Animation in Xara

[dcahall]

OK - I used the ArtWeaver tool to create a couple different sets of displacement maps. In the images below, I did not go through the steps to add the shadow/highlight effects like Gary did in the August tutorial because my concentration was on the diplacement facility. For each of the images I started with a flat "grid" object. I went off and created to sets of displacement maps. For the first one, I created a series of maps that had a single dot that moved just a little way from one map to the next. In the second set, I created a set of maps that had several lines that I moved a few pixels from one map to the next.

For each image, I created frame 1 that was the grid not modified. Then I copied Frame 1 and applied one of the displacement maps to it. I repeated that process for each of the images until I had a series of frames that applied all of the maps I had created of that type (i.e. the dot series for one and the line series for the other). Then I deleted the original frame from each animation so that it took away some of the "jerkyness" of the "flat" starting point.


(click on an image to see it anomate)


When I learn to create better displacement maps and also apply the shadow/highlights from Gary's tutorial, I think you could build a pretty sophisticated wavig flag. I think the keys are to build a "series" of displacement maps that progressively move the displacement to achieve the results with "series" being the key phrase. It does not have to be a ton of them but the more you build and the smaller the increment between the changes in the map coupled with adjusting the speed of the frames, you could do some pretty classy stuff. At least this is one way to defeat the discussion we have had about the Mold Tool and work around some limitation of how much you can apply it to an object. As Gary said before there is a way if you want to apply a little effort.

BTW Gary: I am going to see if I can create a displacment map with ArtRage, I know you have that tool as well. Just a thought........