In particular using the path-inbetweener and stroke-visible-paths python scripts at http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-path-tools/files/scripts/



Being able to animate paths allows for creating even more animations in Gimp. Here are a few I recently developed using those scripts:

Triangle Head



Hello



Animated Stick Figure



The animated stick figure was the most complex and most difficult to accomplish.

One thing I have noticed with the stick figure animation is that the hands get smaller at times during the animation process. That was not intended. Perhaps that is a function of how the in-between path points are interpolated. Not sure at this point.

I have attached the XCF files used for the animations for anyone curious about the process I used for these.

The final stick_figurea.xcf file is a base file for the stick figure animation. Each part of the stick figure is represented as a separate Path. I then did a Save a Copy on that file as stick_figureb.xcf and manipulated the various Paths for "positon b" of the figure. I then did Save a Copy on that one and saved it as stick_figurec.xcf. I then merged all the Paths in stick_figureb into one single Path. I continued that general process through to stick_figuref.xcf. I did not Save a Copy of "figure f" since it would be the last pose before the animation would cycle back to stick_figurea.xcf. However, I again did a Save a Copy of stick_figurea.xcf and saved it as stick_figureg.xcf. I then merged all the paths of stick_figureg.xcf. I then opened one of the XCF images with all paths collapsed into one, then one by one I opened each of the other XCF images with all paths collapsed and dragged/dropped each path into one XCF image file. I then appled the path-inbetweener on that file and finally the stroke-visible-paths script to complete the animation.







Thank you for checking these out.

triangle head rocks !!!

Nice ones... I love "Hello"



If you draw imaginary lines between points in the hand (say finger tips) when on the left and the same points on the same hand when it goes on the right, these lines intersect because the hand is flipped vertically. Near the intersections, the distance between the finger tips is small, so the hand is small.

I'm thinking about enhancing stroke-visible-paths to allow fill+stroke without getting over-complicated. It would stroke with the foreground color and fill with the background color... or would a more extended choice be really beneficial (we need three colors in fact: path stroke, path fill, and background). And should the stroke always be above the fill?

ofnuts,

Thanks for commenting and glad you did. The vector animation really enhances animation capabilities in Gimp. Combined with GAP and the other features you want to add really makes Gimp a fuller featured animation program too. Thank you.

I'm going to be looking at what other python scripts you have that I can add to the animation mix. I have also used your interleave script for interleaving layers from two different images. That also works nicely for ehnancing animations.

I'm not sure I understand the reason for the hand changing size sometimes. I will try to visualize it and think about it to understand it. How could I avoid that in the future? Have smaller shorter transitions? So instead of moving the hand from point A to point B in one large transition, perhaps move it from point A1 to point A2 to point A3 to point B1, then B2, etc. More steps with each step being a smaller distance. Would that help?

Those additional features would be very beneficial. Would it be possible to do path fill using a Pattern as well as a Color? I think having the stroke always above the fill is OK because one can stroke with a transparent color if they do not want the stroke to be visible.

Thank you again.

Hello is my fave too, I love the way the string gathers up into letters like someone knitting. Excellent work ccbarr.

Because:



You don't need many more steps. Just add a mid-point, and there flip the hand over itself (since your simplified hand is symmetrical).

ofnuts,

OK thank you very much for the graphical explanation. That helps me a lot. I now understand the script better as well. I was actually trying to accomplish a rotation of the various paths about a center point, however the script is not designed for that purpose if I am understanding this correctly. It is only designed for interpolating translation of the various anchor points and handles, correct? Therefore, possibly me doing more steps but shorter as I mentioned previously would accomplish the rotation effect that I was trying to do. Would that approach work? Or do I just need a mid-point as you mention to accomplish the rotation? Thanks for your helpful input.

Tried the mid-point idea, it works but it is really too specific to be of any use. Using some more intermediate steps will do better.
Now I have to find a clever way to introduce a rotation in the process

Really nice, like the triangle head.