VECTOR PAINT DISAPPEARS

sorry i tried to find this out but haven't seen any results. whenever i use vector paint it just disappears. i see the stroke as long as im holding down the mouse button and then it disappears as soon as i let go. i need this effect and i can't seem to fix this.

If you have the playback mode set to "Animate Strokes", the strokes will disappear as you draw them because your current time indicator defines the start of the draw-on animation. In effect, the moment you lift your pen, the time "rewinds" back to the start of the stroke.

Similar Messages

CS4 and Vector Paint crash

I don't normally post over here in the AE forum (mostly the PPro forum) because well...AE really never has any problems for me.
However, I'm having some issues with the Vector Paint effect. I'm trying to get that "write-on" effect by using vector paint, and as I paint over the text, AE will freeze up on me and become non-responsive.
I tried turning off the OpenGL previews, but it still happens. I've got AE CS4, all the updates, on Vista 64 with a Quadro 1500 video card...
Any idea what might be happening here?

You are very likely simply running out of memory. Similar behavior can be observed with other temporal effects such as for instance here: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/474366?tstart=60. In your case this is compoiunded by Vector Paint establishing its own interface and memory buffer and generally being quite hungry. The "good" way to avoid these issues would be to beef up the system with more RAM, the workaround way would be to use the native paint tools (which are much more memory friendly) or otehr techniques such as creating a mtte with the Stroke effect based on a mask path.
Mylenium

Did Vector Paint ever make it back into After Effects??

I have been missing Vector Paint (like a lot of people) since it's removal a few years ago. I have read a lot of discussion where reviewers, etc. expected it to finally return in CS6 (with added features), but I can't find confirmation anywhere that it did indeed return. I'm still using 5.5, and this would be a major motivator to upgrade. If it has not, did they replace it with something different?
Thanks.
-Tim

In a recent response to another thread on Vector Paint, Todd Kopriva stated:
Our current plan--subject to change depending on many factors, of course--is to do substantial work on the paint features for After Effects releases targeted at 2014, with specific work being done to add functionality similar to that in Vector Paint (onion skinning, painting in the Composition panel, wiggly strokes). So, though we can't make promises about future features, this is a high priority for us for the near future.

Sequential strokes in vector paint

Is there a way to animate vector paint strokes over time so that they appear sequentially over the time line? When I use "Animate Strokes," all the strokes appear simultaneously at the spot where the time line marker is parked.
I suppose I could do a stroke, move in the time line, then do the next stroke, but that seems really tedious and I think I've done this before in the past with previous versions of After Effects. But I can't seem remember how or make this work. (Using AE CS 3)
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

When you're painting sequential frames (use the Shift+Paint option) in Vector Paint, you really don't have as much control as using Paint, but there might be some good reasons to use it still.
You'll want to use Shift+Paint.
Make sure you don't lift your pen, or you'll start on the next frame.
Then, change your playback mode to PAST STROKES.
that should do it.

Where is vector paint effect? cs6

Hi, i am trying to follow a tutorial and the person went to 'effects> paint> and then vector paint' but i realise that I dont have the paint section in my effects??
Can anyone help me understand why? Is this an extra plugin to download? I am using cs6 after effects
thanks

Vector paint is a 32 bit plug-in that was not moved to CS6. There are other options. Post a link to the tutorial and someone will be able to show you how to achieve a similar effect with CS6

Line Wiggling Without Vector Paint

Hi,
I recently bought the mac cs5 master suite specifically to get after effects to do wiggly lines using vector paint -- then I find out Adobe removed vector paint.
Is there a way to get the same effect without vector paint? Specifically I'm trying to do stick figure animation with a kind of Red Bull random wiggle effect.
I tried using the wiggle transform in ae but it just moves stuff around -- it doesn't randomize the line shape.
Any advice, pointers much appreciated.
thanks

Shape Layers using the "Wiggle Paths" animator should do the trick.

