TVPaint
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TVPaint (also known as TVP) is a 2D, bitmap-based digital animation software package, developed and distributed by TVPaint Developpement(France).
The TVPaint technology is being distributed under various names such as Newtek Aura and Bauhaus Mirage, although at present, TVPaint Developpement has begun marketing TVPaint under its own name.
It has been developed for the Amiga platform and then ported to the IBM PC compatible and Apple Macintosh platforms and is currently in the beta stages of production.
The latest Amiga version available is 3.59 and is distributed publicly, but the source code is still proprietary.
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[edit] Features:
TVPaint is bitmap-based, which is contrary to vector-based animation programs such as Macromedia Flash and US Animation Toonboom. The workflow differences between a bitmap-based and vector-based animation package have their advantages and disadvantages. While vector art excels as a medium for cutout animation and is resolution-independent it difficult to reproduce the highly detailed spatter or grain patterns commonly found in traditional media. Bitmaps can represent natural art media more readily, although they are not resolution-independent, as aliasing or blurring artifacts become an issue when resizing a bitmap to a resolution greater than 100% of the total. High resolution projects are also memory intensive, presenting storage issues that are multiplied over each frame.
TVPaint manages large amounts of bitmap-based footage using a proxy playback system and scratch disks. It supports several different image formats such as JPG, TGA, FLI, Quicktime, AVI, BMP, PCX, PNG, TIFF, PSD, GIF, and DEEP (TVPaint's proprietary sequence format). Projects are saved in self-contained .TVP files.
[edit] Workflow:
An animation software package presents the user with various tools to edit multiple (bitmap/vector) frames simultaneously (in the case of applying effects or for cutting/X-Sheet purposes) or in rapid succession. TVPaint includes functions to allow the user to 'flip' a segment of the animation while working on individual frames to help the user feel the movement of the animation. There is also a function called a 'Light Table' which allows a user to see superimposed frames before and after the current frame. This function also goes under the name of "onion skinning" or "tracing paper" and is not unlike using tracing paper for an animation in real life.
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[edit] Interface:
TVPaint's GUI has been programmed from scratch, eschewing the use of standard the GUI libraries provided by the OS. Cosmetically, the rebuilt interface looks somewhat different, but retains much of the functionality of its OS-based GUI counterparts.
Most features accessible through the GUI can be assigned to hotkeys, and combinations of features can be assigned to a single hotkey, resulting in a short macro. GRG scripts can also be assigned to buttons in TVPaint's toolbars, as well as practically any function available in the interface. The result is an interface that can be automated to handle many of the repetitive tasks that face an animator. The George scripting language (also known as Element, for Mirage users), can also be used to create new macros and tools.
The plugin API(Application programming interface) allows third-party C/C++ developers to create image filters, colour palettes, or tools that do not fit into any category.
[edit] History
2006 September 19: TVP Animation 1.1
2006 : TVPaint Animation -- TVPaint Developpement begins distributing their products under their own name. TVPaint Animation is dedicated to graphic creation and 2D animation. It is 100% compatible with MacIntel computers. New Effects : Multiplane camera, Rotating project, Toon Shadding, Add Border, Scan Cleaner, Lens Flare.
2005 : CBPaint -- Filter pack, object tracer and Deluxe 3D titler addons developed by TVPaint Developpement and distributed by Macro System
2005 : Mirage 1.5(TVPaint 7.5) -- German and Spanish support, more effects including Color Replacer and customizable toolbar interface. Scanners with paper feeders supported.
2004 : CBPaint -- Addon for the Casablanca video system, developed by TVPaint Developpement and distributed by Macro System. CBPaint is TVPaint 7.0 technology for Casablanca.
2004 : Mirage 1.2(TVPaint 7.2) -- Rototracker, improved particle engine, ease curves, MP3 support, new AVI engine (support for 4GB+ files), frame buffer for Bluefish and DPS cards and international language support (French)
2003 : Mirage 1.0(TVPaint 7.0) -- Bauhaus software begins distributing Mirage in the US for the PC/OSX. FX Stack, volumetric lights, and light table added.
2003 : Aura 2.5b(TVPaint 6.5b) -- LW unwrap mesh function for drawing textures in a project
2002 : Aura DV Clay -- Improved Aura 1.0 version targeted towards the Japanese claymation industry. Aura2VT(TVPaint v6.0) -- Second version for Video Toaster
2001 : Aura 2.5(TVPaint 6.5) -- Proxy player, MMX support, live video stream background for telestration
2000 : Aura 2.0(TVPaint 6.0) -- Support for sound tracks, 16-bit drawing masks, selection tools and pixel tracker added (PC/DECAlpha)
1999 : Aura VT 1.0(TVPaint 5.0) -- TVPaint/Aura ported to the Video Toaster
1998 : Aura 1.0 (TVPaint 5.0) -- TVPaint marketed by Newtek under the name of Aura for PC/DECAlpha systems
1997 : TVPaint 4.0 -- Layers became animatable. Projects were also given the ability to support an unlimited number of layers.
1995 : TVPaint 3.6 -- Ported to the SGI and DECAlpha systems, while still being available for the PC and the Amiga. An API was created to allow third-party developers to create plugins.
Trivia: Interestingly enough, a screenshot of the TVPaint 3.6 About Box shows TVPaint's original name: "Tecsoft Video Paint"
1994 : TVPaint 3.0 -- This release was the first to arrive for the PC, though the Amiga continued to be supported. ARexx scripting was supplanted by George scripting. Also, TVPaint Junior, a light version of TVPaint, was being bundled with the VillageTronic Picasso, EGS video card.
1993 : TVPaint 2.0 -- First appearance of a multi-window GUI, Propelling Pencil & Chalk added
1992 : TVPaint 1.4 -- ARexx scripting language was integrated for automation of repetitive tasks
1991 : TVPaint 1.0 -- TVPaint's first incarnation was a 32-bit painting software on the Amiga called TVPaint, programmed by a student of the Metz Academie of Arts.
[edit] Awards:
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[edit] External links
[edit] TVPaint user community
Please add links to other TVPaint-related material here.
