

new frame, or you can copy everything in the document
by selecting the “Copy entire document” checkbox.
There doesn’t need to be a keyframe at the current
frame in order to copy the current value. This command
will copy the current value, whether it is a keyframe or an
interpolated in-between value.

An important note about bones: if you

position a skeleton system during your
animation, and try to copy that pose back to frame
0, the bones themselves will take on that pose at
frame 0, but anything bound to the bones (points in
vector layers, warped images, other sub-layers) will
not take on that pose. This is because frame 0 is a
setup frame - bones are set up at frame 0, but they
have no influence over other objects at frame 0. If
you’re trying to copy a pose back to frame 0 in
Use the Blend Morphs dialog to combine your morphs together order to set up an initial pose, consider copying it
in any combination of values. back to frame 1 instead - frame 1 is actually the
beginning of the animation, and the bones will
You can then advance to other frames in your timeline, influence other objects starting at frame 1.
and use the Blend Morphs command to create new
combinations throughout the timeline. As you scrub
through the timeline, you should then see morphs blend
from one to the other.

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Layer Settings
Opens the Layer Settings dialog, discussed in “Chapter 12:
Layer Settings” on page 176.

Keyframe
Use the Window > Keyframe command to apply changes
to a selected group of keyframes. For more information
about the Keyframe dialog, see “Editing Keyframe
Settings” on page 298.

Poser Parameters
Opens the Poser Parameters dialog, which allows you to
rotate or scale Poser objects that are imported into your
scene. For more information, see “Chapter 8: Special
Tools” on page 141.

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Chapter 26: Help Menu Tutorials

Opens the PDF version of the Anime Studio Tutorial Manual,
which is installed on your hard disk.

Help
Opens this document, the Anime Studio User’s Manual.

Online Tutorials
Opens a web browser with Anime Studio online tutorials.
Internet connection will be required.

Welcome Screen
Opens the Welcome Screen.

Register Your Product

Register your product to receive information on updates
and upgrades. Internet connection will be required.

Help Menu

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415 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Community Forums is a great place to get inspired and see what others have
created with Anime Studio.
Opens your web browser to the Lost Marble forum, where
you can communicate with your peers and ask for help
on any topic related to Anime Studio and animation. The About Anime Studio Pro
forum is extremely large with over ten thousand registered
Displays some information about Anime Studio, including
members.
which version of Anime Studio you’re running.

Technical Support About Scripts

Opens your web browser to the Smith Micro website where
Displays some information about all the scripts currently
you can access FAQ’s, see answers to common issues, get
loaded by Anime Studio. All of Anime Studio tools, and
help from a customer service representative etc.
all the entries in the Scripts menu are implemented
in a scripting language called Lua. Although some
Download Bonus Content Pack programming/scripting experience is required, Anime
Studio users are welcome to write their own scripts to
Navigates to the Bonus Content Pack page on Content extend Anime Studio’s built-in features.
Paradise. You will need a Content Paradise account and a
valid Anime Studio serial number to obtain the content.
Buy Content
Online Video Gallery Help speed up your animation workflow with ready to
use content. Buy content from Content Paradise. Internet
Opens your browser to a page that displays some of the connection will be required.
animations that have been created with Anime Studio. This

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416 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Check For Updates

Check to see if there are any updates for Anime Studio.
Internet connection will be required.

Deactivate License
Choose this command to deactivate the license before
you uninstall Anime Studio, or if you want to activate the
license on another computer.

Edit Keyboard Shortcuts

The Help > Edit Keyboard Shortcuts command opens the
Keyboard Shortcuts dialog shown in the following figure.

The Keyboard Shortcuts Editor.

By default, the shortcuts that are built-in to Anime Studio

are displayed in their default configuration, in three
categories: Menus, Tools, and Windows. Simply start typing
a command or action name to scroll it into view and select
it.

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You cannot edit the default configuration. In order to name, or window; and the right side of the list displays
create your own shortcut configurations, you’ll need to the associated shortcut if one is configured.
create a custom settings file.
• Scroll To: Jumps to a specific shortcut category. The
The following options appear in the dialog:
categories are named in the order in which they
appear in the shortcut list. Select the desired category
• Current Settings: Displays the name of the shortcut
to jump to that location.
configuration that is currently in use.
• Shortcut Suggestions: Click this button to have Anime
• New: Allows you to assign a name to a new shortcut
Studio suggest an unused keyboard shortcut.
configuration. Anime Studio will notify you if the
filename is too long. After you assign a name choose
• Done: Click the Done button when you are finished
OK. Your new custom file will appear in the Current
editing your shortcuts.
Settings list, and you can begin to assign your custom
shortcuts.
Adding Shortcuts
• Delete: Select a custom shortcut configuration from the
Current Settings list, and then click this button to delete To create a custom keyboard shortcut file, follow these
it. You cannot delete the Default configuration file. steps:

• Restore Defaults: Restores all keyboard shortcuts to If a user content folder is defined, Anime will
the default values assigned with the Anime Studio save custom keyboard shortcuts files to a
installation. Keyboard Shortcuts folder in the user content folder.
If names conflict with custom files saved to the
• Shortcut List: Displays all shortcuts by category: Menu, default location, the user location will supercede the
Tools, and Windows. You can use the scrollbar at the default location.
right side of the shortcut list to scroll further down the list.
The left side of the list displays a menu command, tool 1. Choose Help > Keyboard Shortcut Editor to open the
Keyboard Shortcut window.
Chapter 26: Help Menu
418 Anime Studio Pro 10
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2. If a custom configuration file has not yet been

created, click the New button to assign a name for a
new configuration file. Otherwise, select the custom
configuration that you want to edit from the Current
Settings dropdown list.

3. Scroll through the keyboard shortcut list until you find

the menu command, tool, or window item that you
want to modify. Click inside the shortcut field to edit it.
You will receive a warning when the keyboard shortcut that
4. With the shortcut field selected, press the associated you enter is already in use.
keys on your keyboard that you want to assign for the
command.
Actions whose shortcuts are already used by
other actions will appear with a red number
Customized shortcuts will override default
that indicates how many actions already use that
shortcuts unless there is a conflict with a
shortcut. Hover over the number to display a list of
default. If a conflict with a default shortcut exists, the
actions that use that shortcut. The number and
default shortcut will take precedence over the
tooltip only appear when editing custom shortcuts,
custom shortcut.
and not when viewing default shortcuts.

