UAU

Tutorials
1

UAU… so much tutorials, i even loss my self here in the midle of the million tutorials over here

Hosnestly, the tutorials, suck, they are not clear and objective, and i am not a dumb person, i manage TOONS of apps
from audio, to video and Digital design ones, ok…

the youtube tutorials are not objective, in thous tutorials i notice that in 90% of time people is trying to draw something simple (wich is my main concern)…
and i say trying… why? because this program seems limited and slow like hell to make drawings (i bet you guys dont even draw it in it…) you for sure use it
as cross platform or as final editing mode, but you for sure dont draw in on app that takes so long to do things you do in others much more faster
and then 10% making codes (UAU how fun is this??)

other things im fouding anoying… is, WTF is the time line??? theres no time line?? you organize yourselfs by giving codes to patterns/vectors is it??

like 1s to 20s and then stop using codes ???

i was excited yesterday, after trying and few ours after i am Disapointed, theres no objective tutorials, theres no guide, and this seems to be the kind of app that isnt for me… i didnt expected it was easy, but i expected a more functional app than this, something so slow in curve learning that , even blender that people say its dificult like hell, it was fast to learn to bme, since there are toons of information on the web… but Synfig, i found 10000 videos on youtube from people showing off their “proud” “animations” of eyes blinking made in Synfig and 3 or 4 tutorials, nothing more…

but should i complain of something its free? well i just did, and i did it because i hope you learn from it

im gona uninstal the app just right now

2

I’m sorry you didn’t like Synfig.

What we’re you looking for when trying Synfig? You might have expected something completely different?
I do use synfig and I find it highly competent at what it does, vector animation. There is a timeline and you don’t have to use code at all. You can do everything by keyframing and moving with your pen/mouse.
Also compared to other vector drawing/animation tools I find synfig quite easy to work with and not much more complicated than them.

As for the youtube vids I agree, most of it is crap, but that’s the way it is with all other apps as well. People like to show off and there is no quality criteria for publishing. Finding good material on that video site is hard. Rather try Vimeo which I find much more qualitative. Or check out the tutorials at the Synfig documentation wiki, synfig.org. They are good and informative.

Again, sorry if you don’t like the app. It is however open source and free to use so you haven’t lost anything but the time when you tried it and I think it’s not completely wasted either. Now you know what synfig is and that it is not for you. Good luck in your search in for your 2d animation app. I do hope you find anything you will like.

3

Because we want to learn, please give us another opportunity and give us a second feedback by doing this:

  1. Go to synfig.org/wiki/Category:Manual and read the Introduction.
  2. With Synfig Studio running, please do the tutorials in the Diving in Section.
    Then come back and complain higher and with more reason and we will do understand you. But please, do the tutorials, don’t just read them. Do it on real time. You’ll be gratefully surprised.

I have another question: have you ever worked with another 2D animation application in the past? Which one? We just want to learn why that application was so obvious for you and Synfig is so obscure…

Finally, if there are thousands of crappy Synfig videos in youtube is not because Synfig is oscure (if it were, there should be only a few of videos made by the application masters) The crappy level is not cause of Synfig but by the author’s lack of artistic skills.

-G

4

well, you obviously never saw my projects:
hienhen.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2lbczq
hienhen.deviantart.com/art/Zero- … 82009&qo=2
hienhen.deviantart.com/art/Zero- … 82009&qo=3
hienhen.deviantart.com/art/My-Ne … 2009&qo=12
hienhen.deviantart.com/art/Lola- … 2009&qo=11
hienhen.deviantart.com/art/Monsi … time&qo=41
hienhen.deviantart.com/art/Jiggl … time&qo=48
hienhen.deviantart.com/art/Synfi … time&qo=51
hienhen.deviantart.com/art/Synfi … time&qo=52

there is two things i always say to other people who i recommend programs:

  • The software is not magic, it will be as functional as you make it functional
  • Practice is the key

Synfig is not easy at first, i agree, but is not hard as learn even flash with AS or all the sort of things that Blender 3D has, there is tutorials and some are good, but most of them require you to be familiarized with the program already and for that there is a documentation that details what does every tool. you already made your mind with Synfig and like Rylleman i’m sorry too that you disliked Synfig that much.

people are proud of their works because is the fruit of their effort, i say that is pretty fair. Calling something ‘crappy’ because didn’t meet your expectations does not make it suck, this is an open community and we are working as that, no user that made those tutorials had the obligation to made them, indeed we are happy for any kind of positive contribution.

