Layers
Contents
Introduction
Synfig, like most every other competent graphics program, breaks down individual elements of a Canvas into Layers. However, it differs from other programs in two major ways:
- An individual layer in Synfig usually represents a single "Primitive". ie. a single region, an outline of a region, an imported JPEG, etc... This allows you to have a great deal of flexibility and control. It is not uncommon for a composition to have hundreds of layers (organized into a hierarchy for artist sanity of course).
- A layer can not only composite information on top of the image below it, but also distort and/or modify it in some other way. In this sense, Synfig Layers act much like filters do in Adobe Photoshop or The GIMP. For example, we have a Blur Layer, Radial Blur Layer, Spherical Distortion Layer, color-correct layer, bevel layer, etc...
Each layer has a set of parameters which determine how it behaves. When you click on a layer (either in the canvas window, or in the Layers Panel), you will see its parameters in the Params Panel.
The following layer types are available in synfig:
Blurs
Blur
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Size | Size of Blur |
Type | Type of blur to use |
Example: ( youtube corresponding sif file )
Motion Blur
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Aperture | Shutter Time |
Radial Blur
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Origin | Point where you want the origin to be |
Size | Size of blur |
Fade Out |
Example: ( youtube corresponding sif file )
Distortions
Inside Out
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Origin | Defines the where the center will be |
Noise Distort
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Displacement | How much the distortion is displaced form its original position. |
Size | How much separated are two consecutive distortions . |
Random Seed | Defines the random generator number seed. |
Interpolation | What type of interpolation to use |
Detail | Lower/higher values produces less/more detailed distortions. |
Animation Speed | In times per second, defines the frequency of change of the distortion. |
Turbulent | When checked it produces turbulent distortions. |
Example: ( youtube corresponding sif file )
Spherize
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Position | The center (or axis) of the distortion. |
Radius | Defines the radious of the distortion (spherize) or a half of the bar (vertical or horizontal bar) |
Amount | Defines how much convex (positive) or concave (negative) the distortion is |
Clip | When checked it only distorts inside the Radious area. |
Distort Type | The direction of the distortion (spherize, horizontal bar, vertical bar). |
Example: ( youtube corresponding sif file )
Stretch
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Amount | Its distance to Center defines how much the image is stretched or is shrunk |
Center | The position from where the distortion is made. |
Example: ( youtube corresponding sif file )
Twirl
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Center | The position of the twirl distortion. |
Radius | This is the radius of the circle of the twirl distortion |
Rotations | Defines how many rotations (in DEG) the twirl produces. |
Distort Inside | Defines if the distortion is produced inside the radious area. |
Distort Outside | Defines if the distortion is produced outside the radious area. |
Example: ( youtube corresponding sif file )
Warp
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Source TL | Top Left point of the source to warp. |
Source BR | Bottom Right point of the source to warp. |
Dest TL | Top Left point of the destination where to warp. |
Dest TR | Top Right point of the destination where to warp. |
Dest BR | Bottom Right point of the destination where to warp. |
Dest BL | Bottom Left point of the destination where to warp. |
Clip | When checked it only renders what is inside the source rectangle. |
Horizon | A number to define when to stop rendering when do a perspective warp. High values produces far horizons. |
Example: ( youtube corresponding sif file )
Filters
Clamp
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Invert Negative | |
Clamp Ceiling | |
Ceiling | |
Floor |
Color Correct
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Hue Adjust | |
Brightness | |
Contrast | |
Exposure Adjust | |
Gamma Adjustment |
Halftone 2
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Mask Offset | |
Mask Angle | |
Mask Size | |
Light Color | |
Dark Color | |
Type |
Halftone 3
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Mask Size | |
Type | |
Subtractive Flag | |
<Channel Name>Color | |
<Channel Name>Mask Offset | |
<Channel Name>Mask Angle |
Luma Key
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color | Color of checkers |
Offset | |
Size | Size of checkers |
Fractals
Julia Set
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Inside Color | Color of the Set |
Outside Color | Color outside the Set |
Color Shift | |
Iterations | |
Seed Point | |
Bailout ValueBase | |
Distort Inside | |
Shade Inside | |
Solid Inside | |
Invert Inside | |
Color Inside | |
Distort Outside | |
Shade Outside | |
Solid Outside | |
Invert Outside | |
Color Outside | |
Color Cycle | |
Smooth Outside | Smooth the coloration outside the set |
Break Set | Modify equation to achieve interesting results |
Mandelbrot Set
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Iterations | |
Bailout ValueBase | |
Break Set | Modify equation to achieve interesting results |
Distort Inside | |
Shade Inside | |
Solid Inside | |
Invert Inside | |
Gradient Inside | |
Offset Inside | |
Loop Inside | |
Distort Outside | |
Shade Outside | |
Solid Outside | |
Invert Outside | |
Gradient outside | |
Smooth Outside | Smooth the coloration outside the set |
Offset Outside | |
Scale Outside |
Geometry
Checkerboard
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color | Color of checkers. |
Offset | Displacement of the checkboard origin. |
Size | Size of checkers. |
Circle
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color | Circle's color. |
Radius | Circle's radious. |
Feather | Circle feather amount. |
Center | Circle's center. |
Invert | Invert the circle |
Falloff | Determines the falloff function for the feather |
Outline
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color | Outline's color. |