It is possible to create duplicate shortcuts. The

After you are finished with your keyboard shortcuts,
editor will warn you when multiple actions
click Done to save the configuration file.
have the same shortcut when you assign a shortcut
that is already used by another action. When
multiple actions use the same shortcut, the first
enabled action found will be triggered.

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If you change your locale, there may be

localized shortcuts that conflict with your
Set Custom Content Folder
custom shortcuts. Your settings will be updated to Prompts you to create a content folder, as described in
eliminate conflicts. “Creating a Content Folder” on page 10.

Switching from 32-bit to 64-bit or vice versa

could potentially alter the shortcuts available
Open Custom Content Folder
and may lead to a conflict between default settings Opens your custom content folder in Explorer (Windows) or
and custom settings. Your settings will be updated to Finder (Mac)
eliminate conflicts.

If shortcuts have changed in the application since the last

time you updated, a dialog will prompt you to update your
custom shortcut list accordingly, or to use the new defaults.

Update Shortcuts dialog.

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Appendix

Chapter 26: Help Menu

421 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Appendix A: Product Particles Read only Read and

Create

Comparison Import Photoshop Files

Real-time media connection

Yes (1)

No
Yes (2)

Yes

Patch Layers Read only Read and

The differences between Anime Studio Debut and Pro create

3D Video rendering No Yes

Feature Comparisons Global Rendering Styles No Yes

Scripting No Yes

Feature Anime Anime Layer Outline Yes Yes

Studio Debut Studio Pro 64-bit Architecture No Yes
Animation Length 2 minutes (3000 Unlimited GPU Acceleration No Yes
frames)
Wacom Multi-Touch Support Yes Yes
Motion Tracking 3 points Unlimited
Character Wizard Yes Yes
Audio Tracks 2 tracks Unlimited
Render Cache Yes Yes
Video Tracks 1 track Unlimited
Separate Batch Export Process No Yes
Physics No Yes
Separate Render Process No Yes
Poser scene import No Yes
Preview Animation No Yes
3D layer and object support No Yes
Multiple Document Support Yes Yes
Morph targets Read Only Read and (Tabs)
create
Keyboard Shortcut Editor Yes Yes
Automatic image tracing Black and white Black and
only white, color, Automatic Update Checking Yes Yes
and edges Activation, Serialization, and Yes Yes
License Management

Appendix A: Product Comparison

422 Anime Studio Pro 10
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(1) Layered using Anime Studio script

Vector Drawing Features
(2) Import directly through File menu.
Feature Anime Anime
Studio Studio Pro
Window Menu Debut
Text X X
Feature Anime Anime
Select Points X X
Studio Studio Pro
Debut Transform Points X X

Tools X X Add Point X X

Beginner Mode Tools X Hide/Show Points X X

Layers X X Delete Edge X X

Timeline X X Curvature X X

Style X X Freehand X X

Actions X Multi-brushes X X

Library X X Blob Brush X X

Audio Recording X X Eraser X X

Poser Parameters X Rectangle X X

Character Wizard X X (1) Oval X X

Arrow X X
(1) Character Wizard in Pro lets you use and create
Shear Points X X
reusable actions that can be applied to any character
created with the Wizard. Shear Points Y X

Perspective Points H X

Perspective Points V X

Appendix A: Product Comparison

423 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Bend Points H X Fill Features

Bend Points V X

Noise X Feature Anime Anime

Magnet X
Studio Studio Pro
Debut
Snap to Grid X
Select Shape X X
Reset Line Width X
Select Multiple Shapes X X
Random Line Width X
Create Shape X X
Variable Width Curve X X
Paint Bucket X X

Delete Shape X X
Vector Modifiers Line Width X X

Hide Edge X X
Feature Anime Anime
Stroke Exposure X
Studio Studio Pro
Curve Profile X
Debut
Texture Transparency X
Peak X X

Smooth X X

Flip Points Horizontally X X Fill Modifiers

Flip Points Vertically X X
Feature Anime Anime
Studio Studio Pro
Debut
Lower Shape X X

Raise Shape X X

Appendix A: Product Comparison

424 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Bone Features Layer Features

Feature Anime Anime
Feature Anime Anime Studio Studio Pro
Studio Studio Pro Debut
Debut
Set Origin X X
Select Bone X X
Transformation X X
Transform Bone Tool (Translate, X X
Switch Layer X X
Scale, and Rotate)
Rotate Layer X X
Add Bone X X
Rotate Layer Y X
Hide/Show Bones X X
Shear Layer X X
Reparent Bone X X
Shear Layer Y X
Bone Strength X X
Particle Layer X
Manipulate Bones X X
Follow Path X X
Bind Layer X X
Poser X (1)
Bind Points X X
Image Masking X X
Offset Bone X X
Video Tracking X (2) X
Bone Physics X
Audio Layers X (3) X
Bone Constraints X
Layer Selector X X
Smart Bones X
Undo/Redo Layers X X
Smart Bones Setup X
Layer Comps X
Color Bones X X
Layer Colors X X
Bone Labels X
Flexi Binding X X
Nested Layer Controls X X

Appendix A: Product Comparison

425 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Depth Shifting X Image X X

Fade Unselected Layers X Bone X X

Multiple Layer Editing X X Switch X X

Colorize Layer X X Group X

Particle X
(1) Requires Poser 7 or newer
3D X
(2) Limited to 3 tracking points Physics (Layer property) X
(3) Limited to 2 audio layers Note X

2D to 3D Layer Conversion X

Layer Modifiers Patch X

Text Layer X X

Feature Anime Anime

Studio Studio Pro
Debut
Camera Features
Flip Layer Horizontally X X
Feature Anime Anime
Flip Layer Vertically X X
Studio Studio Pro
Debut

Layer Types Track Camera X X

Zoom Camera X X

Feature Anime Anime Roll Camera X X

Studio Studio Pro Pan/Tilt Camera X

Debut
Vector X X

Appendix A: Product Comparison

426 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Workspace Features Linear Interpolation X

Ease In/Out Interpolation X

Feature Anime Anime Bezier Interpolation X
Studio Studio Pro Step Interpolation X
Debut
Noisy Interpolation X
Pan Workspace X X
Bounce Interpolation X
Zoom Workspace X X
Elastic Interpolation X
Rotate Workspace X
Stagger Interpolation X
Orbit Workspace X
Sequencer X X
Depth of Field X
Keyframe Hold Duration X X