Synfig is not only free, is Open Source Software, being honest, i did not learn anything from your post, you didn’t requested a revision on tutorials, you didn’t asked anything related on the program, you didn’t contributed with new documentations, nor you gave us examples of what were you expecting, Genete, Rylleman and many on the Synfig Comunity are nice persons, but i’m another history and i will talk as someone who produce media content of any kind; you did not even bothered to read carefully the tutorials, you say you manage ‘TOONS’ (Cartoons??)/‘TONS’( Tonnage) of apps which you mentioned none to see what you were expecting, also is evident your lack of patience, you toke your time writing a big complaining in place of even asking how to draw a simple shape, also you expended your time looking for negative reviews on goggle until you found that comment on Blender community, and i bet it was only a comment, nor an extended topic about how bad Synfig is because actually both projects, Blender and Synfig can work along with a new extension worked around here.

again, i’m also sorry you didn’t toke your time for check Synfig Studio, or understand how it works, it didn’t worked for you, nor even meet your expectations, the world is big, i’m sure you’ll find something that will fit your needs.

-go on.

5

I’m still tying to figure out what UAU means…

6

Spanish for WOW?
http://www.answers.com/topic/wow

7

not really, ‘WOW’ is also used in Spanish sentences as an expression of surprise for say something, it looks more like an acronym, maybe even something random for naming the topic.

8

im sorry, i didnt intend to be rude at any kind

sometimes i may overreact a bit, and i did it because i did alot effort to try to understand synfig but i simply didnt found it logical
and the tutorials are very few… and as english is not my native language sometimes reading manuals its not completly clear to me… i need to see it be done…

i have to be honest and say i did uninstal it
im currently using flash, since it found it more especific… and more help online
now i know how to loop frames and make them move… etc etc

i even make allready 2 animated scenes… in the last 2 days
youtube.com/watch?v=SknbKBkmCjA
youtube.com/watch?v=DY3C4UKHNWo

and only was able, because i found tutorials for making fx… because 2 days ago i was totaly noob about animation…
my idea about animation was something like do 23 drawings per second

and for sure… if you guys want people to use Synfig you need to objective tutorials on the web

like “make people walking”

“morphing images”

“making water fx”

ho to make cicles… like a car rimms spining and the car moving same time (because its this kind of tecnics that make
animation realistic…)
etc etc

just having a " ball moving", its a good principle but inst exacly what i call a good “tutorial” and barely have seen others than it

at least i found much more examples of how to make things in flash and thats why i use it… simple

*about the UAU, its like “WOW” yes, and its used in latin languages like spanish, portuguese and italian…

9

no prob, Synfig is not logical (or maybe is too logical that it doesn’t look flexible despite it is), that’s what i love on it, it’s out of the frying pan in which 99% of the programs for animation in 2D are, it’s true, tutorials are few and maybe some of them need to be updated, the wiki has most of them and they are useful, the thing is think on how apply what you learned from them and if you can’t figure out how to achieve an effect or something you can always come to the forums and ask, that’s what everyone including me do. if sometimes you can’t express yourself enough using english, try with your native language.

ah, flash, i was very used to it since version 5 of macromedia, things started to get really odd but interesting when adobe took over them, Flash is an ancient program, really it is and a very successfully one, that’s why there is a lot of information and tutorials online, Synfig is relatively new and still people have yet to discover it at full, but is taking a good name of itself at this point, and hopefully in the next years it popularity will exponentially grow.

now that’s nice, as an ancient flash animator (not really that much, i’m still young and pretty XD XD) i would recommend you that you forget everything about flash inside Synfig, i saw both of your animations, for example, in flash (unless you are using the cam widget) you have to scale the whole scene and if it’s contained inside a MoviceClip that would make it easier, but in Synfig you have different layers, one which is called ‘Zoom’ layer, with this one you can make zoom happen without having to scale your NY City image, also for the video of the lady in the airplane, try trace her inside the program, and taking as an example the ‘Walk Animation Cycle’ in the tutorials for make her walk, you’ll notice how pleasantly smooth your animation becomes.

