[Erik Waluska]

I would agree with Ian. Just check out some hummingbird footage and make a few blurry shapes for the wings, sequence them and then loop them.

-E

[Erik Waluska]

I am also working on an Intel Mac and every time I open proanimator from inside after effects the controls do not show up. By that I mean that I can see the preview window but absolutely no controls, everything is just blank white.

The only way I’ve found to work around it is to use the expose feature of OSX 10 (squeeze the sides of the mouse to reveal all open windows) and click on another application like an open text document and then click back on the proanimator window.

This obviously is some sort of bug that will hopefully be addressed soon as it is seriously impeding my workflow.

-Erik Waluska

[Erik Waluska]

Thanks for the info Bob.

I went to download.com and checked it out but found only trial versions.

I was thinking that they would have a free reader like Adobe’s Acrobat and then if you wanted to be able to create the compressed files you could buy the full version.

What can I say – I’m cheap. I guess I’ll just have to buy the software. At least it’s only $25.

Thanks again.

-E

[Erik Waluska]

I had the same rendering problem with QT 7.4 as described above. I installed QT 7.4.1 and now the problem seems to be fixed!!! I’ve rendered a couple of projects so far and haven’t had any more trouble.

All hail the Cow!!!

-E

[Erik Waluska]

Surely I’m not the only one having this problem.

Is there a FREE (not shareware or trial version) application that will open these .sit files???

WinRAR and Stuffit Expander (the version that will open .sit files) both cost money.

Why are all of these FREE tutorial project files saved in a format that cannot be opened unless you buy another piece of software???

I know, I know….they’re FREE tutorials so stop complaining, right???

[Erik Waluska]

I have had the same problem and was getting very frustrated. At least now I know that there wasn’t something wrong with my system.

Anyway, here’s a link where you can download a free trial of a font converter. It will (supposedly) allow you to convert open type fonts to true type fonts. At least you can convert the fonts you have now for free before the trial ends.

https://www.fontlab.com/font-converter/transtype/

Hope this helps.

-Erik Waluska

[Erik Waluska]

I don’t know the geeky technical details but the simple answer is that the higher the numbers (3×3, 5×5, etc.) the more anti-aliasing is applied during the render (and also longer render times).

The other numbers (+.06, +1.5, etc) indicate the amount of blur applied to the image (measured in pixels). It’s similar the Gaussian blur filter in PS or AE.

Hope this helps.

-E

[Erik Waluska]

I would create an illustrator or Photoshop file of your stick figure with each part you want to move on a separate layer (head, hand, upper arm, lower arm, etc.).

Import the file into AE as a composition then open the comp and set each of the anchor points for the body parts to where the joint would be (“Y” = shortcut for anchor point tool). Create a parenting chain by parenting each body part to the part it is supposed to be attached (hand to lower arm, lower arm to upper arm, etc.).

Then animate the rotation of each part to make the stick figure walk.

You could animate the position and scale of the head or maybe use the puppet tool to get the facial expression you want.

Hope that helps.

-E

[Erik Waluska]

Did you ever figure this out? I’m also unable to open these .kmz files in PS CS3 extended with the Google 3D Warehouse plug in.

I installed the plug-in exactly as instructed then
I searched and download the 3D model file through the File>Automate>Search Google for 3D model… but every time I try to open the file Photoshop just locks up and I get the all too familiar “(not responding)” message.

-E

[Erik Waluska]

Thanks, I’ll try that tonight.

-Erik