Doc:Adding Layers

Working with Layers

Usual note to the reader: This is not yet finished; please be patient.

In the previous tutorial, you made a first simple animation by changing the attributes of primitive objects such as its position, color, and size. These simple types, however, are seldomly sufficient to create advanced characters and objects. To do so, Synfig uses Layers. They are similar to layers known from other drawing application such as the GIMP, for instance.

However, Synfig is different to simple layers in at least two respects:

1. You can organize layers into hierachical groups.
2. You can use upper layers to change the behaviour (or look) or underlying layers.

Doing so is quite easy. Let's look at a simple example.

1. Create a new file with 0 duration. There's no need to bother with a timeline at this point.
2. Create a simple rectangle.

Now there are two ways to proceed. In the first way, pick the Gradient Tool from the Synfig main window, and click into the canvas once. You should note that another layer was added in your Layer tab called 'Gradient'. This is nothing special. If you see no gradient but just a plain color, pick the Normal tool, click into the canvas to acivate the gradient's ducks. You need to grab the one you see and move it a bit until a gradient appears.

You now have a gradient but it is not what you wanted: It spreads the whole canvas and the goal was to have a gradient on the rectangle. Let's fix this now.

Select the gradient and the rectangle layer in your Layer tab. They should appear with a blue background now. Then, context-click (ie. right-click on Windows and Linux) and select 'Encapsulate' from the menu. The view of your layer tab should change now, showing a small box called 'Inline canvas' with an arrow in front. If you click the arrow, it will unfold and show your previous two layers; the gradient and the rectangle.

However, there is still a problem: The gradient still covers the whole canvas althought we wanted it to be restricted on the rectangle. To do so, activate the gradient layer in the Layer tab. Now activate the Params tab in the Parameter Window, and search the attribute called 'Blend method'. Double-click the entry and select 'Unto' from the appearing drop-down menu.

The gradient should now be restricted to the rectangle. Congratulations! You just made your first interacting layers with Synfig.

Digging further...

If you care to look into Synfig's main menu 'Layer > New Layer' you will note quite a lot of different possibilities for making layers. Several of them sound rather unusual; 'Transform > Rotade' for example. You can use this to add new attributes to your objects. And just like other, basic attributes in the previous animation tutorial, you can change them to be different in certain keyframes. And of course, Synfig aill take of the steps in between.

For example, you could create a star from the layers menu, add a 'Rotate' layer. Combine this with the leeson learn in the last tutorial and you can create a rotating star. Change its color, too, and you'll get a quite impressive effect for 2 minutes of work.