Cineversity

Hello Sassi, when I stumble on interesting geometry and animations it always prompts me want to make something similar in C4D.

I know how to create this in Adobe Illustrator using a triangle and the transform tool, changing the number of steps and rotation.

But this is C4D and there is no vector line art tool. I know there is the spline tool but this does not render without adding geometry. But this does not need geometry to be “swept” over the spline, just a plain white “line” is needed.

How can one make a line animation like this in C4D?

Link to example: https://www.dropbox.com/s/eoyczhyp4zzupmi/repeating.mp4?dl=0

Thank you,
David

Hi David,

This looks so simple, but if you look very closely, it seems a little bit more mathematical. IF I had to describe it: Each triangle moves its three corner points in a certain ratio along each edge. These three new points create the next triangle. …and so on. That is certainly a nice warm-up script for Python gurus. (There might be something possible with MoGraph with moving inside based on a ratio, but that is just a brainstorming. Edit, I created an example with XPresso, see next post/edit)

Having all of that said, to make an animation like this with simple tools, one can use MoGraph. Please have a look at the file. It needs to be rendered to show its beauty.

Scene file:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/45FhhNJeLQmcYubZ47nfNjPJ6USRbJCf03EwWWkcXMp

When you explore the file you will find how it was done, and even it doesn’t follow the math-rule described above, I hope it comes close to your idea.

You will find a “first” exploration in it as well, just to give you another example how it could work. There are certainly many more options available.

(As a side note, Hair and Sketch ‘n’ Toons can render splines.)

I used this twist method here for an image:
https://plus.google.com/photos/photo/110784099379805584044/6424174352466838722

ENJOY

edited

P.S.:

As usual, I couldn’t let go of it. Hehe. Here is hopefully exactly what you were looking for.

Please have a look at the screen capture first, so the use and adjustment of it is clear.

Scene file, screen capture, screen shot:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/3Do85pmoRwJSfN1KxCklHBL8KuSLKtkZhUjadAYvyhm

Have fun

Yes lol, it’s hard letting go. As you can tell by now, I have a passion for geometric art.

But my goodness, you really are the oracle of C4D!! How do you get to know all of the features? Amazing.

Thank you for showing the many ways to get this look. When I explored your first scene file I never knew a torus could be used to make a triangle, now I know.

And as for the Xpresso work, wow, that opens a whole new territory - I’m scared

Sadly I only have Broadcast Edition so the Hair and Sketch/Toon will have to wait. But there is so much to explore and learn from your first scene file.

As always, thank you.
David

Hi David,

Thanks you very much for the nice feedback.

Yes, with Broadcast I would go maybe with a Sweep. Which requires a different approach in XPresso.

Scene file
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/BIYcIMGVepukuJ6wPp6gKLXX3qU3HAaDzhfu18AzFsD

XPresso. In a nutshell: It is the information flow and to a certain degree the processing of information. In other words, you can use, e.g., the rotation value of one object (A) and multiply it so object B can rotate faster.
The fastest way to learn it is to use the “right mouse click” on any animatable parameter, and in the fly out menu use the Xpressions>Set Driver. Then go to any other animatable parameter and do the same, but instead of Set Driver, use Set Driven..

Explore what happens now by pressing play. Then double click the XPresso tag, read about the Range Mapper in the manual, so you can adjust this powerful “node”. From there it is just following an idea, and integrating the new knowledge gained from that next time. It grows with the amount of time spend. If you have a question about, ask. (Or search a tutorial about it. etc)

The Broadcast version is a powerful package and lots to explore and to create with it. Thaks for letting me know, since I assume otherwise the Studio package, and suggest something that might not work.

Have a great day

Just getting back to this forum - thanks for the follow up based on my use of Broadcast. Yes, very powerful and likely overkill for my purpose but it serves my purpose very well.

Your explanation of using Xpresso now leads me to think how I can drive other parameters based on the “driver” to animate geometry. For example, it now opens up interesting creativity to animate the flower of life symbol, for example…

Enjoy your day/night.

Thanks for the feedback, David.

The Set Driver/Set Driven option is just an quick example, to showcase the information-flow.
You can drag any object into the XPresso Editor view and connect things.

The first part to learn is what is in each in or out put port. See clip.
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/0dhdUVfntCXWXGUWe8dtKyJePTPpV476I9HziNxnYrA

Training is available here about XPresso, it is a little bit old and my English was rusty at that time, but I hope you get something out of it.
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaylist/sassis_tootime_tips_xpresso/xp_101_01_user-data
There are more tutorials available, sorry if I jsut post this time only my series here.

Have fun!