request Need Help with Some Background Vectors

[SolyWack 482]

EDIT: I no longer request any help. I'll post the final animation upon it's completion.

 

So I've been working on this animation. I have a majority of the puppets, but I have been doing BGs, and I'm realizing it's going to take me a while. Then I realized there are people who vector MLP for fun, or education, or both.

 

If there is anybody out there who wants to help me vector some backgrounds, there are 6 backgrounds I haven't started on yet, and it would be great if you could help out. It doesn't need to be the next Mona Lisa, frankly I just want it to look acceptable as a whole. No one's going to be zooming in 100x to find mistakes.

 

You can upload it to your Deviantart gallery, or heck, even put it up on MLPforums, all in your name of course. I won't take any credit if you made it, I just need it to work with.

 

I will give you credit in the video, and I'm very willing to send you a link to the final product, you just need to tell me where to send it.

 

These are the backgrounds I need vectored. Remember, just the background. I grabbed the most unobtrusive screenshots, but people might still need to be worked around. Oh yeah, and it's people, a.k.a an EQG animation, if that affects anything.

 

[iMAGE REMOVED]

 

This image is just for show, use the full res images here: [link removed]

 

If anyone decides to help out, thank you so much, it will save so much time. When I vector, I need to get every asinine detail, and that's not good if you want to finish within ~50 years. lol

 

Tell me if your willing to help, on here or else send me a private message.

 

EDIT: The Backgrounds are coming along quite nicely. I've gotten a couple of people to help out, so 4 of the 6 backgrounds I need for the EQG animation I'm creating have been completed or reserved.

 

But there is still 2 left, if anyone is willing to help out.

Edited April 17, 2016 by AppleJack_Wack

[Jest (Inactive) 875]

This is alot of hardwork, at least for someone who does line art like I do, and would take a pretty large amount of time especially the more detailed ones. Good luck though, hope someone does it for you  

[Hederik 119]

I could maybe give it a try. I've never considered myself much of an artist, but I've used Macromedia/Adobe Flash for years for various intents and purposes, so... I'll think about it. What I do need to know first is:

 

 - what resolution do you expect from the final image? Because I'm not sure how big of a canvas Flash supports.

 - what file extension is necessary? I could render the common image extensions or send you a .fla, but you probably use some other company's software.

 

That being said, I could - probably - tackle one of the middle two pictures, since they're the only two where there is no fancy lighting, glares and crazy minute details.

 

Oh yeah, and if we're to talk references, here's my own crowning achievement (based on an image based on a fanfic based on a movie I'm not even going to link up) in the field of vector graphic/animation. I know I'll never animate again after that, but it's nice to have actually created something.

 

Also, do you not fear sharing the fate of JanAnimations?

Edited March 5, 2016 by Hederik

[SolyWack 482]

Hederik, on 05 Mar 2016 - 03:48 AM, said:

I could maybe give it a try. I've never considered myself much of an artist, but I've used Macromedia/Adobe Flash for years for various intents and purposes, so... I'll think about it. What I do need to know first is:

 

 - what resolution do you expect from the final image? Because I'm not sure how big of a canvas Flash supports.

 - what file extension is necessary? I could render the common image extensions or send you a .fla, but you probably use some other company's software.

 

That being said, I could - probably - tackle one of the middle two pictures, since they're the only two where there is no fancy lighting, glares and crazy minute details.

 

Oh yeah, and if we're to talk references, here's my own crowning achievement (based on an image based on a fanfic based on a movie I'm not even going to link up) in the field of vector graphic/animation. I know I'll never animate again after that, but it's nice to have actually created something.

 

Also, do you not fear sharing the fate of JanAnimations?

 

I don't need anything incredibly amazing, just look at your final picture as a whole, and if it looks good enough, it probably is.

 

I'm not sure if you caught this, but I do need the background in a vector format, so the size won't matter. Any vector format will work, as most programs can convert. SVG is pretty universal, but if you have a .fla, that'll definitely work.

 

If your still interested, just tell me which one you would like so I can make note of it. My timeframe is not strict, I'll have no problem waiting ~2 weeks. It's not good practice to rush free help. Also, if you have a DeviantArt or personal website you want me to credit instead, tell me that here or in a private message.

