Licensing & Techinicial Question(s)

[KYHI]

Ok for example, I want to spiral the 16x50 tree from bottom left to top right - 5 pixels at a time wrapping the tree in a red / white / blue spirals

so red would have to move up 5 pixels and start again - white would then start at bottom left move up 5 and start again - then blue starts and then the whole thing loops

What would you use? how would you create that effect? how would you save that effect ?  I guess this would be a motion effect ?

Now that we have that effect - how would I blend in a singing face into that effect?

Would these be effects created within SuperStar ? are there no samples of this type effect, predefined effects per say?

or do you all create your own effects and save them ? As in the video tutorials I see all kinds of boxes open showing effects or color schemes

Edited December 29, 2020 by KYHI

[k6ccc]

Two things.  First of all, I essentially don't use Pixel Editor or now Motion Effects.  And I would be doing this on a flat tree, not a round one in case that makes a difference.  I would do it in SuperStar (because that is what I use for everything).  It would just be series of morphs or scenes (depending if the spiral is moving or static).  Very straight forward.  As for adding a singing face on top of it, most likely a series of images on top of the scenes or morphs.  Never tried to do that.

And especially within SuperStar, yes, you are creating the effects that you want for the most part from a small handful of building blocks.  S5 Motion Effects have a lot of built in effects, but there is very limited ability to create your own effects.  You can apply many different variables to the built in effects, but you can't create a completely new effect.  SuperStar also gives far more control down to the pixel level, whereas Motion Effects is more prop based.

With that said, I fully admit that I can generally make the software do what I want it to do.  However I lack the artistic creativity to know what I want it to do.  As a result, for most of my sequences, I purchase the sequence for the pixel tree (in SuperStar format) from one of several sources from people who DO have the artistic creativity that I lack.  Then I use variations of their color and motion patterns on the rest of my yard.  One of those sources is from Brian Bruderer (who wrote SuperStar).  One HUGE advantage of buying a few sequences from experts is that you get to see how they did some of the effects.  And learn from those examples.  By buying sequences from several sources, I have learned several different ways of accomplishing different things.  That lets me apply those lessons to the rest of my display.