How can I live without vector paint?

hey everyone
I use the vector paint plugin in AECS3 to create hand-drawn style line art animations.
I use vector paint applied to a solid together with my wacom cintiq to draw lines freehand. sometimes I use the 'animate strokes' setting within vector paint to make it look like the strokes are being drawn on.
there are some downsides to this plugin over the standard AE paint engine (principally that I cannot edit individual strokes, easily retime my strokes, or apply masks to my paint layer without precomping), but vector paint wins for me for 2 critical reasons:
1. I can paint directly in the comp window, meaning I can easily trace directly over another layer in my comp; and
2. Vector Paint has a built in wiggle engine which enables me to wiggle my paint strokes - this makes the images I draw feel dynamic and alive. it suits the simple hand drawn style of the animation.
as anyone who reads this forum will be aware, vector paint has been removed from CS5. I am needing to upgrade my creative suite but I need to be able to continue making this look for my clients.
my question to you all is how can I continue creating animations in this style with CS5?
Any feedback would be *most* appreciated!
cheers
dan
here are some examples of the kind of animation I am refferring to -some of these are WIPs so appear quite rough!

thanks Todd and Mylenium for your responses.
With regard to Myleniums first point:
1. I can paint directly in the comp window, meaning I can easily trace directly over another layer in my comp
You can do that with normal paint just the same by painting on solids on top and setting the brush to paint on transparent and layer and comp windows side by side. You can even get that functionality in the layer window by adding effects like CC Composite before the paint to enforce rendering of the current frame.
I have tried this setup with layer and comp windows next to each other but the result is that I still have to draw my strokes in the layer window (which is transparent, so appears empty). Once I have drawn a stroke it appears in the comp window. So I was unable to use this workflow to trace over an existing layer in my comp. Can you expand on the use of CC composite in this way? I tried adding this effect and playing with the settings but couldn't find a way to use it in this context.
Also, with regard to point 2 (and Todd's helpful link):
Occassionally also consider shape layers - there's a Wiggle Path modifier there, after all.
I have tried working with the wiggle path option in here but the results are totally different to the wiggles produced using vector paint - I'm guessing its a different algorithm or something? the variables are quite different in either package.
Can anyone here point me to a 3rd party plugin that does the same thing as vector paint? Mylenium suggested video gogh but this plugin is more about making video layers resemble brushstrokes. I am simply wanting to draw brush strokes directly into the after effects comp window and animate them, and to be able to apply some kind of wiggle modifier to create a degree of organic 'dynamicness'.
Mylenium also says:
Yes, it's been much lamented but it's not coming back - for a while, anyway.
When you say 'for a while', do you mean CS 6? CS7? I am starting to feel like my options are to sit tight with AECS3 until the situation changes, or to move away from AE altogether and work with different software to acheive this look (flash? toon boom? any suggestions?). If I had some confidence that a new improved tool featuring the same functionality as vector paint was going to be introduced in the next version of AE I would feel much better about working around it for the time being.
... yes I have filed a feature request! Please If you find this post in your own search about vector paint, can you also file a request? Vector paint had its downsides, but it is pretty clear to me that taking it away has reduced after effect's functionality in this area, which is a profound shame. I have won awards for projects that have been built around vector paint material, but I now cannot keep my AE version current without losing the ability to produce this look. thats a total bummer!
dan

How to paint-in visibility of a layer

I recently upgraded to cs5 after effects after years of using earlier versions.
It is a normal part of my working procedure to use a white solid layer as a track matte in order to reveal or hide the layer beneath
it by painting in the invisible solid layer with Vector paint in the composition window.
This means I can paint directly over the underlying image and brush-in the visibilty of the hidden layer.
How do I achieve this now that vector paint has gone and the ability to paint in the composition window is also gone?
It is no use to me to have to paint in a layer window when I cannot see the underlying layer beneath my paint strokes.
How do I achieve this basic requirement?
Thanks for any responses
Geoff

Hi Rick,
Many thanks for trying to help me here.
I don't need to see the layer i am painting on, i need to see the underlying layer.
If for instance i have an adjustment layer with say curves applied to it. I want to be able to brush in and out that effect to the underlying layers and see the result as i paint.
This is a pretty basic requirement that has been easy in all versions of ae up to the current version, by simply painting in a white solid track matte layer in the comp window so you can see all layers beneath being affected in realtime as you paint.
How do i do this now that painting on a layer in the comp window is no longer possible?

