Documentation

The Rendering > Brush Spreading

This FX is used to spread a simple or animated brush or any other existing image on a layer.

Below is an example of Brush Speading application on a bush:



Here, the animated brush leaves was used, this brush is available in the custom brushes located in the panel on the right of the interface.



In the main menu, click on Effects > Rendering > Brush Spreading to open the FX Stack with the FX activated. Or click directly on the FX Stack icon, click on Add FX > Rendering > Brush Spreading.



The panel is divided in two tabs:

The Brush tab allows you to choose the source which will be spread on the current image or layer.

The General tab allows you to choose where and how the spreading of the brush will apply on the image.

the Brush tab

In the Brush tab you can choose the source you will use as a brush. This source could come from the FX Stack, the Current Layer, the Display, the Spare, the Paper, the Image Library, the Custom Brush, a Layer, a Clip or a Project in particular.

In our example, we will use a custom brush. You can create it yourself or get an existing one in the panel on the right of the interface.
Here, the custom brush arrow:



When the source used is a custom brush, the current brush is automatically selected as the source.
Verify that Preview is checked in the FX Stack. You can then see your brush applied on the outlines of your image. For the example here, we will use the bush drawing:



In the preview, we can already descry our brush on the outlines of the image.



In order to better illustrate the different functionalities of the Brush Spreading, we lower the percentage of the Smear source at 0, which allow us to better visualize the brush behavior.





Example with the brush leavesExample with the brush leaves

The brush is spread on the outlines of the image, and its opacity decreases when it goes beyond the edges of the image.

Let’s review the different functionalities of the Brush tab:

The options PreBehavior, Anim, Post Behavior, Offset and Flip set the animation of a source’s behavior (if that source is already an animation, eg: animated brush.) Those options are explained in the Chapter 17 The effects of the motion and Paint groups > Keyframer.

Size allows you to control the brush size. Jitter size depends on the values of Jitter size random # and will give, randomly, different sizes to the brush.


Example with the brush leaves

Opacity allows you to control the brush opacity. As in the Size, Jitter opacity is linked to Jitter opacity random # and will vary randomly the brush opacity.


Example with the brush leaves

The Angle at which the brush will be spread can be controlled either with the compass, by handling the red spire, either by typing the values in the fields Angle, Rotation, Jitter angle and Jitter angle random #.

Example with the brush leaves
Example with the brush leaves

Jitter angle, which depends on the values in Jitter angle random #, allows you to give, randomly, a different angle to the brush.


Example with the brush leaves

If you check Follow Shape, the spreading angle of the brush will follow the outlines of the image:


Example with the brush leaves

The keyframes located on the right of the options Size, Opacity and Angle allow you to lay FX Stack keyframes on the timeline and animate the effect.

The General tab

The General tab contains additional functionalities to apply on the brush, already configured in the Brush tab.

Opacity Profile: by default, the profile is set to decrease the brush opacity on the edges of the image. It is possible to change this behavior by clicking on the profile to open the profile window, and by handling the curve.

Example with the brush leaves
Example with the brush leaves
Example with the brush leaves

Internal Spreading : this option is by default set at 25 pixels, it controls the scope of spreading inside the image. The higher the value, the deeper the brush will spread in the image. It can also be controlled with the external circle of the HUD activated in the drawing area.


Example with the brush leaves

The Dispersion corresponds to the spacing between each element of the brush. The higher the value, the farther the elements will be from one another:


Example with the brush leaves

Jitter depends on the values in Jitter seed and Order seed, it allows you to vary randomly the spacing between the elements of the brush.


Example with the brush leaves

Direction is the option that controls the spreading direction of the brush on the image. It can be handled either with the red spire of the compass, either by typing the values in the fields Angle, Rotation and Diffusion angle, or by handling the HUD activated in the drawing area.




Example with the brush leaves


Smear source allows you to merge your brush color with the chosen source (the bush). When the value is at 0, the brush keeps its original color, in our case black. The higher the value, the more the brush color will merge with the bush.



Blending mode: this option takes us back to the blending mode menu located in the layers and in the brush tools. It is explained in the Chapter 4 Tradigital Animation: additional functions > Blending Modes concept.



If you check Result only, only the spread brush will be visible. If it is not checked, the image and the brush will be both visible.

At last, you can choose on what type of grid to lay the brush on in Grid Type.

Hexagon grid:


Example with the brush leaves

Square grid:


Example with the brush leaves

The settings of our result: