Quick Tutorial - How animate the drawing of a horizontal line

Suppose you want to make a straight line with these specifications :

  • Black
  • 4 px thick
  • Positioned at 100px from the left and 800 px from the top.
  • Grows from left to right - 0px to 600 px wide
  • On a white background.

line

INSTRUCTIONS

1- Track V1: Create a white background:**

  • File > Open Other… > Color (choose white)
  • Drag the white clip from the Preview pane to track V1

2- Track V2: Create a black line:**

  • File > Open Other… > Color (choose black)
  • Drag the color file from the Preview pane to track V2
  • Edit the position and length of the clip (If the clip is 4 seconds long, it will take 4 seconds to draw the line)
  • Add a Size, Position & Rotate filter:
    • Size mode: Distort
    • Position: 100 - 800
    • Size: 0 - 4
    • Leave other settings to default.
  • In the Timeline, position the Playhead at the first frame of the clip in track V2
  • Click the Keyframe button. A keyframe is automatically added to the first frame
  • Move the Playhead to the last frame of the clip.
  • Change the first Position parameter to 600. A second keyframe is automatically added to the last frame.

Click the Deselect Filter button, move the Playhead to the first frame and play the video.

You can of course modify all these settings to fit your needs.

7 Likes

Can we create a black background and white line or just create the line and export it as .mov to get transparency.

You should change it to:-

1. Choose a color of your choice for the background.

2. Choose a color of your choice for the line.

And then a caution:-

Do not choose the same color for line and background.

Hi @Ar_D

Thank you for your very interesting comments.

I started my post by saying: “Suppose you want to make a straight line with these specifications” followed by a description of what I will create.

Then I explained step by step how to create what I described.

Then I ended the post by saying: “You can of course modify all these settings to fit your needs.

I was hesitant to include that line because it seamed pretty obvious to me that when you know how to create and animate a black line on a white background, you will pretty much also know how to make any color line on any given color background.

But after reading your recommendation to include a warning about not using the same color for the line and the background, I don’t know what to think anymore…

1 Like

Ok, I was not able to see some lines on my smartphone, they the lines you told, the words after Add SPR filter and the deselect filters button, the letters were just overlapping, I think it was a rendering issue. But now it’s visible.

Thank you @musicalbox - a great little tutorial for users who wouldn’t know where to start with creating and animating a line.

1 Like

Great tutorial! My next video will now be filled with lines

3 Likes

@jonray & @bentacular thanks guys !

Ha! A fishing video then ? :thinking: :laughing:

2 Likes

:rofl: :rofl: That would be a good catch … :grinning:

2 Likes

Groan. I’m hoping after a couple of days the puns have a-baited.

:slight_smile:

2 Likes

Don’t think so … I’m hooked …
:rofl:

1 Like

Looks like you fell for @jonray’s pun hook line and sinker.

2 Likes

I definitely need to stop carping on about this… :wink:

1 Like

It all sounds a bit fishy to me

1 Like

Guys, your level of humor is off the scale

2 Likes

I am whaling with laughter

3 Likes

I don’t think this is the plaice for such levity. Musicalbox would probably like to have us all walk the plankton that. Let minnow what you think.

4 Likes

@Elusien, as long as nobody attracts a trolling this discussion, I sea no problem. What aboat you ?

(Plaice was a good one lol)

3 Likes

OMG These puns are for REEL … :crazy_face:

Plus, here’s a possible video intro for @bentacular’s next epic fishing video:

https://streamable.com/gwcncr

:rofl: :rofl:

2 Likes

If these puns were to stop, that would be the end. Fin.

1 Like

Sure glad that punfest settled down. I was afraid someone was going to let fly with something really lur-id. .