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  • Illustrator to motion

    Posted by Tim Bios on January 31, 2012 at 5:04 pm

    Hey there,

    I´ve got a problem: I´d like to use a vector-file from ai which I´ve got from a friend in FCPs Motion (actually she gave me several versions of this file …)

    If I import the illustrator-file (no matter if it´s an ai-file with pdf-compatibility or an pdf-file) to motion 4 and scale it up, the edges are getting jaggy. Even unchecking the fixed-resolution-checkbox via the media-tab doesn´t help.

    Then I thougt, that it might be the render-settings causing this problem. But no: My render-options are resolution high, quality highest. I have no clue how to fix this problem. Does anyone has an idea?

    Thanks in advance!!
    Timo

    Tim Bios replied 14 years, 3 months ago 3 Members · 7 Replies
  • 7 Replies
  • Tim Bios

    January 31, 2012 at 6:24 pm

    Here are two screenshots which will help to explain the problem …

    3610_screenshotfcp.png.zip

    3611_screenshotfcpii.png.zip

    Thanks again ….

  • Tim Bios

    January 31, 2012 at 6:42 pm

    Hm …. probably I´ve got (a stupid) question: Does it make a difference, whether I zoom in or scale the object? If I zoom, the edges are getting jaggy. If I scale, everything stays crispy.

    Is that right so far? If it´s right, the problem is solved….

    t.

  • Anders Larsen

    February 1, 2012 at 9:06 am

    Yes, it does make a difference. As I understand it, this is why:

    Say you have an image that is 200x200px, and you want to create the effect of it moving toward you in 3D. You can either:

    – Scale it down and then move your camera towards it.
    If you start by scaling it down, lets say to 100x100px, then your image will now be 100x100px and as you move the your camera closer at some point it will take up a larger portion of the screen than 100x100px so it will begin to pixelate.

    – Position it further back along the z-axis and then move you camera towards it.
    If you position the image further away in z-space, it will still be 200x200px but as it is further from the camera, it will take up a smaller portion of the screen than that. You can now move the camera in closer and still have the full resolution of the image.

    In your situation the image is vector-based, so it doesn’t have a fixed resolution like bitmap images do.
    However, by sizing it in the canvas, you tell Motion what size to render it at. So if it is, say, 200x200px in the canvas and you move your camera so close that it takes up more of the screen than that you will see pixelation.
    This can be solved by scaling it up and moving it back in z-space.

    Hope that answers your question.

    Anyone feel free to correct me if I’m getting parts of this wrong.

  • Tim Bios

    February 1, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    Hey Anders,

    many thanks for your explanation! I guess, I do now understand the problem. So this means, that – given the case I want to dolly the cam – I only can do that in a curtain range. Otherwise I have to live wiht pixelation ….

    Thx again,
    t.

  • Mark Spencer

    February 1, 2012 at 1:55 pm

    Right on, Anders.


    Mark Spencer
    Freelance Producer/Editor/Motion Graphics Artist
    Apple-certified Master Trainer
    Author, Motion 4 from Peachpit Press
    https://www.applemotion.net

  • Mark Spencer

    February 1, 2012 at 3:51 pm

    You aren’t limited at all – you can zoom the camera right through the text an it will look crisp – you just have to scale it up first. Not sure what you mean by “curtain range”.


    Mark Spencer
    Freelance Producer/Editor/Motion Graphics Artist
    Apple-certified Master Trainer
    Author, Motion 4 from Peachpit Press
    https://www.applemotion.net

  • Tim Bios

    February 1, 2012 at 11:49 pm

    Hey Mark,

    now I´ve got! Just played around – and realized it! Thanks a lot for your comments! Really appreciated it, that was really helpful …!

    Best,
    T.

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