 

Seriously, if your doing this, I really appreciate the help.

 

And as for getting C&D'd, I don't consider myself among the top animators like Jan, and I am using my own puppet assets. Hasbro usually only takes down the really really good animations. If I do get a C&D, it'll be in a very strange way, kinda flattering. lol

[Hederik 119]

So, I've gone and done number 3. I thought it would be harder than that, but still, it took a total of 3 hours (2 hours worth of trophies included). I can't really export this to .svg, but since you said you'd be happy with .fla, here you go (.fla, 1,80 MB).

 

I must say, I'm pretty pleased with the result, especially considering how rarely I do this kind of thing

 

 

I don't even really need the credit, I pretty much have a different nickname of every page I frequent -- not that there's too many of them.

 

Unless anyone else wants it, I will most likely do number 4 (the outside of the building) too, although as the weekend is over, it will definitely spread over a longer period.

[SolyWack 482]

Hederik, on 06 Mar 2016 - 1:28 PM, said:

So, I've gone and done number 3. I thought it would be harder than that, but still, it took a total of 3 hours (2 hours worth of trophies included). I can't really export this to .svg, but since you said you'd be happy with .fla, here you go (.fla, 1,80 MB).

 

I must say, I'm pretty pleased with the result, especially considering how rarely I do this kind of thing

 

 

I don't even really need the credit, I pretty much have a different nickname of every page I frequent -- not that there's too many of them.

 

Unless anyone else wants it, I will most likely do number 4 (the outside of the building) too, although as the weekend is over, it will definitely spread over a longer period.

 

Awesome! This looks great.    You must do this more often then your giving yourself credit. Also, like I said, there's no rush, you can do #4 whenever you have time.

 

I would like to credit you in some way, so if you have a preferred website, share that with me, or else I'll just use your MLPforums account.

[Hederik 119]

I do work with Flash kind of often, but rarely on this type of projects. Mostly the same stuff though, lines and fillings, little else, so I guess I do have some fresh experience.

 

If you want to credit something, link up this guy, he seriously deserves more love than he gets, and I have nothing to gain from being mentioned in whatever way.

 

AGAIN, if you merge my posts, at least put a space between them with a date of the added part. Or, heck, just a few breaks. Damn fabric.

 

By volume, it's halfway done, but the vines are going to be a doozy to recreate, so I'll say more like one third. Also, crystals are not easy, but I've done the best I could without committing way more time.

 

Edited March 7, 2016 by Hederik

[SolyWack 482]

Hederik, on 07 Mar 2016 - 3:10 PM, said:Hederik, on 07 Mar 2016 - 3:10 PM, said:

I do work with Flash kind of often, but rarely on this type of projects. Mostly the same stuff though, lines and fillings, little else, so I guess I do have some fresh experience.

 

If you want to credit something, link up this guy, he seriously deserves more love than he gets, and I have nothing to gain from being mentioned in whatever way.

 

AGAIN, if you merge my posts, at least put a space between them with a date of the added part. Or, heck, just a few breaks. Damn fabric.

 

By volume, it's halfway done, but the vines are going to be a doozy to recreate, so I'll say more like one third. Also, crystals are not easy, but I've done the best I could without committing way more time.

 

 

Looks great so far. As for the vines, you don't have to recreate them path for path. As long as they look like vines, it's fine by me.

Edited March 8, 2016 by AppleJack_Wack

[Hederik 119]

As for the vines, you don't have to recreate them path for path. As long as they look like vines, it's fine by me.

A'int my style. (Which is a fancy way of saying it would take several times as long, because I'd never believe my choice of curves and whatnots was the correct way to go.

 

Well, this took a [insert swear]load of distorted ovals and curved lines, but the main vine body is done. Phew!

 

 

By the way, have you looked at the picture really close? It was fun to notice how much more detail there is to everything around the window Twilight stands in.

 

Now to tackle the last doozy in this image: the clouds. So many overlapping gradients beginning and ending nowhere...

 

EDITED IN:

 

I really, honestly believed that this would have been the easy picture. It's been a while since I've been so wrong. I won't let that stop me, but I needed to take a break from the clouds. So here's a little less than two hours' worth of work (which is perhaps half of what I spent on these hellish plants ), very basic so far. I already dread the crystals and all their reflected light, heh.

 

 

EDITED IN TO AVOID THE MESSAGES GETTING NEEDLESSLY JOINED:

 

Windows are done. And the working week is back, so the weekend (re)creation spree is over. Just the insane sky gradients and the small vine sections left to do though.

 

 

By the way, if you don't mind me asking, why is it necessary that the backgrounds be vector, rather than made by simple 'shopping of the pictures you posted?

Edited March 13, 2016 by Hederik

[SolyWack 482]

Hederik, on 12 Mar 2016 - 5:56 PM, said:Hederik, on 12 Mar 2016 - 5:56 PM, said:

 

 

Looks really good. I would say you don't need to follow the clouds exactly, but... yeah. I myself just usually completely wing any of the more twisty-curvy-made to annoy you stuff, and in the end it looks just as good, just a bit different. But you do you, 'tis fine by me.

 

I'll await next weekend for the completed background, and does this mean your doing #5 as well? If so, the way I do the lights is actually pretty simple. Because you gave me a .fla, I assume you're using flash to make them.

 

1) Just make a new layer, and use the circle ellipse tool to create an oval in about the same shape as the light.

 

2) Put a radial gradient in the oval.

 

3)Then put white with 0% alpha on the outside, and a bright, but muted yellow on the inside with 10-40% alpha (that 10-40 controls how bright it is)

 

Then just figet around with the alpha, sliders, free transform tool, and gradient tool until you have the light you need. Most of the time, this is more than enough for me. You can adjust the shape of the gradient or even erase part of the oval entirely to make it fit.

 

Maybe you knew how to do this already, but it's always good to share technique just in case.

 

And as for why I need vectors, a photoshop would be no different from a screenshot, because they're both bitmap. You can't zoom without it getting pixely, and you can see the pixels shift with any movement of the camera. Here's an example: http://sta.sh/06u0pm9i6wl.

 

A still background might be okay for a photoshopped BG, but it still might be blurry if you needed to resize it for proper resolution. Vectors just negate all these, and look clean and smooth all the time.

Edited March 14, 2016 by AppleJack_Wack

[Hederik 119]

 

 

does this mean your doing #5 as well?

Well, I've done this much, it would be a shame to let it go to waste.

 

 

If you look really closely on the little crystals on the doors in the lower part of #5, I've done almost exactly that. Except I'd add a few things to the method you wrote up, namely:

 

1. You don't have to use an additional layer, just create a primitive or a group. Layers are more professional, but once you do a dozen of them it's difficult (in my workspace at least) to sort through them efficiently.

 

2. When putting the gradient in, begin from creating a circle, then resize and bend it into a proper shape and position. Otherwise, the gradient may not be spread evenly at the edges.

 

3. Use the same hue on the inside (~30%) as on the outside (0%).

 

This isn't all the problem with light and reflections, however. As there is no way to deconstruct a bitmap color into the original color and the lighting color (well, none that is easy), there is a lot of guesswork when picking the colors - especially if the surface in question is illuminated in its entirety. And light can range from white, through yellow, pink and light blue, to even more extreme cases like pale greens or reds. Plus, the various light sources sometimes overlap, and that's when things really get tricky.

 

If you just said you wanted to zoom in on it, I'd understand just as well

[SolyWack 482]

Hederik, on 14 Mar 2016 - 03:38 AM, said:

 

 

I figured you knew what you were doing. I do a little graphic design and digital art alongside animation, so I've been conditioned to use layers religiously. It's very annoying, to me at least, to have a bunch of different objects placed on a single layer, and having to mess around with the "arrange" option. I just put all objects on new layers so I can lock and rearrange easily. The clutter isn't an issue for me. Its likely there are ways to work more efficiently on single layers, but a bunch of layers works fine so

 

And your right about the lights and reflections, but I've found most of the light/reflection in the Crystal Prep BGs are bright, muted yellows with varying opacities. If they weren't originally yellow, then the yellow mimics it enough to the point you need to grab a magnifying glass and study them to ascertain the difference.