Paint / Repaint problem

Hi,
I have a panel with a checkbox and a slider, and I want to put a string below the slider...so here is what i do...
     public void paint(Graphics g) {
          super.paint(g);
           * Get original font (need its height)
          originalFont = getFont();
          FontMetrics fm = getFontMetrics(originalFont);
          setFont(some_new_font);
          FontMetrics fontMetrics = getFontMetrics(getFont());
           * String to paint.
          String seconds = "(seconds)";
           * Calculate where to place the string
          int strWidth = fontMetrics.stringWidth(seconds);                    //string width
          int origH    = fm.getHeight();                                             //original font height
          Point p      = sliderLengthOfTest.getLocation();                    //location of slider in the panel
          int w        = (int)sliderLengthOfTest.getSize().getWidth();     //width of slider
          int h        = (int)sliderLengthOfTest.getSize().getHeight();   //height of slider
          int x        = ((w - strWidth) / 2) + (int)p.getX();            //calculate X
          int y           = (int)p.getY() + h - origH;                              //calculate Y
          g.drawString(seconds, x , y);
     }that works...but when I check/uncheck the checkbox, the string i painted disappears...so i tried to do the same thing I do in the paint method, as in the repaint method...
public void repaint(Graphics g) {
     super.paint(g);
      //....do same stuff here as I did in the paint method
}but that did not solve the problem....any ideas?
Thanks.

Why don't you just put the slider in a panel, with a label under it ?
(could be a panel with BorderLayout, for example... with Slider in CENTER and label in SOUTH)

Vector Art Crashes After Effects CS3 Windows 7

Hi there,
I've noticed that AFX CS3 always crashes when I try to use Vector Art effects on Windows 7. I'm able to turn on the effect, but when I start painting, it always crashes after a few seconds. Any idea how to prevent this crash? I love vector art.
thanks..

Solved this problem on my computer by running After Effects in compatibility mode.
My setup is different than the original post, but hopefully it will help someone else.
Here's my problem and how I fixed it...
System: Windows Vista
After Effects CS4
Vector Paint
After drawing a a third small line, AfterFX would lock up and the screen would go semi transparent. Turning Open GL settings didn't help.
Closed AfterFX, and righ-clicked on the After Effects shortcut. Chose Properties->Shortcut tab->Compatibility->Checked "Run this program in compatibily mode for "Windows XP (Service Pack 2).
All other settings left unchecked.
Hit OK.
Relaunch AfterFX and the Vector Paint effect works great now!

Unlinked vector mask is discarded when duplicating the document

Photoshop CC 2014 Mac
To reproduce:
1. Have a layer with unlined vector mask
2. Duplicate the document by clicking on the "Create new document from current state" button at the bottom of the History panel
3. The vector mask disappears from the newly created duplicated document
Can anyone verify this...?
@kennethkawamoto

If that is what happens on you machine its either a bug in CC 2014 Maco or something with your install. There is no problem in CC 2014 PC.

Vector Mask Path doesn't show for CS6?

When using pen or path related tools, I can still see the the path for the vector mask. But when clicking on the brush tool or any other tool not related to paths, the path for the vector mask disappears. The vector mask is also highlighted in the layers. There's no x mark or anything in vector mask. CS5 didn't have this problem. Is this CS6 function or not?
CS6:
Using Pen or Path related tools
When clicking on Brush tool or others, paths disappear
CS5:
No problem with CS5

Good day!
CS5 didn't have this problem.
This is just the way things are in CS6.
Feel free to look for an existing Feature Request on this over at
http://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/
or post one if there is none to add your support to yet.
Regards,
Pfaffenbichler

Noob Question - PreComp Layers and Effects

I have precomposed a layer and am wondering why when I apply an effect inside the precomposed layer, it cannot be seen in the main timeline... for instance, I've created a logo on a billboard and precomposed the layer. I added it to the timeline and all is fine. Now, I tried to apply a 'vector paint' effect to a layer inside the precomp. It looks fine in the precomp, but it disappears in the main timeline. Also, I added trapcode particles inside the precomp. They do not show up in the main timeline either. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks to all.

