Best way to integrate art department into pipeline?

77 views
Skip to first unread message

Panupat Chongstitwattana

unread,
Oct 16, 2013, 10:46:53 PM10/16/13
to python_in...@googlegroups.com
Hi everyone. I need some advice and would appreciate any suggestion.

On the 3D side, since Maya/Nuke can run Python, I don't have much problem having Python took care of most stuff from file location, version tracking to naming convention.

But how would I go about enforcing similar system to the art department using Photoshop/Sai/Painter and various other apps? How is it usually done in production pipeline?

Sascha Kremers

unread,
Oct 17, 2013, 12:33:59 PM10/17/13
to python_in...@googlegroups.com
This is always a tough one trying to integrate the art people, and forcing them use different open and release functions, not just technically ;)

You could look at the blur studio tools they have an photoshop integration as well if i remember correct. 

How we did it once, was to send commands through a com interface to photoshop. 

Here is a blog entry of someone doing it:

Hope it helps you as a start :)

-- 
Sascha Kremers
Gesendet mit Sparrow

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Python Programming for Autodesk Maya" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to python_inside_m...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/python_inside_maya/7978b20e-64ca-4200-ab10-e93e0ded2916%40googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.

ctjanney

unread,
Oct 17, 2013, 9:37:29 PM10/17/13
to python_in...@googlegroups.com
Just give  up now while you still have some hair.

Just kidding....sort of...

photoshop has methods you can hook into using javascript


I'm not sure about Sai or Painter.  I do know that we have tried to get our design group on board a few times, but it's a different mind set.

Good luck.

-ctj

John Patrick

unread,
Oct 18, 2013, 11:56:47 AM10/18/13
to python_in...@googlegroups.com
You could also just provide command-line/gui tools that run standalone from your creation applications.  The artist works in their own workspace, and when they are ready to publish textures or designs or whatever, they run the tools from the command line to 'publish' textures to areas where other downstream departments can consume them.  The tools can then do things like checking resolutions, colorspace, naming conventions, creating new representations/thumbnails/resolutions, etc.  And they are application-agnostic, so you don't have to write a bunch of app-specific code and keep it updated.

-JP




--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Python Programming for Autodesk Maya" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to python_inside_m...@googlegroups.com.

For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.

Marcus Ottosson

unread,
Oct 18, 2013, 12:35:30 PM10/18/13
to python_in...@googlegroups.com
The above answer is what I would suggest.

However you could take it one step further and design pipeline tools with gui's completely outside of Photoshop or any other app you might use and have artists publish, review etc using those tools. If you rely too heavily on either applications integration with either language, you're bound to hit barriers eventually and Python and Qt are fully capable of being run outside of its host application.


Justin Israel

unread,
Oct 18, 2013, 3:10:49 PM10/18/13
to python_in...@googlegroups.com

My +1 for the previous two comments. Not only is it far easier to maintain standalone command line and GUI tools for the pipeline processes but makes them extensible for multi pipeline purposes that aren't bound to the applications. Like one single place for the art department to publish all of their asset types, with consistency.

Panupat Chongstitwattana

unread,
Oct 20, 2013, 5:18:47 AM10/20/13
to python_in...@googlegroups.com
Thanks everyone.
My own idea and suggestions from other group are all along a similar path.
Kind of funny when you think about it.

My IT colleague told me that I should work on my own idea and not ask the art department while still WIP, or else I'd lose all my hair.




On Saturday, October 19, 2013 2:10:49 AM UTC+7, Justin Israel wrote:

My +1 for the previous two comments. Not only is it far easier to maintain standalone command line and GUI tools for the pipeline processes but makes them extensible for multi pipeline purposes that aren't bound to the applications. Like one single place for the art department to publish all of their asset types, with consistency.

On Oct 19, 2013 5:35 AM, "Marcus Ottosson" <konstr...@gmail.com> wrote:
The above answer is what I would suggest.

However you could take it one step further and design pipeline tools with gui's completely outside of Photoshop or any other app you might use and have artists publish, review etc using those tools. If you rely too heavily on either applications integration with either language, you're bound to hit barriers eventually and Python and Qt are fully capable of being run outside of its host application.
On 18 October 2013 16:56, John Patrick <jspa...@gmail.com> wrote:
You could also just provide command-line/gui tools that run standalone from your creation applications.  The artist works in their own workspace, and when they are ready to publish textures or designs or whatever, they run the tools from the command line to 'publish' textures to areas where other downstream departments can consume them.  The tools can then do things like checking resolutions, colorspace, naming conventions, creating new representations/thumbnails/resolutions, etc.  And they are application-agnostic, so you don't have to write a bunch of app-specific code and keep it updated.

-JP


On Thu, Oct 17, 2013 at 6:37 PM, ctjanney <ctja...@gmail.com> wrote:
Just give  up now while you still have some hair.

Just kidding....sort of...

photoshop has methods you can hook into using javascript


I'm not sure about Sai or Painter.  I do know that we have tried to get our design group on board a few times, but it's a different mind set.

Good luck.

-ctj


On Wednesday, October 16, 2013 7:46:53 PM UTC-7, Panupat Chongstitwattana wrote:
Hi everyone. I need some advice and would appreciate any suggestion.

On the 3D side, since Maya/Nuke can run Python, I don't have much problem having Python took care of most stuff from file location, version tracking to naming convention.

But how would I go about enforcing similar system to the art department using Photoshop/Sai/Painter and various other apps? How is it usually done in production pipeline?

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Python Programming for Autodesk Maya" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to python_inside_maya+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Python Programming for Autodesk Maya" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to python_inside_maya+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Python Programming for Autodesk Maya" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to python_inside_maya+unsub...@googlegroups.com.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages