Basics of 2D Compositing
A comprehensive guide to 2D compositing with Smode
Create a new
Compo
A
Compo
is a collection of
2D Layer
and/or
3D Layer
that can be composited together.
To start creating content, you can create a new Standalone Compo (an independent
Compo
that is not part of a full project) using the File menu:
Or use the button on the Homepage :
Learn more about how to create a Compo by reading: Create Compositions .
Identify the main User Interface components
Before diving into content creation, familiarize yourself with Smode’s interface by reading: Discover the user Interface .
Add
Media Directories
Media Directories
are shortcuts to local hard drive locations.
It is the way to access all your external files in a Smode project, like
Image Layer
,
Video File
,
3D File
objects, Smode
Compo
etc.
Refer to the
Media Directories
topic to learn how to manage external media.
Import images
To import external files like an
Image Layer
, simply drag and drop it
from the
Media Directories
into the
Element Tree
.
Understand the order of Layers in Smode
In Smode, each layer becomes an instruction to give to the graphics card. So starting from the top, of the
Element Tree
, the first layer will be the first instruction given to the graphics card and will therefore be displayed in the background.
Then the instruction to draw the second layer will be sent to the graphics card and will therefore be displayed on top of the previous one, and so on.
Transcode video files
Get the most out of Smode by using supported video container MOV and video codecs Hap / Hap Alpha / Hap-R. If you have other types of video files, use Smode’s built-in transcoder. Check out the Transcode a Video File topic for a quick guide.
Play a video file
Smode’s animation engine lets you animate elements without having to use timelines or animation keys.
This kind of animation is called a
Transport
, an independent Player that is not tied to a
Timeline
.
Refer to the
Transport
topic for more details.
Add some text
Use a
Text Generator
to add text to your Content. You can choose what to write and change the aesthetic of the text (font, size etc).
For more information, see the
Text Generator
topic.
Create some
2D Layer
To create a new
2D Layer
, right-click in the
Element Tree
and select the layer you want to create:
Learn more about how to create a layer by reading: Create Layers .
Every
2D Layer
is composed of a
2D Generator
defining what to draw, and a
2D Renderer
defining how tho draw it.
Explore the documentation for various
2D Generator
and
2D Renderer
to understand their parameters and achieve your desired visual effects.
Create some
Shape layer
In a Smode
Compo
, you can create a type of layer called a
Shape layer
to draw shapes based on bezier points.
Make sure to read the Using Shapes topic to learn more about it.
Import a SVG file
It is possible to import a SVG file by dragging and dropping it into a Compo.
While SVG files are usually used because they can be resized without losing quality, Smode is not vector-based, so if you zoom in, you can see the pixels.
You can import a svg file as a shape, all at once, or import all the different layers of the svg in order to edit them separately.
