Hi everyone,

Newbie here still learning CTA , I am struggling to create a character from a png image. Do I need to import the image limb for limb or is there a way to insert a full image and adjust the bones so that only the selected body part is moving? I currently have an image I would like to use to create a character but when moving the selected body part, for example the leg, it stretches out the rest of the image. What am I missing? Or is it simply no way to create a character from a full body png image?

Would love any feedback from the community!

Cheers

You can refer below video to create your character:

Hi Kyle, thanks for the response!

Here is an example, where the arms seem to be stuck to the body when moving the arms. Do I need to double bind the body parts to move to avoid stretching the whole image? Would really appreciate any help I could get on how to solve this.

Here is an example

I think you need to make layers to separate the arms and legs from the rest of the body so the body isn't affected when you move the arms and legs. This may give you some insight into how to do that. I know there's another video out there that talks about using layers and masking as well.


Layers and Masking

I think also that to separate the arms and legs from the body part via Layer Manager.
You can refer below tutorial to learn how to duplicate a new layer then mask body part.
Hope to help you.

arsenewenger, I have had some luck with creating G3 characters from scratch. Happy to help if I can. Perhaps you could put your character in to a dropbox folder and send it to me at garrypye@bigpond.net.au . I can check it over and see whats going wrong for you. Once character creations 'clicks' in your head, its a really easy process. Have a great day.


Garry Pye
www.facebook.com/garrypyeanimations?ref=bookmarks

This is probably the tutorial you need.



You need to break up your image into parts/layers so that each image works independently and you don't get that stretchy effect.



- TET
Animation and Video Life
The Lazy Animator - Tutorials for Cartoon Animator

Gary,

You seem to have conquered the G3 character creation process. Would it be possible for you to create video of your process so that the community could follow along? I've seen the one of someelse using one of your character designs, however hours and hours of following it step by step do not yield the same results. At least for me.

Garry's G3 characters are not created from stock images.  He is creating his characters in a similar fashion as you would a G1 Characters. The reason why it looks and behave in the matter that it does, is because it was designed to do so.  If you are using a stock image and all of the line work is on one layer, there is no way to get the same effect as Garry's.  Garry has multiple expressions for Eyes, Mouth, and Eyebrows.  In addition his body limbs are imported on a separate layers, and when he draws the characters, he draws them in the best angle for the character to be animated.  You can't really compare the two, it will never be the same.  It does not mean you can get a good animation from a stock image, it means you won't get the same level of functionality and quality and a custom drawn character.


                   

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I've spent many hours just trying to learn how to rig a simple seesaw with a rectangle and a triangle. There are no tutorials on importing PNG files. Zero. When you try to import one in Composer, your first body part disappears. When you try a GUI rig, only one sprite appears in Composer. When you add a PNG with Sprite Editor, it doesn't appear at all. All the tutorials say, "All you have to do is import a layered PSD." That's where they begin. They begin by teaching only those who paid DOUBLE for the software.