Everyone started this way XD, being noobs, but don’t let the program intimidate you, it’s actually very friendly once you played around with it.

indeed we have a piece of the forum dedicated to FX testing: viewforum.php?f=8 i don’t really know why some of them aren’t tutorials at all, but many have the .zsif/.sif file available for you to try.

really? i never used the UAU, just wow or woa, or things like that, i speak spanish (or at least that’s what i pretend to speak XD)

finally, welcome again on the forum, if you ever have questions or doubts and can’t figure out for yourself, feel free to ask here.

10

XD Man, you seriously underestimate the power of Synfig. Sure, the tool’s limited in regards to other commercial ones out there but it does more than making up for it. Features may be few but are pretty powerful. I mean, REALLY powerful, and sorta like Blender (or maybe less like Blender) Synfig is a little scary at first, but once you get to know it, it’s your best friend. Here’s my two cents.

The documentations exist for you to understand Synfig, so as Genete says always try the tutorials before jumping for the big fish. I was really hasty too at first, like you, but then I realized that knowledge before projects is everything. Also note that Synfig is opensource, meaning it’s not a money-making product: it’s a gift of generosity to the artists and it’s up to the community to help it make better. Most of the tutorials in the Wiki are provided by clever artists who only needed to know the basics, and the same was the case with softwares like Flash and Photoshop.

So don’t be afraid to ask us when you’re stuck. :mrgreen: We’ll always help out.

Let’s face it: although majority of 2D tools do virtually the same things, no two tools are alike. For instance, many institutes which have students proficient in Flash also have teachers who encourage ToonBoom because that’s actually better than Flash when it comes to 2D animation (and even big companies use it), but it scares the students because it’s just not the same. Of course it’s not; it may be difficult, the concepts are different, the methodology is to be relearned and this helps people to learn more and find strengths in each tool, also improving their artistic skills.

Of course, it’s still natural for an individual to have a preferable tool. It’s always best to stick to what you’re comfortable with, but quality also matters. For instance, what you can do it Flash can also be done in Synfig; sure its methods are different and a little harder, but it provides MUCH better quality than Flash. XD

The ball moving is a basic animation principal in every tool, be it Flash, ToonBoom, Retas, Maya, Blender, and even the basic animation technique known to man: paper and pencil. Squash and Stretch, motion planning, momentum, etc. all depend on this tutorial to be learned and do note it’s still basic. After this, of course, things get tough. But animators are to master it before anything else. Squash and Stretch tells you how dynamic works on everything, like face or objects, motion tells you how the speeds are to be visualized to keep it real/exaggerated, etc. But Synfig exists as a tool; for in-depth animation theory one probably needs to buy a book or participate in some animation academics.

Don’t worry, we’re on the way. There are projects running like Morevna and Benevolence that create artistic movies to explore Synfig in depth and create resources and tutorials as we go, but that doesn’t mean the community has to rely on us. We hope you contribute too. ^^

Anywhos, goodluck Synfig-ing (I wish that was a word LOL)!

11

NOTE: I’m beginning to learn how Synfig Studio works. I’m not good enough at this point to create a tutorial. However, I have an idea for any future tutorials. I hope this isn’t too far off topic.

One of my difficulties with the Blender3D software is its tutorials. Whether they are text-based or in videos, the authors tend to feel that a carefully detailed understanding of all the controls – as a first step – is essential.

But I find I learn best when a tutorial is task-oriented instead of software-oriented. I find it’s easier when working from a blank canvas to a finished project with steps explained as we reach our destination. This is how I work with Inkscape and HeathenX’s online tutorials.

So, it is my recommendation that software-based tutorials take second place to task-oriented. The controls are easily remembered if they are seen as useful.

[size=150]How not to do it:[/size]
“This window is the main toolbox. It has many useful buttons. This button creates a rectangle. This button creates circle. This button creates a gradient. This …”

[size=150]How to do it:[/size]
“I’m going to add a rectangle. I’ll click the rectangle tool here in the main toolbox. Now I’ll drag the mouse like this in the canvas…”

It’s a more natural way of learning.

12

Hah, you’re right on that! Perhaps the only way I ever learned Blender properly was not because of the Blender documentations or Youtube videos, but rather Andrew Pryce videos at Blender Guru, mainly because he’s awesome at what he does. Perhaps when I get enough time I’ll start making beginner tutorials at my Benevolence9 website. Currently I don’t have a monitor. :frowning: