Image Layer - bone control versus Layer animation

[rogermate]

What are the pro and cons between animating an image layer
with Layer animation versus placing the image layer in a bone
layer and warping with bones.

One difference that I see is that when using bones, the image itself
can get stretched and altered, which may or may not be what the animator
is looking for.

Are there any other differences?

With bones, you could have multiple images tracking a given bone.
But you could have multiple image layers within a group layer which
has layer animation.

[Touched]

With bones, all the layer movements can be keyframes on a single bone layer's timeline, instead of separate timelines for each layer. This may be a pro or a con depending on what you want to do. Image layers don't have to warp the images if you choose to turn off "warp with bones" for those images. It would also be easier to sync up the movements of groups and hierarchies of image layers if you assign a hierarchy of bones to control them, than if you move the layers themselves.

[rogermate]

With bones, all the layer movements can be keyframes on a single bone layer's timeline, instead of separate timelines for each layer.

OK.

It would also be easier to sync up the movements of groups and hierarchies of image layers if you assign a hierarchy of bones to control them, than if you moves the layers themselves.

Do you mean with having control bones? (and I see angle contraints are another bone benefit)


I just looked at your "Ariel's High Sorcery (Drowtales year 6 part 1)" animation - I like the styling, motion, and rich backgrouds. Did you use anime studio for that?

When her hair swings after she moves, would you use something like Bone Dynamics or would you just manually do it with point animation or Actions?

[Touched]

Do you mean with having control bones? (and I see angle contraints are another bone benefit)

That's another way of controlling it, but I just meant you can have a parent bone and a child bone controlling 2 images -- move the parent, you move both in the same way. Move the child separately, and it moves relative to the parent bone. In other words you could have a moon image orbiting a planet image, with the moon as a child to the planet, and move the planet without disrupting the orbit of its moon.

I just looked at your "Ariel's High Sorcery (Drowtales year 6 part 1)" animation - I like the styling, motion, and rich backgrouds. Did you use anime studio for that?
When her hair swings after she moves, would you use something like Bone Dynamics or would you just manually do it with point animation or Actions?

I used Anime Studio for the character animation and the effects, but the background art was Photoshop. I used chains of dynamic bones for the hair.

[rogermate]

I used Anime Studio for the character animation and the effects, but the background art was Photoshop. I used chains of dynamic bones for the hair.

The hair moved great. Good to know that dynamic bones can look good with quick enough settling.

[rogermate]

Conclusion for any other noobs like me out there - this is what I've learned.

To get a first time quickie animation done, such as with cut outs - layer animation is quicker - assuming your making a real short. Mostly because you don't have to learn about bones.

However, if you start animating anything longer - the biggest time is in animating. Bones are much easier once you understand them.

The Version 6 Tutorials are really good. Do them. They are easy, and teach you one thing at a time.

I played with AS about a year ago, and coming back to it V6 is a better interface, and investing sometime in the fundamentals is worth it and will
save much time in the long run.