Effects

Effects Basics

In Vectorian Giotto you have, at your disposal, some 30 highly customizable effects that can be applied to any shape, text, imported object (bmp, jpg, tif, png, gif, ico.), SWF movie, or movie clip. You can, also, assign two or more effects to the same object.

Assigning, Editing and Removing Effects

To assign the effect to an object, click right mouse button on the object for side menu, select Effects, click Add (to add an effect), edit (to edit the present effect) or remove (to remove the present effect).
effects

Effects – Common Options

Duration

This is the most common option that all the effects have. It represents for how many frames should last one effect cycle. As the effect comes to the end of its cycle it will begin anew (for text options see Effect cycling). Note that many effects have their low point (minimum number of frames) under which they won’t work. You can change the numerical value of the duration by pressing an arrow keys on your keyboard (up or down), clicking the arrowheads right of the numerical value (up or down), or just assign the value by manually typing the appropriate number in the value box.

Color

Color (Main): This option is used for assigning the color important for the selected effect. How to change the color? Find the main edit box in which you can see (from left to right) Selected color, Numerical RGB values (0-255), Value for alpha (0-255), and down arrow for color selection. You can directly apply numerical values for the color (if you know the desired color’s value) and alpha, or open the selection. Selection: You can see a dropdown menu with 40 standard colors and an option for assigning custom color.

Color (Additional menu): You can also customize the color with simplified custom menu under the main options. Open the menu by double-clicking on it or on the + sign beside it. There are four edit boxes for each color and alpha respectively. You can change the values by using the up/down arrows, keyboard, or a dropdown menu with 9 typical values. Note that after you change the color, the values become bolded, if you change back the original values the font will return to normal.
effects

Effects – Types

Flash

This effect uses sudden transitions from one color to another and back, to make an object flash. Use additional options to set the flash color and duration of the transition.

Merge

Merge is made of breaking an object into four equal pieces and then slowly combining it into primary form. Use the duration option to adjust the time of change.

Rainbow

Use this effect to add a multicolored array on the object. Use the duration option to change the speed of color transition.

Shreds

To give you impression of object shredding, this effect transforms the object into long narrow strips that are then merged into one again. Use additional options to adjust the speed and direction of the effect animation.

Blinds

If you want to produce the effect of window blinds on an object use this option. Duration option regulates speed of transition and blinds effect option regulates direction of change (open blinds and closed blinds effect).

Disco

Rapid change of vivid colors on the object is what this effect produces. If you want the change of colors to be slower or faster simply use duration option.

Wave

If you use this option you will add a wavelike motion to the object. The speed of the motion can be adjusted using the duration option.

Wiggle

This effect puts shaking motions on an object. Again, the speed of the movements can be adjusted through duration option.

Rocking Chair

Use this option if you want to make an object to sway from one side to another as if it were a rocking chair. The duration option regulates the speed of the effect animation.

Quiver

If you want an object to shake with slight trembling motion use this effect. The duration option regulates the speed of the moves.

Pulse

Rhythmical pulsing of the object is what this effect produces. The duration option regulates the speed of the pulse.

Circle

If you use this effect you will make an object move in a circle around the original location. You can adjust the speed of circulation if you change the duration number.

Beads On a Wire

This effect makes an object rotate around its axis. Again, the duration option regulates the speed of effect animation.

Rubber Band

This effect makes selected object stretch like a rubber band. Use the duration option to adjust the speed of stretching.

Falling Leaf

Use this effect if you want to give impression of an object falling down freely, light as a leaf. The duration of the fall can be adjusted.

Whirlpool

This effect causes the selected object to move rapidly in a circle as if it were a floating object drowned by the force in the center. Use the duration option to change the speed of the movement.

Aircraft Landing

Landing an object to an imaginary surface is what this effect produces. The duration option can be used to change the speed of landing.

Boomerang

This effect gives the impression of, as the name suggests, a thrown object that returns to its point of origin. Using the duration option you can change the speed of the effect animation.

Snail’s Shell

Setting this effect you will get an object moving on a imaginary logarithmic spiral. Duration of one sequence can be adjusted as well as number of iterations and radius of the spiral, through additional options.

Loop In

You can use this effect if you want to give impression of an object making a loop. Use duration option to adjust the speed of animation.

Helicopter Landing

This effect makes an object rotate like a helicopter rotor while landing. You can set the duration and direction of rotation.

Elastic Impact

Makes an effect of an elastic object in free fall. Additional options can be used to set duration of one sequence, zoom in/out, bounce height and drop axes.

3D Rotate

This effect will make an object rotate around one or both axes while moving on scale of depth.

Appear/Disappear

If you want to make impression of an object slowly coming in/out of sight use this effect. Duration and direction of effect animation can be adjusted.

Explode

This effect gives you the impression of explosion of the selected object. Additional option regulates the duration of the explosion sequence.

Drop Shadow

Use this effect to put a shadow on the object. Additional options can be used to choose the color of the shadow and distance of the shadow from the object.

Blur

To give impression of fading out of the object image choose this effect. To adjust the speed of the effect animation use duration option. To manage the blur quality use resolution and scale options.

Simple Effects

With this effect you can make an object fade in/out, fade from/to color, or wipe to/from the stage; or all at once.

Rotation

This effect gives you rotation of the object. The rotation can appear in two direction (clockwise, counter clockwise). The speed of the animation effect can be set through duration option.

Fade Type

Here you can choose wether your object will fade or fade to color. From dropdown menu choose None, Fade in/out and Fade to color.

Fade Effect

Here you can determine the direction of the fade effect. From dropdown menu select Fade in or Fade out.

Fade to Color

If you have chosen Fade to color (see above) effect, then here you can determine to/from what color will objects brush fade. The options are classic color selection options (see 12.3.2 Color above).

Wipe Effect

Here you can determine will the object wipe in or wipe out of the stage. From dropdown menu select Wipe in, Wipe out or None for no wipe effect at all.

Wipe Direction

Here you can determine the direction of wipe effect.

Wipe Shape

Here you can determine what shape will be used to lead the wipe process of an object. From dropdown menu choose Shape (wipe will be performed by the original shape of the object), Rectangle (wipe will be performed by rectangle) or Ellipse (wipe will be performed by elpise).