Butterfly animation?

[tom95521]

Has anyone tried creating moving butterflies? Maybe png alpha wings with keyframes? I think the monarch butterflies are cool Not so much the other colors. This is a screen capture from an android app.

[Lin Evans]

Took longer to post it than to make it... No need to reinvent the wheel - PTE Chroma Key Green Screen Extraction is great: This is just a quick sample - easy to realtime change background screens and/or add other insects or more butterflies in animation.

http://www.lin-evans.org/butterfly/butterfly.zip (about 14 meg Windows exe)

here's the project file to the expanded version:

http://www.lin-evans.org/butterfly/butterfly2pte.zip

here's an expanded version with changing screens, etc.:

http://www.lin-evans.org/butterfly/butterfly2.zip (about 40 meg Windows exe)

http://www.lin-evans.org/butterfly/butterfly2mac.zip (MacIntosh Version zipped native Mac exe - about 42 meg)

http://www.lin-evans.org/butterfly/butterfly2.mp4 (use back button on browser to return here after running video)

Added some more critters.....

http://www.lin-evans.org/butterfly/butterfly22.mp4 (use back button on browser to return here after running video)

Best regards,

Lin

[tom95521]

Hi Lin,

That was fast! Cool! I just had time to watch the video this morning before work. I will check out the project tonight.

Thanks,

Tom

[Chris4137]

HI Lin

Thanks for all yours realizations.

But I can't download the file http://www.lin-evans.org/butterfly/butterflypte.zip ....Error 404 ?

What is the problem ?

Thank again !

Chris

[Lin Evans]

Hi Chris - sorry, it was my fault that the upload didn't finish. I've changed the link on the original post to the project file for the slightly longer show and I'll repeat it here - this one should work.

http://www.lin-evans.org/butterfly/butterfly2pte.zip

Best regards,

Lin

[Chris4137]

Thank All is right now

Best regards

Chris

[tom95521]

Hi Lin,

Loaded your project file and I think I understand how you did it so fast. Chroma key sure saves a lot of time. Here is my butterfly animation using alpha png wings and a lot of keyframes. Not very random but if I spent some more time I could probably do better.

Thanks,

Tom

https://youtu.be/5qOaHj2Z5OA

[Lin Evans]

Hi Tom, Yes it's indeed possible to use PNG and keyframes to animate butterfly and bird wings, etc., but difficult to overcome the stiffness of motion as well as issues of perspective. Some of the 3D software is excellent for more sophisticated animation but even animating a single butterfly takes many, many hours of work. On the other hand, bluescreen and greenscreen video along with alpha channel offer many great potentials for getting truly lifelike animations and are fun to explore...

Best regards,

Lin

[Igor]

Lin,

Probably the new Objects and animation editor will simplify this task. It will bring new capabilities for animation.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I think it was in 2008 that one of the UK AV competitions was won by I think the editors of RPS AV News, of a garden with butterflies or fairies flitting from flower to flower. It was shown at the Bradford AV day. It was very impressive then.

Yachtsman1.

[tom95521]

H Lin,

Yes. Not knowing the flight dynamics of a butterfly I made the wings rotate 90 degrees. It's probably more like 135 degrees with some vertical lift created. My guess is the butterfly is designed to fly in random directions so they do not get eaten by birds.

I'm sorry but I borrowed your slide 1 from your project without your permission to create my version. I didn't realize it had sound until I watched it on youtube and was amazed the wings and the music were synchronized.

Thanks,

Tom

[Lin Evans]

Hi Igor,

That's great news! Looking forward to the new engine!

Best regards,

Lin

[Lin Evans]

Hi Tom,

We're fortunate to have a close-by butterfly pavilion where I've spent many hours observing butterfly action. Maybe I'll get a chance to do some slow motion video there to help with sorting out the motions. Many years ago I did a slideshow and photography for them using PTE for the show. It's a fun place if you're ever in the Denver (Westminster) area of Colorado...

https://www.butterflies.org/

You're welcome to use any of the green screen/blue screen video clips - I just collected them off the web... I noticed the synchronization - cool even if unintended!! LOL

Here's a great site and this video shows in slow motion the full extent of wing movement:

http://butterflywebsite.com/ShowNatureVideos.cfm?action=show&videoid=219

Best regards,

Lin

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I've been reading this thread but had forgotton I made a show back in 2012 about a garden centre & butterfly zoo at Symonds Yat near Ross on Wye from pictures & video taken during our holiday there.

There is an unadulterated exe on mediafire,

http://www.mediafire.com/download/5twtc458ubvckl0/a1_Butterfly_Jungle.zip

Or if you don't want to download 118MB, you can stream it on Youtube with all the foibles Youtube creates.

Yachtsman1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpnIn3L3PSM

[tom95521]

Hi Eric,

Nice mixture of music, sounds, photos, and video. Relaxing to watch.

Thanks,

Tom

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Thanks Tom. I hope it is easier to create an animated butterfly than picture them live, although they look graceful they move around quickly, not easy to catch.

Regards Eric

Yachtsman1.

[Chris4137]

Hello,

After Lin exemples with butterflies, a question on vidéo chroma key and PTE.

With a vidéo like attached document who have blue and green areas, is it possible to make this two areas imperceptibles with Chroma key option in PTE ?

Best regards

Chris

[Lin Evans]

Hi Chris,

No, that's not possible. One or the other and only for videos..

Best regards,

Lin

[Chris4137]

Thanks Lin (What a pity ! )

Chris

[tom95521]

Interesting problem. Maybe use a mask for blue and chromakey for green?

Tom