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The process of creating a morph is not really very complex, either. This documentation contains all the basic information you'll need to create outstanding morphs. However, to get the most from this product, it is worth taking the time to examine a very short description of what we mean by morphing in the technical sense.
Morphing can also be taken generally to mean the generation of a sequence of images using either method (a) or (b) as just discussed, instead of just a single image.
Such a sequence provides a continuous (or as nearly so as possible) change from one image to the other when these images are played back in real time as in a video or a movie. If a sequence of images is desired as morph output, then the user can supply an additional control element: timing. This type of morphing is known as Motion Morphing.
Localized positional changes of the image's surface - often called Topology management. You can think of this in more general terms as physical distortion, or warping. This is key to the morphing and warping processes, because when changing an image to a totally new look, portions of the image must move. Your ability to manage that movement is the key to creating highly effective and believable changes. This type of management is achieved through placing controls on the image, or images, to be morphed or warped.
This is the rate of change of the specific physical distortions, or warps. The ability to cause a particular distortion to occur later, earlier, slower or faster than other portions of a morph is what allows you to subtly call attention to one area of a morph over another. Velocity management is accomplished by selecting controls and then "assigning" them to a Velocity Curve. These curves manage the rate at which the topology of the image is changed along the path defined by the starting and ending controls.
Colorimetry refers to transparency changes between two images (this does not apply to warp morphs). As the positions of features in an image change, so to must the color(s) of the regions that are moving. In every case, the colors change from those of the starting image to those of the ending image. Effective management of this facet of a morph allows you to keep the original colorations for all of or a portion of a morph as long as you feel it is required. You can also force an early change to the colors of the final frame this way. Transparency management is effected by assigning controls to a Transparency Curve. A Transparency Curve affects the rate at which the colors for the area near the selected controls change from the source image to the destination image. Note that an otherwise linear Transparency Curve can apply color changes in a nonlinear fashion if there is a velocity curve which also affects the same region. Velocity affects Transparency; but not the other way around.
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Lines and Curves
Lines and Curves are controls that perform functions similar to combinations of points and links, but they much more easily manage more complex areas. Lines and curves are applied using the tools located in the tool box. These tools allow you to create controls that range from ovals to complex freehand lines. Each control is independent from other controls, and has an element which is placed in both the start and the end image. Lines and curves differ from points in that points must be manipulated to the correct position in one of the images after they have been placed. Lines and curves allow you to draw around the feature in the start image and then draw around the feature in the end image.
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Layers
Layers and layering allow you to separate various objects from the rest of the morph, and morph them independent of objects not in the same layer. For example, the Bounce motion morph project uses two layers.
The first Bounce layer (also known as the Base Layer) contains no controls, and is essentially the background of the motion morph frames.
The second layer contains 1 object (the circle and square outlines), which is placed above the background.
When the morph is generated, the base layer is created first, and then any subsequent layers that have been specified. In this case there is only one other layer, so it is created and placed on top of the base layer.
The overall effect is the ball morphing into the square without ever altering the background information.
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WinImages F/x Manual Version 7, Revision 5, Level B |