Hello,

I have been playing a bit with Inkscape imports to Anime studio. I have added a comparison of an Axe model below. The Axe was drawn in Inkscape and imported directly as SVG into Anime Studio.

(Inkscape: Left Anime Studio: Right)

The purpose of the trial was that I have Inkscape on my flash drive so I can run off any computer at any time to work on vector models (i.e. in my lunch break at work). I found working with portable Inkscape a good way to get stuff done.

Obviously the Inkscape Axe looks a bit sharper as I think the resolution is a bit higher on the raster image. I also haven't exactly matched the colour schemes as it was just a quick test. As an experiment it works well. After importation there were a fair number of points that required altering and tweaking but it is miles better than raster to vector.

For my purposes I think only low fidelity objects are practical for importation but let me know if you have had better luck or if I'm going about this all wrong. If anyone has heard if Anime Studio is portable let me know as it would be a big help and would avoid the whole importation process entirely!!

If anyone wants the files for the Axe I can post up SVG and Anime file to my blog (link below) if you let me know.

http://biggyrichanimestudio.blogspot.com/

Thanks

I'm not clear what you are comparing. You said you imported the axe drawing, as Inkscape SVG into Anime Studio. After looking up AS website, it says that it's vector capable. It's not immediately clear to me, whether it's all vector or mostly raster, with a few vector tools/features (like GIMP).

After you imported the SVG from Inkscape, into AS, what did you do? You said you did some tweaking of points (nodes?), so you must have been using some vector feature of AS. So the image must still be vector, at this point. And then, how did you save? Does AS offer saving in vector formats?

You said you think something is better than raster to vector, but if the image started out as Inkscape SVG, it was already vector when you started. There was no raster to start with.

So what are you comparing?

(If AS has a portable version, their website probably has that info. Fortunately I just looked up their website http://my.smithmicro.com/anime-studio-2 ... tware.html.)

Hiya Rich,
I don't know what the final image format will be, but the process looks good so far.

Very nice to see portable Inkscape meeting the task. I presume you will rough-out designs in Inkscape and do the finishing work in AS?

^ I`d recommend that approach, instead of the detailed and colored with gradients.

In AS nodes have just two options - sharp or rounded, while when rounded, by default, they are with symmetrical handles. That makes import of svg or any other vector file equally "limited", cluttered with additional nodes and additional adjustments are almost always required. Some guys are saying that AS hurts less when you get used to it`s drawing tools but... less than what?

p.s.
To me, axe looks better in AS than in Inkscape, which I find very nice.

The purpose of this was that I wanted to see how well Anime studio imported of SVG specifically created in Inkscape. The Comparison is the raster images from Inkscape and AS (after the SVG created in Inkscape has been imported and rasterized).

Anime studio is Vector based animation software which can import SVG vector files. I created the Vector in Inkscape (as Inkscape is portable which AS is not). The reason I mentioned use of raster images is because you can also import PNG's etc into Anime studio for use in animations but they are only useful in certain situations (i.e. backgrounds, background elements, particles etc) and produce certain limitations on what can be achieved (such as resolution when zooming).

Once imported you can further manipulate the nodes (points) within AS. After importation AS adds multiple points and some of the angles are affected. In addition there was loss of colour where gradients had been used. This is the tweaking that was required (deleting some of the excess of points and manipulating the angles).

To my knowledge AS does not offer saving in SVG format (which is an annoyance) however I find creating graphics in Inkscape easier anyway.

The idea of roughing out in Inkscape is exactly it its such a great tool.

I presume you have capslock available as well, right? Till you deploy it, shed some light on the subject
...while I can`t neither presume nor understand why would you rasterize imported vector image in a vector based software?
* except if that was you over there ,)

Sorry put in bold because initial post I gave was a bit vague on the whats and whys. PNG's in AS are handy because you can rig then to the bone system straight off the bat for quick animating. The problem with importing SVG is the weird deformities you sometimes get which means rework before rigging. I think if I do a bunch of screen grabs it'll be easier to show what I mean. Found some handy tips on what has worked well for me so hopefully will have time to post that up soon.

Nice post BTW

Thanks and bring it on. Another point of view is always welcome.

Would you work with images or vectors in AS? Inkscape has a perfectly suitable export for png`s so why bother with imported svg`s? Life can be more difficult, that`s for sure. For an example, imported vectors with gradients... boy oh boy... give it a go and brace yourself, but please bare in mind - radial gradients are only for The Fearless Consumers of The Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster ,) If you plan to use vectors, it might be better to either keep drafts simple and reduced or to rely on tracing of scans, which could work very nice in AS if carefully prepared.

I think using Inkscape balanced curves and sharp corners import OK but your right gradients or unbalanced curves are definitely a no go. I came to that conclusion too I really wanted the capability for importing detailed vectors for rigging in AS but its not as viable as I'd hoped. for simpler models (static objects where bone rigging is not required for example) its not to bad. The benefit of using and imported vector as opposed to an imported raster is the resolution when animating scenes and I guess memory used in production.

Cost/Benefit
High res PNG large file can be zoomed in on (but still limited)
Lower res PNG less memory but lower capability with zooming
SVG import less memory, fine with zooming (as drawn during render) but may require rework in AS.

Hi i join the forum recently i have both anime studio and inkscape and i want to combine them both however when import my vector drawings into anime studio as svg it imports the drawings but it imports it as a single layer which i dont seem to be able to understand because i did my drawings in multiple layers in inkscape before exporting it as a SVG into anime studio anybody my have an idea of what might be causing this

AFAIK, layers in Inkscape are in fact groups and not layers as in AI or PS. So, when imported, layered svg is treated in AS as groped instead.

(the reason being that the SVG file format does not support the idea of layers)

so isnt there a way i can exports the layer from inkscape to anime studio pro ?

Not as long as Anime Studio Pro can't translate the custom Inkscape (group) layers into its own way of defining layers, no.