Offset | Displacement of the Outline from the (0,0). |
Invert | When checked it inverts alpha results of the layer. |
Antialiasing | When checked it produces antialiased renders for the layer. |
Feather | Outline feather amount. |
Type of Feather | Defines the type of feather. |
Winding Style. | Defines overlapping behavior. |
Vertices | A list of BLine Points |
Outline Width | Default widths of the points. |
Expand | Defines a value to add to the Outline width. |
Sharp Cusps | When chekced it produces sharp corners. |
Rounded Begin | Round off the begin tip |
Rounded End | Round off the end tip |
Loopyness | |
Homogeneous |
Polygon
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Vector List |
Rectangle
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color | |
Point 1 | |
Point 2 | |
Expand amount | |
Invert the rectangle |
Region
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Vertices |
Solid Color
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color |
Star
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Outer Radius | The radius of the outer points in the star |
Inner Radius | The radius of the inner points in the star |
Angle | The orientation of the star |
Points | The number of points in the star |
Gradients
Conical Gradient
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Gradient | |
Center | |
Angle | |
Symmetric |
Curve Gradient
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Offset | |
Width | |
Vertices | A list of BLine Points |
Gradient | |
Loop | |
ZigZag | |
Perpendicular | |
Fast |
Linear Gradient
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Point 1 | |
Point 2 | |
Gradient | |
Loop | |
ZigZag |
Noise Gradient
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Gradient | |
Random Seed | |
Size | |
Interpolation | What type of interpolation to use |
Detail | |
Animation Speed | |
Turbulent | |
Do Alpha | |
Super Sampling |
Radial Gradient
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Gradient | |
Center | |
Radius | This is the radius of the circle |
Loop | |
Zig-Zag |
Spiral Gradient
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Gradient | |
Center | |
Radius | This is the radius of the circle |
Angle | |
Clockwise |
Other
Duplicate
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Index | Copy Index |
Import Image
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Filename | File to import |
Time Offset |
Paste Canvas
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Origin | Point where you want the origin to be |
Canvas | Canvas to paste |
Zoom | Size of canvas |
Time Offset | |
Children Lock |
Plant
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Vertices | A list of BLine Points |
Gradient | Gradient to be used for coloring the plant |
Split Angle | Angle by which each split deviates from its parent |
Gravity | Direction in which the shoots tend to face |
Tangential Velocity | Amount to which shoots tend to grow along the tangent to the BLine |
Perpendicular Velocity | Amount to which shoots tend to grow perpendicular to the tangent to the BLine |
Stem Size | Size of the stem |
SizeAsAlpha | If enabled, the alpha channel from the gradient is multiplied by the stem size, and an alpha of 1.0 is used when rendering |
Step | Measure of the distance between points when rendering |
Seed | Used to seed the pseudo-random number generator |
Splits | Maximum number of times that each sprout can sprout recursively |
Sprouts | Number of places that growth occurs on each bline section |
Random Factor | Used to scale down all random effects. Set to zero to disable randomness |
Drag | Drag slows the growth |
Super Sample
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Width | Width of sample area (In pixels) |
Height | Height of sample area (In pixels) |
Use Parametric | Use the Parametric Renderer |
Be Alpha Safe |
Text
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Text | Text to Render |
Color | Color of the text |
Font Family | |
Style | |
Weight | |
Horizontal Spacing | Describes how close glyphs are horizontally |
Vertical Spacing | Describes how close lines of text are vertically |
Size | Size of the text |
Orientation | Text Orientation |
Position | Text Position |
Kerning | Enables/Disables font kerning (If the font supports it) |
Sharpen Edges | Turn this off if you are going to be animating the text |
Invert |
Fonts that appear to work under Linux - Courier, Times, Serif, Verdana, Sans Serif.
Fonts that appear to work under Windows - Arial, Times New Roman/Serif, Verdana/Sans Serif. Courier produces an interesting, but non-legible effect.
Sans Serif appears to be the default if Synfig doesn't recognize the font.
Time Loop
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Start Time | |
End Time |
XOR Pattern
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Offset | |
Size |
Stylize
Bevel
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Type | Type of blur to use |
Hi-Color | |
Lo-Color | |
Light Angle | |
Depth of Bevel | |
Softness | |
Use Luma | |
Solid |
Shade
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color | |
Offset | |
Size | Size of Shade |
Type | Type of blur to use |
Invert |
Transform
Rotate
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Origin | Point where you want the origin to be |
Amount | Amount of rotation |
Translate
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Origin | Point where you want the origin to be |
Zoom
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Amount | Amount to zoom in |
Center | Point to zoom in to |
Not Available
These layers are examples to aid developers in creating more layer types, but aren't included in binary releases of Synfig.
Shape
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color | Layer_Shape Color |
Offset | |
Invert | |
Antialiasing | |
Feather | |
Type of Feather | Type of feathering to use |
Winding Style | Winding style to use |
Metaballs
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color | |
Points | |
Radii | |
Weights | |
Threshold |
Simple Circle
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color | |
Center | |
Radius | This is the radius of the circle |
Filled Rectangle
Parameters:
Parameter | Description |
---|---|
Color | |
Point 1 | |
Point 2 | |
Feather X | |
Feather Y | |
Bevel | |
Keep Bevel Circular |