FigureFill - one-click to Fill Line Drawings

[ZigOtto]

... When I try it the B-Pen color fills OUTSIDE the figure or closed shapes , leaving the interior of the figure /closed shape transparent , not filled in with opaque color .

the same result I've got with my v9.5 test, filling the area(s) where I've clicked, no inversion.
I will give a new try later.

[CartoonMonkey]

Not working here, either. Tried everything.

The method I've been using that isn't automatic, granted, but it works very well is:

1: create line art on the topmost layer
2: create an empty animation layer beneath the lines layer.
3: create an empty animation layer on the bottom, fill with white.
4: click on layer 2, the empty animation layer, and with the fill tool and gap settings set to whatever you want.. (3 or 4 pixels and set to 'behind' mode) click outside the shape and fill with any color.
5: turn the stencil layer on for your filled animation layer 2, and click and drag this layer down to your bottom layer 3. Select erase mode and erase source.

Done.

This is essentially what my backfill panel does, although it does it clumsily with three buttons. I assume you're trying to do the same.
( I can't really program or make scripts for TVP )

[Svengali]

The Figure Fill 9&10 Panel

Figure Fill 9&10 Panel.jpg

Here is the new Figure Fill panel with a revised FigFill button which works with TVPaint 9 and 10 and the + Fill button which generates a new Fill Layer based on the frames from the Draw Layer. (Thank you ZigOtto for testing and discovering an innovative fill method that made it possible for FigFill to work in TVP 9! Also, for suggesting the + Fill button. )

What is FigFill?
One thing many animators often need to do is take an outline drawing and fill it in to make it opaque when displayed against a background or other figures or props on lower layers. Currently TVPaint doesn't have an easy, one click tool that lets you do this. The FigFill button (with the embedded figfill.grg script) provide an interim solution to fulfill this need.

outline and fill layers.png

Here is how it works
Outlined shapes on the Draw Layer can all be automatically filled in with Bpen Color pixels on a second, lower, Fill Layer. To do this the user should follow these simple steps:

Before Filling:
1. Make sure you have created a FILL Layer BELOW your Draw Layer where your filled shapes will be formed (use the + Fill button).
2. Make sure the Bpen color is set to the color you want to use for back filling.
3. Make sure you are on the Draw Layer before you click the FigFill button.

To use the FigFill Button:
1. Be sure the Draw Layer is the current layer.
2. Be on the frame with the figure you want to fill (or optionally, you may select two or more frames on the Fill Layer that you want to be filled in a single operation.)
3. Click the FigFill button.
4. When the full-screen crosshairs appear click your stylus or Left Mouse Button on an area OUTSIDE the figure to be filled on the Draw Layer. (In the case of multiple selected frames, make sure to click on the background where there are no figures for the entire selected sequence.)
5. That's it… all closed shapes will generate opaque fills on the Fill Layer below, in precise registration.

The background areas remain transparent and all of the enclosed figures will show as filled with the Bpen color you had chosen.

And IF by mistake you are on the Fill Layer when you start a Fill operation, the FigFill button should warn you to move to the Draw Layer. You will also be warned if the Fill Layer's length is different from the Draw Layer's length. They should both be the same (both in overall length, and in the position and length of exposure frames. Be sure you are on the Draw Layer, then use the + Fill button to regenerate the Fill Layer.)

When applying a Fill to a single frame where you have a negative shape within your figure, you have the option in step 3 to draw a straight line starting on the background and ending within the closed negative area. When you lift your stylus tip or release the Left Mouse Button, the fill is applied to all the shapes... and the negative shape where you raised the stylus tip or Mouse Button will remain unfilled with the background showing through. Note that this method of excluding a negative shape from the fill process will not work over multiple selected frames since the negative shape might move.

The + Fill Layer Button
Will automatically generate (or regenerate) a Fill Layer which is a perfect copy of the Draw Layer but with all frames blank.

To use:
Make sure that the Draw Layer with the figure is the current layer. Click the + Fill Layer button and the Fill Layer will be created. If a Fill Layer already exists, you are given an option to accept that as it exists or regenerate the Fill Layer which is a perfect copy of the Draw Layer with all frames blank.

========================
Any problems? post feedback here.

Sven

[BenEcosse]

works well here - extremely useful!

[Animark]

Great! Thanks a lot for the improvements

[CartoonMonkey]

Very nice!!

I was able to turn up the gap detection by simply typing a new value into your embedded George script.
I was having some trouble with it not working, but I realized that it's important that the penbrush mode be set to color, or else the script wouldn't work for me.

Thanks and big thumbs up!

[chatbraque]

THX… it's a great one

[Svengali]

I was able to turn up the gap detection by simply typing a new value into your embedded George script.
I was having some trouble with it not working, but I realized that it's important that the penbrush mode be set to color, or else the script wouldn't work for me.

Hi,

You were right. The script did not set the Tool's mode to color and sometimes FigFill failed if the Tool mode were set to something else.

I've fixed that and updated both the TVPX (above) and the first TVPX (on the original post) with the latest version (april 16). Download the new one and you won't have to worry anymore about the drawing tool's mode setting. It also restores the tool's original mode after FigFill finishes.

Sven

[Animark]

Hi Sven,

the last days I used your tool and had problems with the "+ fill layer"-button. It works perfect on projects with one layer, but when you have more than one layer, there is no function when clicking the button. I've tested with 9.5.21 and 10.0.7.

It's not a great issue because I know how to copy a layer and how to delete its content. But maybe you like to improve this great script again .

[Svengali]

...problems with the "+ fill layer"-button. It works perfect on projects with one layer, but when you have more than one layer, there is no function when clicking the button. I've tested with 9.5.21 and 10.0.7.

It's not a great issue because I know how to copy a layer and how to delete its content. But maybe you like to improve this great script again .

Yes, I had that happen a few times myself... I will look at it to see why - then try to solve the problem .

[toonsisters]

Dear svengali,

thank you for your very handy tool.
I would love to customize the expand option of the bucket tool, to increase the filling shape.
But I am not familiar with george sripting. I eved did not find the script in my folders.
Can you give me a short briefing how to do it?

Thank you,
Vera

[ZigOtto]

hi Vera,

if it's an embedded script, you can edit it,
right-clic on the button, Edit ... Embedded George script ...
and change the Expand value to whatever value you want in this line :

Code: Select all

tv_AreaInit MODE 1 MAP_GRADIENT 0 OPACITY 100 GAP 0 EXPAND 2 RANGE 10 SRC 1 SMOOTH 1 AALIASING 0   // tweak Expand and Smooth to refine fill edge

[mwebster]

I tried everything, but when I click in the empty area, nothing happens inside the draw

Made a test tvpp to try it, here is the printscreen:
http://postimage.org/image/mdfk4gudn/full/

Am I doing something wrong or is it a bug?
----

TV Paint Animation 9 Pro
Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bits

[Hervé]

Am I doing something wrong or is it a bug?
----

Maybe you should update your TVPaint 9 to the last version.

[mwebster]

Or I didn't install it well.
I just dragged the .tvpx icon to TVPaint interface, then a window appeared, clicked "next" and then "OK". Is it the right way?