[Hederik 119]

Well, I never did anything professional, semi-professional or even in a professional manner when it comes to graphics. I've seen people multiply layers endlessly, and hey, if that works for somebody, cool. But I'll stick to my Ockham's Razor approach.

 

 

 

I've found most of the light/reflection in the Crystal Prep BGs are bright, muted yellows with varying opacities.

I could swear I saw blue-tinged opalescence around the crystal structures, but I'll have to take a closer look on them when an occasion presents itself.

 

 

 

to the point you need to grab a magnifying glass and study them to ascertain the difference

I *am* working at four to eight hundred percent zoom most of the time, so don't tell about magnifying glasses

 

EDITED IN:

 

 

 

When I vector, I need to get every asinine detail, and that's not good if you want to finish within ~50 years. lol

 

 

 

I myself just usually completely wing any of the more twisty-curvy-made to annoy you stuff, and in the end it looks just as good, just a bit different.

Don't these contradict a tad?

 

 

I'll await next weekend for the completed background

 

Woah, there are deadlines now? I'll still most likely meet it (see below; only a few windows, all the bricks and sky gradient left to tackle... plus the two vine sections), but this is new and makes me wonder just how far the creation of your animation has progressed already.

 

Edited March 14, 2016 by Hederik

[Hederik 119]

I thought for a while I wouldn't make it, but the sky turned out way simpler to do than I anticipated, and the little vine sections were really little. All that's left for me to do is to fiddle with the gradients on the walls and add all the little bricks there to finish the whole picture off.

 

 

I should have the finished piece uploaded either tomorrow evening or somewhere on Sunday. And I suppose #5 ready by yet next weekend, unless that's too late... then I'll try to push it a little and have it done by Thursday, but I can neither promise that nor be ready earlier than that.

 

EDITED IN: Plus, the shadows under vines, these will be some pain too, but nowhere near what the vines themselves were. Also, I'd like to know whether you intend to do crazy zooming on the window in which Twilight originally appears -- then I'll fill in the details behind it, otherwise I think I'll normalize it a little, because it stands out too much from the others.

 

WAAGH, THE POST MERGING IS DRIVING ME CRAZY

 

Made it, with hours to spare before the weekend in fact! All the above statements concerning my third assignment stand, however.

 

 

Flashy, vectory goodies be here (.fla, 4.1 MB)

Edited March 18, 2016 by Hederik

[SolyWack 482]

Don't these contradict a tad?

 

Woah, there are deadlines now? I'll still most likely meet it (see below; only a few windows, all the bricks and sky gradient left to tackle... plus the two vine sections), but this is new and makes me wonder just how far the creation of your animation has progressed already.

I meant that I wing the shapes, but I have to make sure every hole is filled, ever angle is perfect, and every curve is... curvy? When I really don't need to most of the time.

 

And no, there isn't any deadlines, I just assumed from your progress that you'd be done by then. Take your time. I'm still finishing up my backgrounds (ones that weren't on the collage obviously), so you don't need to rush. Sorry if I made you uneasy.

 

Lastly, I am going to zoom in on Twilight's window, although it looks like I got here a bit late, so if you don't want to go back and edit, that's fine. Just thought I was obliged to answer you.

[Hederik 119]

No problem at all, and here's a version that should be zoom-appropriate. Unless you have something different in mind, then you're welcome to make any changes. Or request them with me, something of this proportion I could probably do during a coffee break if my computer in work could handle Flash

 

 

As above, so below (.fla, 4.1 MB)

[SolyWack 482]

Hederik, on 18 Mar 2016 - 5:19 PM, said:

No problem at all, and here's a version that should be zoom-appropriate. Unless you have something different in mind, then you're welcome to make any changes. Or request them with me, something of this proportion I could probably do during a coffee break if my computer in work could handle Flash.

 

No changes necessary, this is perfect.

-----

I don't think flash takes that much to run. If I could, I would upgrade to CC (or even "Animate" now) for that sweet 64-Bit architecture, so it would take more. But alas, I am shackled to cs6.

