Vector mattes

Using mattes

Vector mattes

You can paint shapes using the Vector node. This has many uses, but perhaps the most common is to trace a feature of the background, and use the shape as a matte. If you're using the Vector node in this way, you must obviously first have added the background to the scene - so you can see what you're tracing.

The Vector node has two columns in the XSheet:

Each keyframe in the Curves column holds the shape(s) you draw for that frame.

Each keyframe in the Paint column holds the paints that are used to fill the curves, and the order in which they are composited.

To add a vector to a scene:

Add a Vector node to the Scene Graph.

Select the Vector node (see Selecting nodes).

Use the Open Toolkit tool (see The standard Draw toolkit) to change the toolkit to the vector editor toolkit.

Select the frame for which you wish to draw the shape; see Moving between frames.

If necessary, add a keyframe to the Vector node's Curve and/or Paint columns. Each keyframe is initially the same as the previous keyframe from the same column.

Use the tools to draw and/or edit the vector shape(s); see Using paths.

: You can also use the Drawing Window's Edit menu to cut, copy and paste vectors.

Repeat steps 4 to 6 as necessary.

When you have finished, use the Standard Toolkit tool to return to using the standard Draw toolkit.

Inbetweening vectors

For a pair of vector keyframes to inbetween correctly, the knots in one vector must be a copy of those in the other - otherwise Director has no way to know which knots in the vectors correspond to each other. When you create a new keyframe it will hold a copy of the previous keyframe, and so inbetweening will work.

However, if you have created keyframes at the end of a scene, and then need to add extra keyframes at the start of the scene, you should do so by copying and pasting one of the later keyframes, to ensure that inbetweening will work.

Pasting Vector node keyframes

The keyframes that hold Curves and their Paint belong together. If you use pasting to place Curves and Paint keyframes from different Vector nodes into the same keyframe, you may get unpredictable results.

Using mattes

Vector mattes

Inbetweening vectors

Pasting Vector node keyframes