With the "scroll timeline" feature, you can synchronize the timeline and content of your project. It will then be possible to scroll the timeline using the mouse or an iPad.
Here are the different options offered by RacontR covered in this section :
Activating the Scroll Timeline
Method : Inversed Kinematics
Example, animation with blur effect
In order to make this tutorial by yourself you can download this files with all images.
If you use your own images for this tutorial and wish to know how to export your Jpg and Png graphic elements, we invite you to consult this link and carry it out either under Photoshop or Gimp.
Once your project configuration is set and your images are uploaded, we will be able to get to heart of the matter beginning with creating a page and entering into the page editor.
Activating the Scroll Timeline
To do so, go to the configuration tab of the timeline.
Activate the “Scroll Timeline” by clicking on the checkbox.
If you like, you can adjust the scrolling speed in “Speed Timeline”. You will then be able to vary the running speed of your animation. For example, if you use a mouse with a scroll wheel, the running will be slower than on a track pad. It is therefore important to adjust this parameter according to your device.
Method: inversed kinematics
Inversed Kinematics is an animation technique based on the respect of angular constraints of the articulations of an object. This simplifies considerably the animator’s task, given that to move a group of objects, for example, you only have to determine in which position they must end up in, at the end of a movement, and the intermediary steps will be automatically calculated.
First step
To begin, place your cursor on time “0”.
It is recommended on Racontr to import all the elements to the very beginning of the timeline, time “0” and to position them according to their position of appearance. Once done you can hide any of the items and make them appear at any given moment on the timeline.
2. Now import your medias into the page.
Step 2
3. Create your layout as it should be at the end of the animation.
4. Once this is done, slide the timeline cursor enough so that your animation can take place.
5. Click now in-between your layer’s arrows to fix their positions.
6. Keypoints then appear on the timeline. Repeat the operation with all the layers involved.
Step 3
Now you are set to create the animation.
Slide your cursor to the beginning of your animation (on time “0”) where your keypoints are, then move your elements on the scene.
To do so, select them one by one and move them using your keyboard arrows. A click on the top arrow of your keyboard corresponds to a one-pixel shift.
For a quicker result, continue with the arrows and simultaneously keep the “shift” key pressed. The movement will operate 10 pixels at a time. You can then slide your cursor from right to left to check the animation.
Launch a preview in order to play your animation with the scroll.
Step 4
We are now going to create a transition.
Use the same method, move forward on the timeline.
Then add keypoints to the layers (this will allow the elements to stay a certain time on the page)
Move further, leaving enough time so that the final animation can run.
Step 5
4. Without necessarily adding new keypoints on the timeline (they will automatically appear when you move an element), as previously explained,
5. you must adjust your final animation as you wish, from right to left or from bottom to top, by simply moving your images or texts around.
Example: blurring effect animation
For this exercise you will need two images : one focused and one blurred (use your external DTP software to create these images). If you wish, you may use the pictures attached to this tutorial.
To make it clearer, and so that they don’t bother you during the following steps.
Start by hiding your previous animation.
To do so, click on the eye to hide them.
Once done, slide your cursor on time 0, then import both images onto the scene.
Place them in such a manner that the two images, the focused and the blurred one, are perfectly overlapped.
Your images are now set on top of each other, select the blurred image by clicking onto it, then in the image properties change its opacity to “0”.
To give the impression that the image is blurring, we will make the blurred picture appear on top of the focused picture by playing with its opacity level.
Return onto the timeline and mask the images.
7. To create the appearance of the image animation (ie : the inverted kinematics method), move the timeline until the previous animation disappears.
8. Click on the two layers “eye icon” to make them disappear from the scene.
9. Add keypoints on them in order to fix their position.
10. Again, move forward on the timeline, enough for the animation to happen (approximately one second) and add keypoints.
11. Now move your timeline to the previous keypoints and select the two layers (focused and blurred) in the layer panel.
12. Hold down the “shift” key to move the layers 10 pixels at a time.
To create the effect we will change the opacity level. The blurred image will progressively appear, giving the impression of a photographic blur.
Move forward on the timeline and then set the blurred image’s opacity on 100%.