Additional Text Tools?

[Rodney Baker]

Can someone point me in the direction of better understanding what option with have with the text tool?

For instance, in the attached I might want to change the font, center the text... and generally refine the originally placed text.

So far this has eluded me.

Thanks in advance.  

[Herbert123]

The built-in text tool is extremely limited: only one type face and type variation is possible per text box. And once you commit, the text is converted to vector in a vector level - meaning it cannot be edited afterwards.

It is possible to change colour style while typing, making it possible to apply additional colours. And after creating a text block, the selection tool may be used to transform one or multiple letters.

But that is as far as the text tool goes in OT. It is quite useless, thus I do not bother with it, and create my text in Photoline or InkScape, and export as a high resolution bitmap. I attempted to use SVG, but OT botches the import (eyes, bowls counters, and loops are filled in, and these must then be corrected manually, which is too much work. Worse, certain curves are flattened, which results in type face distortions). Not worth my time or effort.

I would advise you to work in other applications, keep a live source document around in case you require changes later in the production, and export as high resolution bitmaps. Or at least at the native resolution of your animation.

[Rodney]

Thanks Herbert,

I suspected that.

I've been using the free (but not open source) and very powerful software Fusion from Blackmagic for text because it has a very powerful TextPlus node. 

An added benefit of using Fusion is that it also has 3D text... for those that require such.

Blackmagic just released a version for Linux for those on that platform.  It also comes in Mac and PC flavors.

The Studio release (that adds mostly production managment and collaboration tools runs for $995 per).

Blackmagic also recently updated their Davinci Resolve software for those with a need for greater control of color and it also includes a video editor now.

The video editor will befuddle and confuse most entry level animators but if mastered... some very useful workflow and experience can be gained.

Not to drone on about Fusion but the similarities between Fusions use of nodes and OpenToonz schematic means that once you've learned one you are well on your way to understanding the other.

This knowledge will be especially useful as folks explore FX plugins in OpenToonz.

At any rate, I encourage every animator to have it installed, if for not other reason that for adding some final post processessing and color correction.

For those that don't have access to After Effects but require that level of compositing and fx... go get Fusion.  (LINK)

I was hoping that text might be added in OpenToonz but an not particular surprised that it might not.

It's understandable that text is not a major requirement for the process of animation itself.

I was also wondering if Harlequin (or OpenToonz Premeire) might not have some additional text tools that might be reverted but I will guess not as I've not seen any mentioned.

It's always a good thing (as you suggest) to keep a clean plate/source of the image by itself as that makes adjustments of text trivial.

If someone then requires a correction or a typo is spotted it's not a major headache to make the change.

I'll have to stare at the possibilities a little but for now it looks like I will continue to use Fusion at the final stage to add and/or animate text.

I'll keep looking at the Text Tool itself also because who knows what power might still be hiding just beyond the reach of my understanding.

I've already sen a few ways to use it more wisely than when I first used it.

Thanks again! 

[Greg Smith]

Rodney:

For those wanting "fun text" (text that entertains) - why not produce the text elsewhere, save it as .png (very large size) - and animate the imported .png with Plastic? !!!

If imported as a large sized image - coupling that with a rather high density Plastic Mesh - the detail is fairly well preserved - and, if shrunk down, it becomes very crisp.

Using very few Plastic nodes, things like arcs can be made - and bulges - what fun!

Greg Smith

[TurtleTooth]

Greg- fun idea.

[Rodney]

Agree that would be a fun approach.  :)

The downside is that once rendered/translated from text to image format the text still can't easily be edited without initiating the process all over again.

The upside... keep the source (in Fusion or wherever) and that can quickly be edited and rendered again with OpenToonz just picking up the changed text and running with it.

Of course, some level of care must be taken if using the plastic tool if the mesh area doesn't allow for those changes.

I suspect that we may be missing something with regard to Text Tool capabilities.

I'll stop just short of saying I'm convinced there is more there... oh wait.... I didn't stop... I said it right over there <<<  ;)

*If* text is treated as a vector (or even raster) then it *should* be affected by many of the plugin effects such as distort, warp, etc.

And because OpenToonz has scripting capabibility perhaps the text can be altered./edited script.

I confess that I don't know anything about scripting in OpenToonz.