[Hederik 119]

Maybe it doesn't take that much, but we're talking an age-old laptop that gets stuck even while loading pages in Mozilla or opening Word/Excel files larger than a couple hundred kB. Trust me, no Flash possible here

 

With my expectations and capabilities to use the extent of Flash's powers, I've worked on Macromedia Flash 6 for years and only changes it for CS6 a few years back. But I do nonetheless understand the craving for being up to date with the tools you really do use.

[Hederik 119]

It needs a little more work, mostly with lighting - especially on the walls. Plus the crystal pillars. But other than that it seems ready. Should be done by next weekend probably.

 

[SolyWack 482]

Hederik, on 27 Mar 2016 - 12:50 PM, said:

It needs a little more work, mostly with lighting - especially on the walls. Plus the crystal pillars. But other than that it seems ready. Should be done by next weekend probably.

 

Sweet. I'll probably finish up those top two BGs, then I'll just have a few background rigs to make before I can actually animate it all.

[Hederik 119]

 

Gah! There must be a hundred light sources in the original image and I feel my (however limited) belief in my flashy abilities crumbling to bits. And they somehow look so natural, while however I might try to tinker with the values, hues, percentages, shapes and sizes, the lighted areas always come out fake at the edges.

 

That being said, I think as long as you don't hold the original picture in the other hand while looking at this one, it should serve its purpose well, even in its unfinished state. All that's left to do is the abominable lighting, anyway.

[SolyWack 482]

Hederik, on 01 Apr 2016 - 4:40 PM, said:Hederik, on 01 Apr 2016 - 4:40 PM, said:

Gah! There must be a hundred light sources in the original image and I feel my (however limited) belief in my flashy abilities crumbling to bits. And they somehow look so natural, while however I might try to tinker with the values, hues, percentages, shapes and sizes, the lighted areas always come out fake at the edges.

 

That being said, I think as long as you don't hold the original picture in the other hand while looking at this one, it should serve its purpose well, even in its unfinished state. All that's left to do is the abominable lighting, anyway.

 

Even though you said not too, I looked at them side by side, and to me at least, it looks very comparable. The only obvious differences are the lack of lighting on the pillars and some of the yellow crystals, which I assume you simply haven't gotten to yet.

 

Animation is interesting in that you don't need to be 100% accurate, because people only look at each frame for 1/24 of a second, rather than in any other art, where they stare consistently at it for seconds, even minutes. Bottom line, don't stress too hard, it looks fine.

 

BTW, we're now at two pages now. Just wanted to point that out.

Edited April 2, 2016 by AppleJack_Wack

[Hederik 119]

So... this will sound weird in light of our very recent conversation, but I've manned up and simply finished the background. Wasn't as hard as I thought, although the perfectionist inside me still cringes at how much off the colors are. Oh well, I never intended to be an artist, I can claim I'm 20% color blind.

 

 

Up for grabs (.fla, 3.64 MB)

 

Let me know if you'd like anything changed, corrected, or if I just plainly forgot to do something.

 

EDIT: Noticed an ugly faux pas; quick fix applied.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Hederik

[SolyWack 482]

Hederik, on 18 Apr 2016 - 2:10 PM, said:

So... this will sound weird in light of our very recent conversation, but I've manned up and simply finished the background. Wasn't as hard as I thought, although the perfectionist inside me still cringes at how much off the colors are. Oh well, I never intended to be an artist, I can claim I'm 20% color blind.

 

 

Up for grabs (.fla, 3.64 MB)

 

Let me know if you'd like anything changed, corrected, or if I just plainly forgot to do something.

 

EDIT: Noticed an ugly faux pas; quick fix applied.

 

Noice. It is simply

 

I guess this means our "partnership" (Although pretty one-sided) is over.

 

Thanks again for doing not one, but THREE of these backgrounds. Trust me, the final animation will be top. I'd hope so after this much time. I'll send you a link once I finish.

[Hederik 119]

@,

 

Although trying at times, this has been a lot of fun too, and I can't say I haven't learned anything new while working for you. I'll await the finished animation to squee and point at backgrounds visible for seconds at a time

 

Also, while this project might be drawing to a close, who's to say we won't engage in anything else together in the future? I sure am open to such a notion... #PreventFluttercry