Adding Operators as layers

#1

This is a really basic question but I cannot figure out the answer.

How do you add an operator like Paint or Particles as a new layer. Whenever I do it Combustion add it to the top of the Workspace stack and tells me I can’t edit it because it isn’t attached to anything.

Thanks.

#2

Select the footage or other operator and apply a Paint/Particles operator or hold CTRL+Y and create a layer with particles, paint, edit, in “Type” you can select the type of the new layer

#3

Particles and Paint require an imput of some sort. This can be a Solid like you get when you make a New Particle or Paint Operator through File > New. It can also be a piece of footage or an operator that already has a Solid or Footage downstream. What you can do, and what i do sometimes, is created a new Particle/Paint operator. Delete the solid input and connect your desired input to the Input box (white box on the left side of the Particle/Paint node in Schematic View). Feel free to check the help file on recommended workflows for adding Particles or Paint to an existing Composite.

Hope this helps,
-Eric

#4

Thanks for your reply.

Why is it like this? Surely, most of the time you want to add some particles or some Paint that is independent of anything else in the scene.

If I add a solid layer and then add some paint or particles onto that layer is there anyway to make the solid colour invisible but not the paint or particles?

Thanks.

#5

Yes, easiest way is Make a New Paint/Particle/Text Branch (File > New or Ctrl+N) and check Transparent (Next to the background color). This will create a New Paint/Particle/Text Branch with a transparent background. Or for exisitng branches set the Solid Opacity to 0%. If you cannot see your Paint/Particle/Text objects after that, then make sure that Preserve Alpha is disabled for the Paint/Particle/Text objects (the individual objects not the Paint/Particle/Text node). Preserve Alpha is designed to apply the existing alpha to the current alpha (ie 0% opacity and you can see your Paint/Particle/Text objects).

Hope this helps,
-Eric

#6

Thanks for your help. When you say “reduce Solid Opacity to 0%” do you mean the Opacity setting in the Composite Controls? If so, when I do that (with an existing branch) it disappers along with the particles even if Preserve Alpha is disabled. What I am doing wrong?

Thanks.

#7

At the footage controls. Anything done at the Composite/Layer level effects everything down stream. You only want to change the opacity of the “Solid” footage.

-Eric

#8

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