In case the point is missed the underlying issue is that text cannot easily be edited with the Text Tool because it appears not to be editable text for long but is (too quickly) converted to vector shapes.

[Rodney]

As something of a follow up...

Herbert said:

text is converted to vector in a vector level - meaning it cannot be edited afterwards. 

This is both good and bad.

I might rephrase that to read:

Text is converted to vector in a vector level - meaning it cannot be edited as text afterwards. 

This is what Herbert said but without the words 'as text' included it might lead some to overlook some of the power in OpenToonz Text Tool.

Specifically that the vectors shapes created by the Text Tool are highly editable and animatable.  AFAIK they just can't be edited as if they were text.

Aside:  I don't think OpenToonz can be used to create fonts for use with the Text Tool.  Some other program must be used for that.

I've used various programs including Coredraw and some font utilities to create TrueType fonts. There are a few free and reasonably priced TTF generators out there.

If OpenToonz could create TTF that would be a great round trip from drawing to text.

Although that would be a very niche need.

As an example of the power that might arise from use of the Text Tool consider that a font set (TrueType) could be created that has all the basic shapes required for a character or object.

Those 'states' can then be quickly typed into a scene and detail added as necessary.

A benefit from this might be to aid in inbetweening where the order of vector control points is important.  A series of preestablished fonts can resolve this ordering and therefore produce better inbetweens.

This is a bit like Limited Animation in that preselected shapes from a library are used rather than recreating the shapes.

If one considers a set of TrueType fonts as a library of grouped shapes, that can open the door to rapidly producing backgrounds, crowds, etc. via the act of typing 'text' via Text Tool and a keyboard.

 

[Rodney]

I'm adding this here as it is helping me understand OpenToonz features and how best to approach usage.

In my initial query of this topic I mistakenly referred to the Type Tool as the 'text tool'.

While this might not seem to be much of a difference I'd say it is from several views.

Specifically is that while text is used in the Type Tool it is converted to vector shapes almost immediately and so the name "Type Tool" is definitely more appropriate.  Once we have the 'type' it can be modified and reused but not edited as text.  (As Herbert outlined before)

The Type Tool is an extremely powerful tool so I don't want to suggest otherwise in my search for a tool for editing and updating text for use with OpenToonz.

The bottom line being that most animated content doesn't rely on text as is the case with comic books, comic strips and web graphics.

 

Short of a feature being added to OpenToonz that would more closely deal with the requirments of editable text I'm looking at several alternatives, the first being inside OpenToonz itself but most being that of using an external program to add the textual elements as a post production process.  The first two areas of interest I should explore first but I'm not sure I have the knowledge or funds to do so at this moment.

1) Scripting

I must assume the Type Tool can be used with scripting and as such could prove useful in adding editable text.

2) Toonz Story Planner (a Digital Video product)

Because I have not used it before it is not clear to me how fully integrated the Story Planner software is with Toonz Harlequin (Now Toonz Premium) and OpenToonz.

If text from storyboarding can be propogated into OpenToonz then use of Story Planner may be worth exploring for that purpose.  As a part of my interest in the use of text is to rapidly layout a production the use of Story Planner is certainly a useful product.  I'm just not sure at this point how useful it might be with regard to workflow with editable text that might survive from the earliest stage of pre-production until the release if the final product.

Other approaches that rely on external programs are already proven to work but are hit and miss with respect to a full solution.

I mentioned before the use of Blackmagic Fusion and that is the most likely solution for me at this point.  This is especially true as Fusion is a powerful program I think everyone should have readily available.

I did run an interesting experiment with the freeware program Irfanview where I used it's text overlay capability to create a fairly editable image overlay for use with Opentoonz.  

And of course there are almost as many external programs that can be shoe-horned in to the process but exploring all of them runs a bit too far afield for current purposes.

So, as I'd like to keep the workflow in OpenToonz as much as possible, scripting as it relates to the Text Tool is definitely something I need to explore.

[Rodney]

I'm closing this issue because the original request has largely been fulfilled.

After reviewing current capabilities if I'll readdress needs (if any).

There are also some useful text/type tools that should be promoted. 

Thanks for the Improvements to the Type Tool and the Addition of Concept Board!