Colored Keyframes X X

Timeline Features
Feature Anime Anime
Action Features
Studio Studio Pro
Feature Anime Anime
Debut
Studio Studio Pro
Keyframes X X
Debut
Playback Controls X X
Store Reusable Animation X
Animation Channels X X
Edit Reusable Animation X
Ruler X X
Delete Reusable Animation X
Onionskins X

Graph Mode X

Smooth Interpolation X

Appendix A: Product Comparison

427 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Style Features Project Settings

Feature Anime Anime Feature Anime Anime
Studio Studio Pro Studio Studio Pro
Debut Debut
Save Style X Save Project Settings X X

Pattern Brush X (1) X Edit Dimensions X X

Blur X X Background Color X X

Threshold X X Depth of Field X

(1) Pro version contains more brushes 3D Camera X

Stereo Rendering X

Sort Layers by Depth X X

Preferences Sort by True Distance X X

Noise Grain X
Feature Anime Anime
Up to 120 Frames/Second X X
Studio Studio Pro
Maximum
Debut
Maximum export size (pixels) 900 x 900 9000 x 9000
Options X X
Maximum number of frames 3000 Unlimited
Editor Colors X X

GUI Colors X X

GUI Color Themes X X

Appendix A: Product Comparison

428 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Content Visibility X

Script Writing X
Feature Anime Anime
Studio Studio Pro
Debut View
Built in Content X X
Feature Anime Anime
Third Party Content X X
Studio Studio Pro
3D Object X
Debut
Character Wizard X X
Grid X

Adjust Grid Size X

Scripts Side by Side View X

Over Under View X

Feature Anime Anime Four-Way View X
Studio Studio Pro Display Quality X
Debut
Advanced Current Layer View X
3D X

Camera X

Draw X Import
Image Sequences X
Feature Anime Anime
Layer Effects X
Studio Studio Pro
Particle Effects X
Debut
Sound X
2D FORMATS
Warp X

Appendix A: Product Comparison

429 Anime Studio Pro 10
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JPEG X X
(2) Directly through File menu.

BMP X X (3) AVI Import works on Windows, and on Macintosh

PSD X (1) X (2)
systems depending on codecs. If you can play the AVI file
in QuickTime on a Mac, you should be able to import it into
PNG X X
Anime Studio.
TGA X X

EPS, AI, Tracing Image X

3D FORMATS Export Formats

OBJ X
Feature Anime Anime
Poser Files and Scenes (Poser 7 X
and newer)
Studio Studio Pro
Debut
SOUND FORMATS
IMAGE FORMATS
WAV (Windows & Mac) X X
JPEG X X
AIFF (Windows & Mac) X X
BMP X X
MP3 (Windows & Mac) X X
PSD (Layered) X
M4A (MPEG-4) X X
PNG X X
MOVIE FORMATS
TGA X X
MOV (Mac and Windows) X X
Batch Image Export X
AVI (3) X X
MOVIE FORMATS
MP4 Video X X
SWF (1) X X
MOHO FORMAT
MOV (Macintosh and Windows) X X
MOHO File Format X X (2)

(1) Layered using Anime Studio script. AVI (Windows) X X

Appendix A: Product Comparison

430 Anime Studio Pro 10
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MP4 X X Upload to Facebook® X X

Sequential JPEG X Upload to YouTube™ X X

Sequential BMP X

Sequential PSD X
Optimization Features
Sequential PNG X

Sequential TGA X Feature Anime Anime

Batch Movie Export X Studio Studio Pro
TV FORMATS Debut
NTSC Format X X 64-bit Architecture X

PAL X X GPU Acceleration X

HD movies X Render Cache X X

Separate Batch Export Process X

(1) SWF: Vector animations only; image layers can be used
as long as they are not warped by bones. See “Exporting Separate Render Process X

Flash” on page 351 for more information. Preview Animation X

(2) MOV: If you are using a 64-bit Windows operating Multiple Document Support X X
(Tabs)
system, you will need to use the 32-bit version of Anime
Keyboard Shortcut Editor X X
Studio Pro to export in MOV format.
Automatic Update Checking X X

Activation, Serialization, and X X

Upload Features License Management

Feature Anime Anime

Studio Studio Pro
Debut

Appendix A: Product Comparison

431 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Appendix B: Technical information and a variety of tutorials. We plan to keep this

updated with questions and answers and new sample files.

Support To view in-depth product descriptions, online video gallery,

and more, visit http://anime.smithmicro.com.

User Manual Anime Studio Discussion Forum

The first source of help when using Anime Studio is the Share tips and tricks with other Anime Studio users on the
manual that you are reading now. We have also included online discussion forum: http://www.lostmarble.com/
a Tutorial Manual that you can view by choosing Help > forum/. Smith Micro staff members also participate in this
Tutorials from the Anime Studio menus. If you’re just getting online group, and are happy to share techniques and
started and need some basic tips on how to use Anime answer questions. News about the latest Anime Studio
Studio, begin with “Quick Start” on page 3 in your updates is first posted to the online forum.
Anime Studio Tutorial Manual.
For more in-depth instructions on using Anime Studio, the Email Support
sections “Anime Studio Windows” on page 161 and
“Anime Studio Menus” on page 318 go into great detail You can also get your questions answered by email. If you
about performing specific tasks in Anime Studio and what have a question, feature request, or would like to report a
all the user interface elements are used for, respectively. bug, contact us at [email protected]. Please provide us
with as much detail about your problem as possible, so that
we can understand exactly what’s happening and more
Anime Studio on the Web quickly come up with a solution for you.

Another good source is the Smith Micro web site at http://

anime.smithmicro.com. There you will find product

Appendix B: Technical Support

432 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

Appendix C: • Ming http://www.libming.org/ Copyright © 2001

Opaque Industries.

Acknowledgements • PortAudio http://www.portaudio.com Copyright ©

1999-2000 Ross Bencina and Phil Burk
Some parts of Anime Studio are based on libraries written
• zlib http://www.zlib.net Copyright © 1995-2002 Jean-
by third party organizations. Below is a list of libraries used
loup Gailly and Mark Adler.
by Anime Studio.

• Anti-Grain Geometry http://www.antigrain.com

Copyright © 2002-2004 Maxim Shemanarev (McSeem).
Artist Acknowledgements
Smith Micro and Lost Marble would like to thank the
• FreeType http://www.freetype.org Portions of this
following artists for contributing to the content section. To
software are copyright © 1996-2002 The FreeType
access these files, open Window > Library and navigate to
Project. All rights reserved.
a “Partners” Folder. Their creations will be displayed within
• libjpeg http://www.ijg.org This software is based in a folder with their name as the title.
part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.
• DK Toons http://www.contentparadise.com/Search.
Copyright © 1991-1998, Thomas G. Lane.
aspx?searchText=DKToons
• libpng http://www.libpng.org Copyright © 1998, 1999,
• Cartoon Solutions http://www.cartoonsolutions.com
2000 Glenn Randers-Pehrson.
• ToonProps http://www.toonprops.com
• libsndfile http://www.mega-nerd.com/libsndfile/
Copyright © 1999-2005 Erik de Castro Lopo. • Víctor Paredes (Studio: Taza Triste): http://www.
youtube.com/tazatriste
• Lua http://www.lua.org Copyright © 2004 Tecgraf,
PUC-Rio.

Appendix C: Acknowledgements
433 Anime Studio Pro 10
Users Manual

• Hubumedia http://www.hubumedia.com (tweet: • Cartoon Workshop Sdn Bhd: http://www.

www.twitter.com/hubumedia) cartoonworkshop.com.my

• Alexander Roach (Rudiger): http:// • ToonProps http://www.toonprops.com

www.contentparadise.com/Search.
aspx?searchText=Rudiger) • Hubumedia http://www.hubumedia.com (tweet:
www.twitter.com/hubumedia)
• Charles Kenway (Studio: Square Brush): http://
squarebrush.com/ • TUI Studios http://www.tuistudios.com

• The Pirate, Monster, Monster and Rabbit was Illustrated • Freakish kid http://www.freakishkid.com
by Óscar Chávez: http://www.flickr.com/chavezonico
• Naive: http://www.naive.se
• The Carnivorous Plant was illustrated by Alfredo
• Mike Scott Animation http://www.909pop.com
Cáceres: http://Alfredocaceres.tumblr.com
• Curious Projects: http://www.curiousprojects.com
• The Pirate, Monster, Monster, Rabbit and Carnivorous
Plant rigging and animation was made by Víctor • Dave Cockburn’s Squeaky Pictures: http://www.
Paredes: http://www.youtube.com/tazatriste squeakypics.co.uk/

• The Smith Micro Content Team • Charles Kenway (Studio: Square Brush): http://
Smith Micro would like to thank the following artists for squarebrush.com/
imagery used in collateral and Promos.
• Víctor Paredes (Studio: Taza Triste): http://www.
• DK Toons http://www.contentparadise.com/Search. youtube.com/tazatriste
aspx?searchText=DKToons

• Cartoon Solutions http://www.cartoonsolutions.com

Appendix C: Acknowledgements
434 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Content Acknowledgements • Misha Margolis: barnstory

• Shi Yang: A1, A5

Library > Characters > Version 5> User Samples
• Vladimir O. (Studio: StudioSvet): otkritka
• Nate Greenwall: knight Master
• Víctor Paredes (Studio: Taza Triste): dragón pulento
• Burt Abreu: Jeremy
Direction, script, animation:
• Philippe Cizaire: frog, stampel
VENT_ErikvanSchaaik, Erik van Schaaik, www.
• Shi Yang: A2, A3, A4, A6, A7 erikvanschaaik.com, [email protected]
Production:
• Víctor Paredes (Studio: Taza Triste): african elephant
• Il Luster Productions, www.illuster.nl, [email protected]
• Vladimir O. (Studio: StudioSvet): golova, Kati, KISSKI, kot,
Kozel, lef, sc, slon, tigr, volk, zaiac, zebr Library > Characters > Version 5 > User Samples

Library >Video > Animated Samples > Version 5 User • Burt Abreu: blurtest, bumpy1, curvetest1, epidea1,
Samples hair1, hand1, leaf1, man1, mouth, myfish2, myfish3,
oldman1, rasbora_maculata, robohead1, sparkdraw,
• Burt Abreu: fishtank1
weedy1
• Christian -Samb- Wasser (Studio: By Samb): sunscene
• Christian -Samb- Wasser (Studio: By Samb): people
• Dave Cockburn (Studio: Squeaky Pics): Squeaky_10sec
• Erik Svensson: Fire, Tree, Water ripple
• Erik Svensson: Ghost
• Philippe Cizaire: collection
• Mike Scott (Studio: Red Pepper): COOL_CATZ_INTRO_1
• Vladimir O.: flag, glaz1, glaz2, glaz3, glaz4, glaz5,
gudok, noga, palec
Appendix C: Acknowledgements
435 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Library > Props > Partners> DK Toons

• David Knight (Studio: Knight animations): Acoustic

Guitar by D.K, Aliens Dance and Walk by D.K, Anime
girl frightened - by D.K, Builders - by D.K, Cartoon Fruit -
by D.K, Cow with Guitar - by D.K, Cupboard with doors
- by D.K, Funny guy - by D.K, Mobile Phone - by D.K,
Modern Dude - by D.K, Running Heart - by D.K, Slick
Salesman by - D.K, Two simple boys - by D.K

Appendix C: Acknowledgements
436 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Appendix D: Anime Ctrl+S Cmd+S File > Save

Studio Shortcuts
Ctrl+Shift+S Shift+Cmd+S File > Save As

Ctrl+Alt+G File > Gather Media

Shift+Ctrl+P Shift+Cmd+P File > Project Settings

Shift+Ctrl+M Shift+Cmd+M File > Refresh Media

How to Work Quickly in Anime Ctrl+R Cmd+R File > Preview

Studio Ctrl+Shift+R

Ctrl+E
Shift+Cmd+R

Cmd+E
File > Preview Animation

File > Export Animation

Once you’ve been using Anime Studio for a while, you’ll Ctrl+Alt+E File > Export OBJ
probably want to find ways to speed up certain operations. Ctrl+B Cmd+B File > Batch Export
Luckily, Anime Studio provides several shortcuts for
Ctrl+Q Cmd+Q File > Quit
common operations, such as activating tools, navigating
the workspace, and entering data.
Edit Menu
Menu Shortcuts
Windows Mac Command

File Menu Ctrl+Z Cmd+Z Edit > Undo

Shift+Ctrl+Z Shift+Cmd+Z Edit > Redo

Windows Mac Command Ctrl+X Cmd+X Edit > Cut

Ctrl+C Cmd+C Edit > Copy

Ctrl+N Cmd+N File > New Ctrl+V Cmd+V Edit > Paste
Ctrl+O Cmd+O File > Open Ctrl+A Cmd+A Edit > Select All
Ctrl+W Cmd+W File > Close

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Ctrl+I Cmd+I Edit > Select Inverse Animation Menu

Windows Mac Command

Draw Menu Shift+Ctrl+N Shift+Cmd+N Animation > Nudge Physics
Object

Windows Mac Command

View Menu
Ctrl+T Cmd+T Draw > Insert Text

Ctrl+L Cmd+L Draw > Reset Line Width

Windows Mac Command
Ctrl+D Cmd+D Draw > Random Line Width
Ctrl+=(equal) Cmd+=(equal) View > Zoom In
Ctrl+P Cmd+P Draw > Peak
Ctrl+-(minus) Cmd+-(minus) View > Zoom Out
Ctrl+M Cmd+M Draw > Smooth
Ctrl+G Cmd+G View > Enable Grid
Shift+Ctrl+H Shift+Cmd+H Draw > Hide Shape
Shift+Ctrl+G Shift+Cmd+G View > Grid Settings
Shift+Ctrl+S Shift+Cmd+S Draw > Show All Shapes
Shift+Ctrl+V Shift+Cmd+V View > Video Safe Zones
Ctrl+F Cmd+F Draw > Freeze Points
Ctrl+J Cmd+J View > Show Output Only

Ctrl+Y Cmd+Y View > Select Tracing Image

Bone Menu Ctrl+U Cmd+U View > Show Tracing Image

Ctrl+Shift+C Shift+Cmd+C View > Show Curves

Windows Mac Command Ctrl+Shift+A Shift+Cmd+A View > Fade Unselected

Layers
Ctrl+Shift+F Shift+Cmd+F Bone > Use Selected Bones
for Flexi-Binding Shift+Ctrl+D Shift+Cmd+D View > Design Mode

Ctrl+Shift+Y Shift+Cmd+Y Bone > Freeze Pose Shift+Ctrl+2 Shift+Cmd+2 View > Stereo

Ctrl+Shift+J Shift+Cmd+J View > Show Document Tabs

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438 Anime Studio Pro 10
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Window Menu These shortcuts are not the same as “menu

shortcuts” listed above.

Windows Mac Command

Ctrl+Shift+E Shift+Cmd+E Window > Tools Main Window
Ctrl+Shift+K Shift+Cmd+K Window > Layers
Windows Mac Function
Ctrl+[ Cmd+[ Window > Timeline
Alt+Shift+Ctrl+E Alt+Shift+Cmd+E Open/Close Tools Palette
Ctrl+] Cmd+] Window > Style
Alt+Shift+Ctrl+K Alt+Shift+Cmd+K Open/Close Layers Palette
Ctrl+K Cmd+K Window > Actions
Alt+Ctrl+[ Alt+Cmd+[ Open/Close Timeline
Shift+Ctrl+L Shift+Cmd+L Window > Library
Alt+Ctrl+] Alt+Cmd+] Open/Close Style Window
Shift+Ctrl+B Shift+Cmd+B Window > Blend Morphs
Alt+Shift+Ctrl+L Alt+Shift+Cmd+L Reload Tools and Brushes
Shift+Ctrl+I Shift_Cmd+I Layer Settings
Shift+Z Shift+Z Activate Previous Tool

Keyboard Shortcuts Main/Current Editing View

Many tools and features in Anime Studio can be accessed
quickly by pressing a single key. These shortcuts make Windows Mac Function
working with Anime Studio much faster than the regular Alt+Shift+{ Alt+Shift+{ Rotate View Left

method of moving the mouse to a toolbar and clicking Alt+Shift+} Alt+Shift+} Rotate View Right
a button, and are worth learning to reduce your drawing
and animation time. However, all these features are
also available through standard user interface elements Style Window
(buttons and menus), so learning these shortcuts isn’t a
requirement to using Anime Studio. Windows Mac Function

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] ] Decrease Line Width Shift+Ctrl+=(equal) Shift+Cmd+=(equal) Pan Up

[ [ Increase Line Width

Shift+Ctrl+-(minus) Shift+Cmd+-(minus) Pan Down

Shift+~(tilde) Shift+-(tilde) Auto Zoom

Timeline Shortcuts

Windows Mac Function Tool Shortcuts

Ctrl+1 Cmd+1 Set Interpolation Linear
Many of the keyboard shortcuts in Anime Studio are used
Ctrl+2 Cmd+2 Set Interpolation to activate a tool in a toolbar. If you want to know whether
Smooth
a tool has a shortcut, hold the mouse over the tool, and
Ctrl+3 Cmd+3 Set Interpolation Ease watch the tooltip that appears. If the tooltip has a single
In/Out
letter at the end (ex: “Transform Points (T)”), then that key
Ctrl+4 Cmd+4 Set Interpolation Ease In
can be used as a shortcut to activate the tool.
Ctrl+5 Cmd+5 Set Interpolation Ease
Out The keyboard shortcut of Shift-Z toggles
Ctrl+6 Cmd+6 Set Interpolation Bezier between the currently selected tool and the
Ctrl+7 Cmd+7 Set Interpolation Step previous tool selection.

Ctrl+8 Cmd+8 Set Interpolation Noisy

Ctrl+9 Cmd+9 Set Interpolation Cycle Anime Studio auto-reverts to the previous tool
Shift+{ Shift+{ Previous Selected Key
selection when a shortcut for a different tool is
selected and held for two or more seconds, or if held
Shift+} Shift+} Next Selected Key
and a mouse click occurs on the canvas before the
Alt+Shift++(plus) Alt+Shift++(plus) Zoom In
shortcut is released.
Alt+Shift+_ Alt+Shift+_ Zoom Out
(underscore) (underscore)

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Fill Tools

Tool Tool
Shortcut
Q Select Shape

U Create Shape

P Paint Bucket
Press the T key to activate the Transform Points tool.
W Line Width

H Hide Edge
Draw Tools
Special Tools
Tool Tool
Shortcut Tool Tool
G Select Points Shortcut
T Transform Points A Video Tracking
A Add Point

F Freehand
Bone Tools
J Blob Brush
Tool Tool
S Draw Shape
Shortcut
E Eraser
B Select Bone
R Point Reduction
T Transform Bone
D Delete Edge
A Add Bone
C Curvature
P Reparent Bone
X Magnet

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S Bone Strength 8 Rotate Workspace

Z Manipulate Bones 9 Orbit Workspace

I Bind Points

Layer Tools Common Shortcuts

Some keyboard shortcuts work all the time, and some
Tool Tool only apply in while using certain tools in Anime Studio: the
Shortcut sections below lists all the shortcuts and when they can be
M Transformation used.
0 (number) Set Origin The following keyboard shortcuts can be used at any time:
L Eyedropper
Keyboard Function
Camera Tools Shortcut
Escape Automatically adjust the view to see everything in
Tool Tool the active layer - hold the shift key to zoom in on
the currently selected points
Shortcut
Home Reset the view to see the overall project
4 Track Camera
Enter/Return De-select all points
5 Zoom Camera
Tab Select all points that are connected to the current
6 Roll Camera
selection
7 Pan/Tilt Camera
Left Arrow Step back one frame in the timeline - hold shift
to rewind
Workspace Tools
Right Arrow Step forward one frame in the timeline - hold shift
to advance to end of animation
Tool Tool Left Bracket [ Decreases the line width setting in the Style
Shortcut window

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Right Bracket ] Increases the line width setting in the Style window Working with Bone Tools

Keyboard Function
Working with Vector Layers Shortcut
Delete/ Delete the selected bone (and any child bones)
Keyboard Function Backspace
Shortcut Spacebar Bind points to selected bone
Delete/ Delete the currently selected points Up Arrow Select parent of current bone
Backspace
Down Arrow Select child of current bone (only works if current
Spacebar Weld two points together - usually used with the bone has just one child)
Translate or Add Point tools

Working with the Timeline Window

Working with Fill Tools
Keyboard Function
Keyboard Function
Shortcut
Shortcut
Alt/ Delete the selected keyframe(s)
Delete/ Delete the selected shape Option+Backspace
Backspace
Alt/Option+C Copy the selected keyframe(s)
Spacebar Define a shape based on current selection
Alt/Option+V Paste the previously copied keyframe(s)
Up Arrow Raise selected shape up one level - hold shift to
raise to top Spacebar Play/stop the animation

Down Arrow Lower selected shape down one level - hold shift Page Up When in graph mode, zoom in on the timeline
to lower to bottom - hold shift to move the graph up

Page Down When in graph mode, zoom out from the

timeline - hold shift to move the graph down

End: Auto-zoom the timeline, based on the active

animation channel (when in graph mode)

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Working in the Layers WIndow navigation in Photoshop and other graphics

applications.
Keyboard Function
• To zoom the workspace, hold the shift key while
Shortcut
dragging left or right with the right mouse button. You
Alt-Click If you Alt-Click a layer in the Layers window, can also zoom the workspace by rolling the mouse
it will hide all of the other layers and keep the
layer that you clicked visible. Alt-Click again to wheel back and forth over the workspace.
display all layers again.
• To rotate the workspace, hold down the control key
while dragging with the right mouse button.
Mouse Shortcuts
• To fit the view to a selected layer, select the layer that
There are a few shortcuts that take advantage of the you want to view in the Layers window. Then press the
mouse, making work in Anime Studio more convenient Esc key to fit the selected layer into the view.
once you learn them.

Timeline Scrubbing
Workspace Navigation
To scrub the timeline in small increments, press Alt and roll
The right mouse button can be used to navigate the main the mouse wheel back and forth.
Anime Studio workspace.
To pan the workspace, click and drag with the right mouse Numeric Fields and Angle Knobs
button.
An easy way to make small adjustments in numeric text
• If you hold down the spacebar while you click fields and angle knobs is to hold the mouse over the control
and drag any tool with the mouse, it will let you and spin the mouse wheel back and forth. Of course, you
pan the workspace. This is similar to the panning can still enter values into a text field by typing them, but

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this method lets you make small adjustments and view the right-dragging allows you to adjust the value of a text field
changes immediately. without having to switch back to the keyboard.

• On a Windows PC, when using the mouse wheel

to modify the value in a text field, holding the Ctrl Multi-touch Support
key halves the increment, holding Shift doubles the
increment. Certain tools support Wacom multi-touch tablets and allow
you to use multi-touch gestures to perform tasks in Anime
• On a Macintosh, when using the mouse wheel to Studio. Red screen dots on screen identify the location
modify the value in a text field, holding the Cmd of your fingers on the tablet. The following general notes
key halves the increment, holding Alt doubles the apply to multi-touch features:
increment.
Use the Multitouch checkbox (located above
This feature may seem cute but unimportant. However,
the Timeline on the left side) to enable or
it’s actually very useful when working with the tool info
disable Multitouch support.
panels in Anime Studio. By using the mouse wheel, you can
see your changes take effect immediately. If you enter
the number by hand, the change won’t take effect until If you experience problems accessing
you press tab or enter. An especially helpful place to use Wacom touch support, you should make sure
this feature is when setting bone angle constraints - these you have the latest drivers installed, and restart
numbers can be tricky to figure out, but spinning the mouse Anime Studio or your computer if needed.
wheel you can see exactly what’s happening.
Finally, you can adjust the value of a text field by dragging If the currently selected tool does not support multi-
in it side-to-side with the right mouse button. With a regular touch, then the multi-touch events will be used to
mouse, the mouse wheel is probably more convenient, but navigate the workspace.
this feature was added specifically for animators working
with tablets. A drawing pen usually has no mouse wheel, so

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• Multi-touch events can be used for workspace Layer Tools

navigation, regardless of whether or not the current
tool supports multi-touch events. Hold down the The Transform Layer tool supports multi-touch actions.
spacebar while using the multi-touch tablet to use it for
workspace navigation. Multi-touch Function
action
• Multi-touch support is accessible through scripting, One finger gesture Translates selected layer
allowing users to write their own multi-touch scripts. Two-finger gesture Scales or rotates selected layer

• Smoothing and zooming support has been enhanced More than two Behaves similarly to two-finger gestures
fingers
to support multi-touch actions, and should also work
Four-finger drag Allows you to rotate an object in 3D
better with the touch ring on Wacom tablets.
The following tables outline the tools that offer this support. Camera Tools
Draw Tools Camera tools that support multi-touch actions are Track
Camera, Roll Camera, Zoom Camera, and Pan Camera.
Draw tools that support multi-touch actions are Transform
Points, Transform Points, Transform Points, Select Points, Multi-touch Function
Freehand, and Draw Shape. action
One finger gesture Tracks or Pan/Tilts camera
Multi-touch Function
Two-finger gesture Rolls or zooms camera
action
More than two Behaves similarly to two-finger gestures
One finger gesture Translates selected points
fingers
Two-finger gesture Scales or rotates selected points

More than two Behaves similarly to two-finger gestures Workspace Tools

fingers
Workspace tools that support multi-touch actions are Pan
canvas, Scale canvas, and Rotate canvas.
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Multi-touch Function
action
One finger gesture Pans the canvas

Two-finger gesture Scales or rotates the canvas

More than two Behaves similarly to two-finger gestures

fingers

Five fingers down Resets the canvas.

on tablet

Other Actions

Multi-touch Function
action
Two-finger Resets whatever property you are currently
double-tap editing.

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Index Blend Morphs 411

Clear Animation 392
Consolidate Layer Channels 388
Bind Layer Tool 86
Bind Points Tool 86
Bone Constraints 77
Copy Current Frame 391
Bone Layers 109
Enable Bone Dynamics 388
Symbols Mute Audio 393 Bone Menu Commands 379
Nudge Physics Object 393 Flexi-Bind Layer 380
3D Conversion Thickness 242 Rescale Keyframes 389 Flexi-Bind Points 380
3D Layers 118, 119 Reset All Layer Channels 388, 389 Freeze Pose 385
3D Shadows 191 Restart Audio Track 393 Freeze Selected Bones 386
Select All Keyframes 389 Freeze Visible Bones 386
Set Layer Start Time 389 Hide Controlled Bones 383
A Hide/Show Shy Bones 383
Track Layer to Video 392
Make Smart Bone Dial 383
Acknowledgements 432 Animations
Release Layer 380
Actions Exporting 345
Release Points 380
Creating new 312 Anime Studio Discussion Forum Reset All Bones 386
Deleting 315 431 Reset Bone 386
Editing 312 Anime Studio Web Support 431 Track Bone to Video 383
Using 313 Applied Styles 242 Bone-Only Channels 297
Actions Window 311 Arrows 42 Bone Physics Tool 88
Add Bone Tool 82 Audio Layers 119 Bone Strength Tool 84
Add Point Tool 34 Audio Recording 310 Bone Tools 75
Ambient occlusion 181 Audio Sync Sources 209 Bonus Content 10
Analytics information 365 Audio Tab 207 Downloading 415
Animation channels 295 Auto shading 181 Brush Tool 45
Animation Menu Commands
387 B C
Align Layer with Camera 389
Allow Frame Skipping 388 Background color 326 Camera Channels 297
Audio Level 393 Bend Points Tool 52 Camera movements

Index
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Layers immune to 185 Compositing Effects 180 Raise to Front 371

Camera Tools 157 Content Folder Random Line Width 370
Category Icons 247 Creating 10 Reset All Points 378
Maintaining 250 Reset Line Width 370
Character Wizard 255
Content Paradise 10 Reset Points 377
Arms 260
Show All Shapes 377
Body Tab 258 Crayon
Smooth 370
Changing character views 256 Fill effects 229
Snap to Grid 370
Clothing Tab 266 Create Shape Tool 57 Trace Image 371
Creating content for 279 Credits 401
Designing actions 277 Draw Shape Tool 40
Crop 144 Draw Tools 26
Exporting views 257
Eyes 263 Curvature Tool 37 Drop Shadow 228
Face Tab 261 Curve Profile Tool 69
Head 262 E
Head props 264 D
Legs 260 Edit Menu Commands 360
Making a character walk 271 Delete Edge Tool 43 Clear 361
Mouth 263 Delete Shape Tool 64 Copy 360
Movement Tab 264 Depth of field 326 Copy Layer 361
Nose 263 Layers immune to 185 Cut 360
Pants 267 Paste 360
Display Quality 165
Presets 256 Paste Layer 361
Proportions 259 Draw Menu Commands 369
Freeze Points 377 Paste Relative 361
Randomizing characters 258 Preferences 362
Rotating character views 273 Freeze Selected Points 377
Freeze Visible Points 377 Editor Colors 366
Shirt 267 GUI Colors 367
Style Tab 268 Hide Shape 377
Insert Text 370 Options Tab 362
Walk Cycles 269 Web Uploads 366
Lower Shape 371
Checker Selection 245 Redo 360
Lower to Back 371
Colorizing 184 Peak 370 Select All 361
Color Swatch 243, 244 Raise Shape 371 Select Connected 361

Index
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Select Inverse 361 Save 322 Halo Fill Effects 226

Select None 361 Save As 322 Help Menu Commands 414
Undo 360 Upload to Facebook 356
Effects Tutorials 255 Upload to YouTube 356 Welcome Screen 11
Email Support 431 Fill Color Override 222 About Anime Studio Pro 415
Embedded script files 185 Fill Color Selector 221 About Scripts 415
Eraser Tool 46 Fill effects 223 Buy Content 415
Export as Version 9 File 324 Fill Effect Settings 232 Check for Updates 416
Fill Enable 220 Help 414
Exporting
Online Tutorials 414
Still images 355 Fill Properties 220
Register Your Product 414
Eyedropper 140 Fills Tutorials 414
Eyedropper Tool 65 Picking colors 72 Welcome Screen 414
Using two 73
Hide Edge Tool 66
Working with 72
F Hide Selected Bones 383
Fill Tools 54
Hold Durations 303
Facing a camera 186 Flash
Exporting 351 HSV modifier images 185
File Menu Commands 319
Batch Export 357 Flip horizontally 182
Close 322 Flip vertically 182 I
Export FBX 355 Follow Curve Tool 128
Export OBJ 356 Image Layers 107
Following a path 185
Export POV 356 Image Masking 145
Freehand Tool 38
Gather Media 322 Image Texture Fill Effects 227
Import 332 Insert Text Tool 133
New 320 G Interpolation Method 287
New from Template 321 Introductory Tutorials 10
Open 321 Gradient Fill Effects 226
Open Recent 321 Group Layers 108
Preview 344 K
Quit 359 H

Index
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Keyboard Shortcuts 3D 119 Layer Shading 190

Bone Tools 442 Aligning 105 Layer Shadows 189
Common 441 Animated effects 179 Layers Window 169
Fill Tools 442 Changing settings 171 Shortcuts 443
Timeline Window 442 Colorizing 184
Layer Toolbar 171
Vector Layers 442 Copying and pasting 171
Creating new 172 Layer Tools 123
Keyframes 298
Adding 300 Deleting 172 Layer Types 103
Coloring 302 Duplicating 172 Legacy Effects 230
Copying and pasting 300 Hiding 179 Library Tabs 247
Deleting 301 Naming 179 Library Window 246
Editing multiple 302 Patch 120 Adding an item to Favorites 248
Hold durations 303 Rendering off 179 Adding items to Favorites 249
Moving 302 Reordering 171 Adding items to scene 247, 248
Pasting relative 361 Settings 172 Adding items to the Library 251
Selecting 301 Types 171 Categories 249
Transitions 303 Layer Selector 133 Collapsed folders 247
Keyframe window 413 Layer Settings Content previews 247
3D Options Tab 210 Creating new folders 248
Bones Tab 214 Creating subfolders 250
L Deleting items 252
Depth Sort Tab 202
General Tab 176, 178 Deleting items from library 249
Layer blending 187
Image Tab 204 Displaying and hiding 248
Layer blur radius 181 Expanded folders 247
Masking Tab 194
Layer Colors 174 Motion Blur Tab 192 Favorites Tab 253
Layer Comps 173 Note Tab 211 Loading items 248
Layer Effect Channels 296 Particles Tab 210 Saving items to library 249
Layer List 169 Physics Tab 212 Saving items to Library 248
Layer Motion Channels 296 Shadows Tab 188 Searching 252
Switch Tab 208 Selected item 247
Layer opacity 181
Layers
Vectors Tab 200 Line Width Tool 65

Index
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M O Poser tool 141

Preferences 362
Magnet Tool 44 Offset Bone Tool 87 Product Comparison 421
Manipulate Bones Tool 85 Onion Skins 293 Project Settings 324
Markers Orbit Workspace Tool 160
Fine-tuning 148 Origins R
Masking Offsetting 155
Tips and Tricks 195 Outline 182 Real-time Media connection 335
Morphs Ovals 41 Rectangles 41
Creating 315 Registration 10
Motion Graph 306 P Render styles 327
Mouse Shortcuts 443 Reparent Bone Tool 83
In Angle knobs 443 Paint Bucket Tool 60 Roll Camera Tool 158
In numeric fields 443 Pan/Tilt Camera Tool 158
Timeline Scrubbing 443
Rotate Points Tool 34
Pan Workspace Tool 159 Rotate Workspace Tool 160
Workspace Navigation 443
Particle Layers 115 Rotating to face camera 186
Move Layer Tool 123, 127, 131
Particle Layer Tool 143 Rotating to follow path 185
Multi-Brushes 235
Creating 237
Particle-Only Channels 298 Round End Caps 241
Multiple Document Support 320 Patch Layers 120
Multiple layers Perspective Points Tool 50 S
Editing 176 Photoshop
Exporting from 343 Scale compensation 185
Multi-touch support 444
Importing files 339 Scale Points Tool 33
Playback Buttons 165 Scatter Brush Tool 49
N Point Reduction Tool 48 Scripts Menu Command
Noise Tool 52 Points Other Popular Scripts 402
Translating 31 Scripts Menu Commands 394
Note Layers 118
Poser Integration 336 3D 394
Auto-Scale 394

Index
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Cube 395 Script Writing 399 Show Play & View Controls 405
Rotate X 395 Alert Test 399 Show Timeline Options 405
Rotate Y 395 Automation Test 399 Smart Bones 90
Rotate Z 395 Error Test 399 and Binding 101
Torus 395 List Channels 399 Creating an action 92
Camera 395 Load Data File 399 Creating a second action 95
Handheld Camera 395 Print Globals 400 Editing actions 96
Orbit Camera 395 Print Moho API 399 Fixing transitions 97
Draw Print Test 400 Other uses 101
396 Sound 401
Soft Edge Fill Effects 225
Apply Sketchy Effect 396 Bone Audio Wiggle 401
Auto Weld 396 Layer Audio Wiggle 401 Special tools 141
Polygon 396 Visibility 401 Spinning Text 401
Simplify Curve 396 Fade 402 Spirals 43
Split Curve 396 Wavy Fade 402 Stars 42
Star 396 Warp 402 Status Bar 165
Toggle Legacy Curves 396 Black Hole 402 Stroke Brush Selector 234
Image 397 Wavy 402
Stroke Color 233
Import Image Sequence 397 Select Bone Tool 75
Layer Effects 397 Stroke Effect 239
Select Points Tool 27
Layer Trail 397 Stroke Effect Settings 241
Select Shape Tool 54
Magic Lines 397 Stroke Enable 232
Sequencer 304
Perspective Shadow 397 Stroke Exposure Tool 67
RT: Break Apart Shapes 398 Set Origin Tool 127
Stroke Line Width 238
Particle Effects 398 Shaded fill effects 224
Stroke properties 232
Energy Cloud 398 Shapes 218
Style Management 219
Explosion 398 Shape Selection 218
Rain 398 Style Window 216
Shear Layer Tool 132
Smoke 398 Swatches 243
Shear Points Tool 51
Snow 398 Switch Layers 111
Shortcuts 436
Sparkles 398 Switch Layer Tool 143
Scripting Documentation 403
Show Output Only 405

Index
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Switch-Only Channels 298 Transformation Visibility in rendering 180

System requirements 8 Moving 126
Rotating 126 W
Scaling 126
T
Transform Bone 80 Window Menu Commands 410
Technical Support 431 Translate Points Tool 30 Actions 410
Discussion Forum 431 Triangles 42 Audio Recording 411
Email 431 Layers 410
Library 411
Online Manual 431 U Poser Parameters 413
Web sites 431
Text 133 Style 410
User Manual 431
Timeline 410
Threshold 182
Tools 410
Through Transparency 228 V Window Mode Indication 220
Timeline
Animation channels 295 Vector Layers 106 Windows
Docking and undocking 167
Condensing and expanding 284 Vector-Only Channels 297 Main Window 162
Consolidating channels 283 Video Tracking Tool 146
Controlling time 284 Word Balloons
View Menu Commands 404 Creating 139
Navigating with mouse 286
Playing partial segments 295 Working area 162
Fade Unselected Layers 407
Timeline Window 311 Workspace Tools 159
Design Mode 407
Toolbar 163 Direction 405
Toon Settings 206 Disable Grid Snapping 406 Z
Track Camera Tool 157 Enable Grid 405
Tracked Layers Grid Settings 406 Zig Zag 397
Assigning 153 Reset 405 Zoom Camera Tool 158
Tracking Points Select Tracing Image 406 Zoom In 405
Adding 146 Show Output Only 406 Zoom Out 405
Adjusting sensitivity 152 Stereo 408 Zoom Workspace Tool 159
Re-syncing 148 Video Safe Zones 406

Index