Moho Forum

I figured out importing a trace image, but I can`t seem to move it, hide it, or take it out afterwards. And layers as far as I have seen can`t be dimmed and locked like illustrator....so what can I do to use a trace, but then trash it when i`m done? Its very distracting

Hi Buijon,

if you're using the Tracing Image feature, you can toggle the tracing image o and off with View; Show Tracing Image.

If instead you're using a standard image layer as a tracing image, you can toggle/edit/animate layer visibility, layer opacity (dimming), or translation/scale/rotation just like any other layer.

Regards, Myles.

I don't use the tracing image feature anymore.

I always just use an image layer and add a vector layer with a filled white box shape over it that covers the tracing image.

I then set the transparency of the filled shape layer to whatever works for me (60% or 70%).

This is great because you can turn it off easily... scale it... rotate it... translate it... etc.

I need the "extra" vector layer shape since setting transparency of the image layer won't show in working preview... image layer transparency only works for a final render.

-vern

Thanks for catching that Vern!

Normally when I'm tracing a sketch I just constantly toggle the image layer working visibility fully on/off with the little eyes icon in the Layers panel.

Regards, Myles.

I also put these two layers in a group (use a bone layer for AS Standard users).

Then I can easily move it around in the layer order... or delete it quickly when I don't need it anymore.

I have a special template I use now for new projects that has a group and the white filled layer already set up. I just add the new image layer to get started.

-vern

I just listened to a interview with Milt Kahl, and he says that (track 14 of the MiltCD):

I'd see go things go downhill from the first rough pencil test. ... They'd look better there than they would ever did in the picture. ... When you trace a drawing, it takes all vitality out of it. And I think that was cumulative also through a scene, or a hundred drawings. ... I suggested to Walt: "Why not just reproduce the roughs and then paint them."

One could argue that something similar applies to tracing in AS. Do not trace finished drawings, but rather your rough sketches, and finish each drawing in AS. Because rough (pencil) sketches still have a wide range of light and dark tones in it, using the trace mode of AS is probably not very useful. If you use the trick Vern mentioned, you can make the drawing less transparent if you need to see those lighter tones. Just a thought.