Marianne Martinez
TVPaint is an animation software that allows users to create and manipulate graphics and animations. While the software offers a wide range of features and tools for creating complex animations, one common issue that users face is the lack of a standard spacebar key function to pan the canvas. Instead, TVPaint uses the `ALT` key as the default shortcut for the panning tool, which can be cumbersome for users who are accustomed to using the spacebar in other animation software. This has led to discussions in the TVPaint community forums about the possibility of changing the pan hotkey to the spacebar, with some users suggesting workarounds or scripts to achieve this. Additionally, there are suggestions for improving the panning process by allowing multiple layers to be moved simultaneously.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Software | TVPaint |
| Use | Animation |
| Keyboard shortcut | ALT |
| Alternative keyboard shortcut | CTRL+SPACE or CMD+SPACE |
| Alternative keyboard shortcut | Space + left click |
| Alternative keyboard shortcut | Space + right click |
| Alternative keyboard shortcut | CTRL+ALT+Right-Click (with stylus button) |
| Alternative software | DigicelFlipbook |
| Alternative software | Photoshop |
| Alternative software | After Effects |
| Alternative software | Sketchbook |
| Alternative software | GIMP |
| Alternative software | Krita |
| Alternative software | Clip Studio Paint |
| Alternative software | Rough Animator |
| Alternative software | Toonboom Harmony/Storyboard Pro |
| Alternative software | OpenToonz |
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What You'll Learn
Using the camera tool
The Camera Tool in TVPaint is used to create panning and zooming effects in your animation. It can be used to follow a character as they walk across a background, for example.
To use the Camera Tool, first create a project with the desired background size. Then, draw your walk cycle - this can be as simple as a character walking in place or taking two steps. Cut the cycle out as an animBrush by selecting all the frames and using the freehand cut tool to draw a bounding line around the area. This will allow you to paste the walk cycle across the background one frame at a time.
Now, activate the Camera Tool to create the pan move. To do this, select the first frame of your animation, then select the Camera Tool. Move your animation frames as a "packaged" unit to wherever you want the camera to start. Finally, select the last frame where you want the move to stop.
It's worth noting that TVPaint's default keyboard shortcut for the panning tool is ALT, which is different from most other animation software that uses the SPACEBAR for this function. This can be changed in the settings to make it more intuitive if you're used to other software.
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Panning selected layers
Panning in TVPaint allows you to move your layers. To do this, select the PAN tool, then select the layer you want to move and move it. To move another layer, select it and hit ENTER. The same movement will be applied.
You can also use keyboard shortcuts to pan in TVPaint. By default, the ALT key is used to activate the Move Canvas (Panning) tool. However, users have noted that this is different from other applications, which usually use the SPACEBAR for this function. TVPaint allows users to customize their keyboard shortcuts, but the ALT key to activate the Panning tool seems to be an exception.
In a March 2023 update, TVPaint added the possibility of binding the "ALT + clicks" shortcut function to other keys. Depending on whether you use this new shortcut with a left or right click, you can zoom or pan. For example, you can use the Space key + left click to pan and Space + right click to zoom.
Users have also created scripts to pan selected layers. One such script is Left click = pan, Right click = WrapPan.
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Using the pan hotkey
The ALT key is the default keyboard shortcut to activate the Move Canvas (Panning) tool in TVPaint. However, this differs from other drawing and animation software, which typically use the SPACEBAR for this function. As a result, some users have expressed a desire to change the pan hotkey in TVPaint to match other applications and avoid confusion when switching between programs.
TVPaint generally allows users to customize keyboard shortcuts to match their preferences. However, changing the ALT key for panning has been a challenge due to its proximity to other frequently used functions. For example, CTRL + ALT is used to rotate the canvas, and CTRL + ALT + right-click on the stylus zooms in and out. Losing these convenient combinations by reassigning the ALT key would be inconvenient for some users.
To address this issue, TVPaint has introduced the possibility of binding the "ALT + clicks" shortcut function to other keys in its latest update. With this update, users can now use the Space key + left-click to pan and Space + right-click to zoom. This change allows users to perform the panning function with a single key, similar to other software, without losing the ability to zoom with a distinct shortcut.
While this update provides more flexibility, some users still prefer a one-handed solution, such as CTRL+SPACE or CMD+SPACE for Move/Pan Canvas. This would eliminate the need to put down the stylus and use both hands to perform the panning action. However, others recognize that this improvement already represents progress, and the suggested alternatives may be more complex to implement.
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Creating a walk cycle
To start, create a new layer with a duration, and use the Keyframer: FX => Motion => Keyframer. Then, in the render tab, choose your source layer with the animation or an animated custom brush. Select all the frames with the walk cycle in a loop, and cut your character out using the custom brush cutter. In the Keyframer parameters, set the "Pre behaviour" and "Post behaviour" to loop.
Another approach is to pick up the walk cycle as a custom brush. For example, if you have a 12-frame cycle, you can position and stamp down each frame of the walk cycle brush individually on the background. This creates an AnimLayer with the 12 phases of the walk. You can then copy the layer, shift it, and adjust the X-value to match the foot position of the first frame of the copied layer with the last frame of the original. Double-click under the duplicated layer to highlight all frames in yellow, then click "Apply" in the transform tool panel to sync the drawings.
Additionally, you can try creating an XSheet level and applying a Keyframer effect for moving the XSheet level in the timeline. However, this method may not work as intended, and an alternative is to create a new AnimLayer named "Anim+KF" and set the KeyFramer's Render/Source to the XSheet layer.
It's worth noting that some users have experienced issues with flipping walk cycles horizontally during export. This may be related to using the FX stack panel, and a potential solution is to select all the frames you want to affect and then hit "Apply FX Stack."
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Using scripts
TVPaint users have been discussing the use of scripts to pan selected layers. One user shared a script that can be used with the Custom Panel, which they found to be a huge time-saver. However, this script does not allow users to see the layers in real-time as they pan, which would be the next level of this script. Another user tested the script and agreed that a real-time preview would be beneficial for accurately dropping the content of the layer. They also suggested an alternative method by exporting the project to another project using the keyframer, but noted that this would merge all the layers, making it impossible to move the parts separately.
The same user also suggested that organizing the levels in folders would be helpful for quick access to specific levels. They also mentioned that they haven't tried the script yet but found it useful. They shared their workflow, which involves exporting the project to another project using the keyframer, but acknowledged the disadvantage of losing the ability to move the layers separately.
Overall, the discussion highlights the benefits of using scripts for panning in TVPaint, particularly when working with multiple layers. The ability to preview layers in real-time and organize levels in folders are also noted as desirable features.
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Frequently asked questions
To pan the canvas in TVPaint, use the ALT key.
Yes, you can change the hotkey to pan the canvas in TVPaint. In the latest update, you can use the Space key + left click to pan.
To pan selected layers in TVPaint, select the PAN tool, then select the layer you want to move.
To pan the camera in TVPaint, first, create a project with the size of your long background. Next, draw a walk cycle for your character. Cut the cycle out as an animBrush and activate your camera tool to create the pan move that follows the character.
