Okay, I’m brand new to Pencil2D. I have tried poking around in it, but I’m just wasting my time. Most of the tutorials I’ve watched on YouTube show how to draw animations, but I want to use PNG files that I have of little cars, and show them moving on a map image that I also have. Should be pretty simple, right? Well first of all, when I import the map image, it comes up with a lighter colored box in the middle, and I can’t figure out how to get rid of that. Then when I import one of the little cars into a second bitmap layer, it comes in HUGE and I can’t figure out how to select it and shrink it down to size so it can drive around on the map.
At this point, I think it would be most efficient if I could hire someone to join me in a Google meeting, I can share my screen, and the tutor could guide me so I can learn by doing. Shouldn’t take more than an hour. I’m willing to pay a reasonable rate for some quality assistance. Any takers?
I have no interest in private tutoring, but I can address the questions you have quite quickly.
I’m assuming what you are describing as the “light colored box” is actually the mat (also sometimes called a passe-partout), and it’s a darker region indicating which parts of the canvas will not be visible when you export your animation. The camera layer determines the dimensions of the visible area, and you can change it’s size by double clicking on it in the timeline. You probably want to set it to the same size as your map image. Or if that’s too big (I would recommend keeping it under about 1200px in any direction as a rule of thumb), choose dimensions with the same aspect ratio and then scale the image to fit.
For moving and scaling, that’s all performed with the move tool. Here’s a tutorial for an older version of the program which had different icons, but the tools and process are still the same: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHHeQ70tRjU&list=PLqazFFzUAPc4no9KK5KMpSiOFlzaQKEJA&index=6. To scale, simply click and drag in the corners of a selection with the move tool active.
Thank you, Scribblemaniac, for your sage advice. I was able to adjust the mat, and I’m keeping it under 1200px as you suggested. Moving and scaling is still sort of clumsy, since I can’t just click on an object to select it. It seems that I have to use the selection tool to drag a rectangle over it to get it selected, then go back and select the move tool to actually move it. I did manage to figure out that holding shift down allows me to scale it proportionally, and holding down Ctrl lets me rotate it.
But I’m still running into a lot of hurdles as I try to build this animation. I have watched a lot of the tutorial videos, but they don’t really address the goals that I’m trying to achieve: smoothly moving little png images of cars around on a map. It really seems like the best way for me to become proficient quickly and efficiently would be to hire a tutor who I can share my screen with, and they can walk me through a few basic steps to get going properly.
In the past I have been on the teaching side of tutoring for various subjects from French to rock climbing, as well as being the student learning how to build my own website. I think tutoring works great!
I understand you are not interested in offering private tutoring, Scribblemaniac, but if anyone else here would like to give me a hand, I would be happy to pay you a reasonable amount for your time and expertise.
Thanks again!