[Under Translation]
Main Components
Tupi is a suite of tools for 2D
animation created for children 8-100 years old. When you think of
Tupi, think of it as a toolbox full of different
components, each one designed for a specific task. Now, let's take a
look at every part of our work environment, this is
the first step you must take to start using Tupi.
Note: Because we are still in a
beta phase of this development, it is likely that some options
and/or features are modified within the interface or change of
place with home and release, much of the information found in
this manual is subject to correction in future versions.
The following is a typical display of the
running application:
Fig. #4 Tupi's GUI
Now, let's take a closer look to it's
components:
Fig. #5 Diagram of the Tupi's Components
- Top Side Menu: it is the menu
conventionally located at the top side in most of the software. It is
separated by categories (File, Edit, Insert, Window, and
Help Modules), all options of the program.
Fig. #6 Top Menu Bar
- Panel Basic Functions: is composed of
buttons associated with the basic tasks in the file management
program such as: Create new project, open existing project,
save, save as and close the current project.
Fig. #7 Basic Function Panel
- Work Area: is the main area of
application, ie, the space where you design, build and visualize
your animations. The work area is comprised of four tabs, each
of which contains one of the following modules:
Fig. #8 Tabs work areas
- Illustration Module: through its
interface, this module will build the graphics of each frame
will be contained in your animation. In other words, this
module is nothing more than a small vector graphics editor
very simple (for now!).
- Animation Module: basically, this is a
viewer that can be viewed at any time to give you an idea of
how your animation is running.
- Module Help: This is the module that
you are referring precisely at this time.
- News Module: is a window directly into
our account on Twitter
. So you can be aware of the latest news on this project,
including new releases, the functionality implemented in the
development version, news, etc.
- Left Sidebar: In this component there
are three buttons associated with some features of the module
shown:
Fig. #9 Left Sidebar
- Color Palette: This button displays
a panel through which you can choose the color or gradient
you want to use when painting with any type of brush.
- Brush Properties: This button
displays a panel with the current properties of the brush,
such as the bulk of it and some characteristics of the
stroke.
- Object library: This button displays
a panel with the object management interface of the library
associated with the project. If you have an object or a
particular image you want to store and reuse in different
frames of your animation, this component will be very
useful.
- Sidebar Right: similar to the left, only
contains buttons associated with the animation process:
Fig. #10 Right Sidebar
- Scene Manager: This button displays
a panel that allows the administration of the scenes that
make up an animation. Still do not know what a scene? Do not
worry, we'll talk about it later.
- Exposure Table: This button displays
a panel that displays the table of exposure of each scene.
Although it sounds complex, this table is really just a list
of frames on which you illustrate your animation. Through
this component, you can control the layers and frames of
your project. Do you know what a layer? Here is a simple
definition: imagine you take a bit of red paint and cover a
sheet of paper with the color and let dry, then apply on the
same green leaf, waits a while and then apply blue. Although
in the end, your paper will look like the last color you
used really know that there are other colors below. Think of
each of these colors, such as layers, that is, levels of
paint define yourself over a frame. Layers are very useful
to achieve certain effects and techniques to discover and
practice.
- Help Manual: This button displays
the manual you're referring to now.
- Bottom Bar: on this region will find a
button, this is the option to activate the panel on the Timeline.
This tool, well used by animators from other programs, allows
you to manage layers and frames, as well as visualize how they
unfold the pieces of your animation in real time.
Fig #11. Bottom Bar
- Properties Panel: This zone is created
temporarily each time you click on one of the buttons are in the
sidebars or at the bottom. Although the initial image (Fig.
# 5), the panel appears on the right side of the
interface, depending on where is the button you choose, may
appear on the left side or even in the bottom. If you go back to
click on the button initially selected, then the properties
panel is closed.
- Status Bar: located at the bottom of the
program, this bar now only has a mission: to display the
coordinates (x, y) where is the mouse cursor as it moves over
the work area in the Animation Module .
Fig #12. Status Bar