I see them in the precomp but not in the main time.
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:11:50 -0600
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Noob Question - PreComp Layers and Effects
Do you see them when you clic on the "continuosly rasterize" button of your precom. it's the little "*" icon of your precomposition.
>

13.1 Interface Changes

Hi,
Im really enjoying the new look. Thanks to everyone on the AE team for this new release.
I have a few questions.
- My tool tips don't work for the motion blur/frame blending icon panel in the timeline. This is ok for me but has stumped some of our trainees.
- The feature where you could hover the curser over a layer in the timeline and see a wire frame display of the bounding box for that layer in the project panel is missing for me. Is there a new preference for this?
- I always have my preview panel set to loop but when i fire up AE it will always stop at the end of a comp unless I cycle through the looping options. This seems strange.
Thanks for your time.
Glenn

Allow me to heartily second Dave's complaint. I really really really really HATE that Adobe has done away with the OPTION of having a dark on light interface. And for literally no other reason than to unify the look of Adobe software across the line and look sophisticated (or something). The shortsightedness is breathtaking.
What's so awful about giving users a choice? If someone likes light on dark, slide that slider and there you go. If someone likes dark on light, slide the slider the other way, and there you go.
But now, no choice. You're going to use light on dark, and YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE IT. "You'll get used to it."
IMO, Adobe's implementation of light on dark has sucked since that interface option was introduced way back in, I don't know, AE 7 or 8? The white text is WAY too bright and contrasty. I understand the rationale of having a dark interface that doesn't wash out your composition window, and I tried the dark interface time and again, but my eyes couldn't take it for very long. I have no problem with Maxon's version of light on dark; I don't know why Adobe can't get it right. Cinema 4D allows the user to customize the color of almost every interface element. I wish Adobe had as much respect for its customers. Jeebus help us if Adobe acquires Cinema 4D.
I've been using AE since around 1997 (version 3.1). Time and time again I see useful features tossed aside (wireframe previews, vector paint, the old lens blur, interface flexibility, etc) that have negatively impacted my productivity. That's not to say that some new features have improved my productivity, but why do those new features have to come at the expense of some of these older ones?
And yes, I will submit a feature request (to bring back the dark on light interface OPTION) as I've done time and time before, and I will expect the same non-result.

