[Bf-funboard] Node compositing design idea

Antoine Baumann antoinebaumann at gmail.com
Thu Nov 22 10:25:14 CET 2007


Hi,

This is my first mail in this list. I apologize for my English, I'm still
learning.

First I would like to say that most of the below design ideas comes from
using apple shake.

What's most important to my eyes is that the nodes shouldn't be all compute
when doing modification or adding new one. It should only compute the nodes
needed to show the active viewer, and not the others and not the composite
node. If no viewer is active, then no compute should happen. This is one of
the big advantage of node compositing, as even in a big "compositing tree"
composition, you can work in a small corner and make a small tree without
having to wait that the whole big tree compute.

A second big important thing is dual buffer in the viewer. At the moment
there's a node called split viewer, but (at least that's what I've
experimented playing with it in blender 2.45) is not exactly what's needed.
Every viewer should in fact be a sort of split viewer, but even more have a
dual buffer, I mean you should be able to input two sources (as the actual
split viewer node), but should be able to swith between the two by pressing
a short key like the 1 key.
Then you should also be able to slide vertically and horizontally to switch
between the two images. This is the best ways to compare the two images.
Even more, why not have every node with viewer capability, I mean why is
there a viewer node, you could view the result of the composite by pressing
on the nodes, whatever node it is. Of course the dual buffer view concept
stays.

Also very important, each node should have a "matte input". Right now there
is a "factor" input, but I've experimented unexpected behaviour using it. It
seems to work well with alpha, not with z depth value. And actually it is
not exactly what a "matte input" is. Which is in fact a "inside" node,
meaning the node with a "matte input" will only affect inside the matte,
whatever it is (alpha, z channel, a shape,...). Then you could play with the
factor if you need. This is a very powerful way of composite images.

About adding some nodes, I would say that a rotoshape is a very important
tool to have. In compositing it is one of, if not the, most used node. It
enable very precise rotoscoping (when for example adding some video/film,
not shot against green/blue screen, images in the compositing) and quick
shape to create quick matte that can isolate part of the image. It should be
b-spline so you can adjust very precise shape. Of course each point of these
shapes should be keyframable.

That comes to that all the parameters of the nodes should be all keyframable
and not only with numbers but also with scripting. This is also a very
powerful way for compositing. Also every parameters should have a name, like
"brightness; bright/contrast node 1". And then you could enter this name in
an other node's parameter and it will have the same value, you could also
add some math to it, like "brightness; bright/contrast node 1 x 3 x rdm".
rdm stand for random.

I cannot managed to change the resolution of the "RGB" node, and cannot add
an image on it with the "apha over" node, which is actually quite useful.

About navigation, it is very handy that when you draw the noodle from one
node to an other, the screen follows, I mean right now the two nodes have to
be close to each other to be able to link them, which is not good when the
tree is big.
Also, right now you cannot zoom in or zoom out a lot in the node editor,
compare to the 3D view.


Well I hope you've understood my comments, and that it will give some ideas
for further enhancement.

I really like the blender node editor, but it is sometimes quite time
consuming, and I've "only" play with it using 1280x720 resolution, EXR
(32bit) images, so when I hear that the "Peach" project is going to do 4K
resolution, I think efficiency must be enhance.

big thanks to the whole blender community,
antoine.

-- 
Antoine Baumann
http://image.studioa1.org
http://redone.studioa1.org
+41 77 403 48 78
+41 21 647 68 30
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