How do I do the reflections off the floor and shadows? Pleases point me to the right tutorial.
Thanks
Dale
Reflections off the floor and shadows
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
1. Do all your animation first before worrying about the reflections or shadows. You could still change it later if needed but this will save extra work.
After you are satisfied with the animation...
2. Duplicate the layer you want to use for your reflection or shadow.
3. Drag it down so it is completely underneath your original layer. If this animated layer is a bone or group layer containing vector layers duplicate the whole bone layer and drag it BELOW (NOT inside) the original bone layer
If this is a reflection layer you are done and can skip to step 5.
4. Shadow layer
There are two ways you can "fill" the duplicate layer to make it a solid shadow "color".
a Select each of the shapes of the shadow layer/s and change the fills to black or whatever color you choose. It is easier to create a named style for this and apply it to each shape so it can be changed in one step later if needed.
b I like this one because it is... easier for me at least... it does require masking though which means ALL the layers need to be inside another group layer like a bone layer.
b-1. Create another empty bone or group layer and drag all the layers inside it. Change the masking properties of this "Master" group layer to "Hide All".
b-2. Set the layer masking your primary layer (not a shadow) to "Don't mask this layer".
b-3. Create a new vector layer above the shadow layer. Create a simple box shape that will cover everything that is filled with whatever shadow color you have chosen. Make sure the masking for this layer is set to "Mask this layer".
b-4. Change the masking for the shadow layer to "Add to mask". "Adding" like this to a "hide all" masked group punches a "hole" in the shape of that layer through the layer above it that has the "black" shadow "box" shape. The top layer above the shadow is set so it won't be masked at all.
What this does is save the effort of changing all those shapes to a different color. It seems like more work but I find it much faster and easier.
5. Distorting the shadow or reflection layer
Now you use the layer tools to scale, rotate, translate, flip or whatever you need to do to make this shadow or reflection layer look like it is being cast onto the floor.
A shadow layer would be just scaled. A reflection layer would need to be "flipped" since it is a reverse image of the original layer.
You may need to tweak some of the layer motion to keep it "stuck" to the floor. You can also change the opacity and blur of these layers to add more realism to the effect.
Since all of the original animation is in these duplicate layers they will "follow along" with the original layer. This is why you would want to make sure your are happy with the animation first. If you do make changes to the original layer just duplicate it again and repeat the appropriate steps. The mask version for the shadows is obviously much faster in this case because you only need to change the layers masking and distort it again to match.
You can save an ADDITIONAL step by putting the shadow or reflection layer inside yet ANOTHER group or bone layer. Distort THAT layer and if you need to change it later you just delete the old duplicate layer and drag another duplicate into the distorted group layer and no more editing is required.
Hope this helps. I think I got it all correct... I did it from memory.
-vern
After you are satisfied with the animation...
2. Duplicate the layer you want to use for your reflection or shadow.
3. Drag it down so it is completely underneath your original layer. If this animated layer is a bone or group layer containing vector layers duplicate the whole bone layer and drag it BELOW (NOT inside) the original bone layer
If this is a reflection layer you are done and can skip to step 5.
4. Shadow layer
There are two ways you can "fill" the duplicate layer to make it a solid shadow "color".
a Select each of the shapes of the shadow layer/s and change the fills to black or whatever color you choose. It is easier to create a named style for this and apply it to each shape so it can be changed in one step later if needed.
b I like this one because it is... easier for me at least... it does require masking though which means ALL the layers need to be inside another group layer like a bone layer.
b-1. Create another empty bone or group layer and drag all the layers inside it. Change the masking properties of this "Master" group layer to "Hide All".
b-2. Set the layer masking your primary layer (not a shadow) to "Don't mask this layer".
b-3. Create a new vector layer above the shadow layer. Create a simple box shape that will cover everything that is filled with whatever shadow color you have chosen. Make sure the masking for this layer is set to "Mask this layer".
b-4. Change the masking for the shadow layer to "Add to mask". "Adding" like this to a "hide all" masked group punches a "hole" in the shape of that layer through the layer above it that has the "black" shadow "box" shape. The top layer above the shadow is set so it won't be masked at all.
What this does is save the effort of changing all those shapes to a different color. It seems like more work but I find it much faster and easier.
5. Distorting the shadow or reflection layer
Now you use the layer tools to scale, rotate, translate, flip or whatever you need to do to make this shadow or reflection layer look like it is being cast onto the floor.
A shadow layer would be just scaled. A reflection layer would need to be "flipped" since it is a reverse image of the original layer.
You may need to tweak some of the layer motion to keep it "stuck" to the floor. You can also change the opacity and blur of these layers to add more realism to the effect.
Since all of the original animation is in these duplicate layers they will "follow along" with the original layer. This is why you would want to make sure your are happy with the animation first. If you do make changes to the original layer just duplicate it again and repeat the appropriate steps. The mask version for the shadows is obviously much faster in this case because you only need to change the layers masking and distort it again to match.
You can save an ADDITIONAL step by putting the shadow or reflection layer inside yet ANOTHER group or bone layer. Distort THAT layer and if you need to change it later you just delete the old duplicate layer and drag another duplicate into the distorted group layer and no more editing is required.
Hope this helps. I think I got it all correct... I did it from memory.
-vern