-
Stroke a 3D Path – simply
Hi Peeps,
Finding a simple solution for this is driving me a bit nuts.. I’m sure there’s a simple solution floating around out there somewhere.
Ultimately I want to draw on a building with lines in 3D and was thinking that I could write a script that creates a bunch of motion paths from selected geometry edges/splines in my 3D package, and then bring them into AE to apply a 3D (perspective aware) Stroke to them.
I simply want to be able to do a very similar thing to what Stroke does with masks.. i.e. animate on some lines, but in 3D space
Form/Trapcode/Plexus can use 3D objects to define edges, but either tend to triangulate or are difficult to control drawing the lines on nicely.
They’re also a bit overkill for a simple effect.Any pointers welcome…
Thanks,
Adam.
-
7 Replies
-
Red Giant has Trapcode 3D Stroke, which I think does exactly what you want:
https://www.redgiant.com/products/trapcode-3d-stroke/Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive | RenderBreak [blog] | Profile [LinkedIn] -
Hi,
I’m pretty sure it won’t take a curve/spline/path which has 3D points as in input… it takes 2D shapes/masks and manipulates them in 3D.
I could be missing a button of course!
Thanks,
A.
-
You don’t say what your using for your tracking but couldn’t you just track markers and export them back into your 3D app as nulls? Many offer that feature anyway. From that you could build a “Wire” frame model and end up actually having it in your 3D app. Just a matter of rendering & comping at that point I’d think.
Not every solution is 100% AE.
-
If you have Element 3D, another option worth exploring is using an animated texture to generate the “wireframe”. Use the UV layout of the model for the base of the texture comp and draw animated lines along the edges. They won’t be fully 3D lines since they’re drawn on flat faces, but it may give you something that is close enough. I’ve used the UV layout as texture to get a quad wireframe rendered in Element, convincing enough.
Kalleheikki Kannisto
Senior Graphic Designer -
Hi,
There’s no tracking being done.. I have an object in my 3D package and I would like to export some of the geometry into AE to draw the lines.
I can define the lines in the 3D package and extrude geo along them for rendering.
…but ideally I’d like to keep it live in AE for some flexibility.
Trapcode Particular allows something very close, but you can’t then rotate the motion paths around and maintain the drawn structure.
A>
-
Attached a cropped render of a 3D wireframe draw-on similar to using trim paths. Achieved with the following steps:
1) Extract the sharp edges of a 3D model.
2) Convert to an object by giving the lines some thickness. (I used a square bevel to turn all lines into rectangular tubes.)
3) Generate UVs
4) Export as Obj
5) Import to Element 3D
6) Generate an animated texture with large-scale soft fractal noise and animated threshold level.
7) Use this animated texture for the “draw-on” effectKalleheikki Kannisto
Senior Graphic Designer -
“6) Generate an animated texture with large-scale soft fractal noise and animated threshold level.
7) Use this animated texture for the “draw-on” effect”I love this idea for the drawing on off the wireframe – looks great!
In the past I’ve used Camera Cut-Off for the same effect but obviously that is limited. However can look pretty cool, but its mono-directional!
I also used a world position pass as a luma matte to reveal lines, which allows for a more subtle feather and more elegant effect (plus you can rotate the angle of the reveal etc), both of these are worth exploring if you have the time!This is the first reveal mentioned – using the Camera Cut-Off option under Render Settings
12552_flythroughrefinerymasterv01.mp4.zipAnimo Motion Graphics
Freelancer, UK
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up