Questions about divulging information about future features

Good morning,
I'm making my way through this thread for the first time.
As someone who has passed the California Bar and who has been a stockbroker in the past, I would like to comment on the statement of Steve Forde, who was the Senior Product Manager for Visual Effects for Adobe for portions of 2011.
Steve said,
"Unfortunately - we get stuck in a legal pinch about commenting on ANYTHING that may or may not be in future products, off the record or otherwise."
I'm asking that you consult your internal SENIOR legal counsel again regarding this statement that you assert prohibits you from giving any details whatsoever about what the Adobe Team may or may not aspire to having in future versions of After Effects.
I'm asking this of you for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, no attorney denies that the law changes over time and recent court decisions have made shareholder derivative lawsuits much less popular as a way for the plaintiff's bar to make a quick buck by extorting money from companies who may have made aspirational statements to shareholders or others in conference calls or elsewhere.
As I understand the current trends in Delaware Law, (which, as the situs for quite a few corporations governs large swaths of their conduct) as long as appropriate disclaimers are clearly communicated at the time of the aspirational statement, such language is now permissible.
Such standard disclaimers could include language such as
"we cannot guarantee whether any feature discussed will appear within one year or within five years or whether it will ever appear at all. It is currently a goal of the design team to reintroduce this feature, but we reserve the right, in our exclusive discretion to change that decision for any reason whatsoever, without consequence.
Additionally, you are vested with no rights to rely on any assertion or representation made based on any such aspirational statement and we insist and demand you consult an attorney before embarking on any course of conduct, such as purchasing stock or altering any current or projected business plan, based in any manner upon what we say here.
However, given the above caveats, it is the current goal of the Adobe design team to reintroduce this feature within the next three releases of AE again, subject to change at our sole and exclusive direction in any manner, time or mode of our choosing, without prior notice of any kind."
If you had a standard disclaimer such as the above that you attached to any and all such statements (by having it appear within the signature block of any Adobe employee posting to this forum), it could take conversations such as this to a more rewarding level for both Adobe staff (who could share their very profound dreams and aspirations with us) and the Adobe community at large, which provides inspiration and helpful feedback to Adobe employees seeking to assist us.
Then the focus could shift to whether or not you were divulging trade secrets. But it would still permit you to be more informative in a general way.
So I ask that you run this by your SENIOR legal counsel again. Remember, just as there can be different ways to tackle the same 3D graphics animation challenge, each with rewarding results, attorneys similarly can vary from attorney to attorney and new and bright ideas on how to approach such issues do occur from time to time, especially in light of the massive favorable swings in case law supporting the rights of massive global corporations such as Adobe viz a viz the rights of the little guy.
Sincerely, Matt Dubuque
Here is Steve's quote in its entirety, from May 26, 2011:
Unfortunately - we get stuck in a legal pinch about commenting on ANYTHING that may or may not be in future products, off the record or otherwise.
That being said, as Michael explained in a previous post, Vector Paint got stuck in the conversion of AE to 64 bit. It's something we hear quite a bit from our users that Vector Paint is important. Again - wish I could give you more than that, but we are bound by very strict rules.
Therefore - it is important to us, and the more we hear via this form the more likely it is to get resources behind it in a future release. Again I realize it is impersonal, but the results of this form are sent via email to a real human every time someone hits submit; then that person brings the results of submission to a weekly meeting on the AE team where we discuss features and scheduling.
Steve
Sr. Product Manager - Visual Effects
Adobe Systems Inc.

Attaching an appropriate disclaimer may be fine for an attorney to dot all the i's and cross all the t's, but there is one thing it will NOT do: it won't stop people from misinterpreting what they read.
Most people go by what they PERCEIVE to be true and not the ACTUAL truth, a fact that people in marketing like me deal with all the time.
Steve Forde might write the following totally hypothetical and totally fictional line in a blog:
"We're thinking about a feature for a future version. Right now we call it the Clean Plate Generator. You would be able to shoot a single clip, panning and tilting the camera as desired, and After Effects would automatically create an image whose total size matches the totality of the image shot in the clip. It would even remove selected foreground subjects such as a stray person who inadvertantly walks into the shot."
Sounds great, yes? And with your proposed disclaimer, all would be good; Adobe would have covered its corporate pink posterior. Or would it?
Do you wish to speculate how many people would read that as a statement of a definitely-going-to-be-there feature in the next AE version?
Can you imagine the can of worms that would open when this fictional feature isn't in the next version?
Would it really be worth the massive and expensive fence-mending campaign Adobe would have to undertake among angry users who were erroneously looking forward to this fictional feature?
All of which could have been avoided simply by not saying a word?
I can see where attorneys may like a hypothetical situation as the one above: they could charge more billable hours! I doubt Adobe would like it, however.
Legalese is one thing, maintaining happy customers is another, and there is no amount of legalese that can overcome people's nasty tendancy to perceive what they read as what they WANT to read instead of what is actually written.
If people would read what was actually written, there would be far fewer posts in this forum that say in essence, "Hey, how come it takes two weeks to render ray tracing on the brand-new HP student laptop I just got from Wal-Mart?"

VECTOR PAINT DISAPPEARS

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