11 Replies Latest reply: Apr 27, 2014 10:19 PM by Steven L. Gotz

Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

Trevor Dennis Apr 27, 2014 5:54 PM

I am not sure whether this would a PremPro or AE thing, or even if it is doable. I have a 5400 x 3600 still image on a 1080 timeline, that I want to zoom in to 100% pixel size, with a box outline surrounding the target area I want to zoom into. This would be a sort of CSI ridiculous enhance, combined with Person of Interest box outline effects.

What I can't work out is if I can zoom the box outline without the line thickness increasing. Is there any sort of vector object option that would work? Perhaps I can simply import vector objects in PSD layers - I haven't tried that.

Once zoomed in to 100%, the object inside the box outline is going to be pixilated and none too sharp, so I want to cut to a higher res image with a sort of CSI Enhance effect. The best option I can find so far is to use a Wipe > Random blocks with the Custom option set to a maximum 128,128. Is there a better way of doing this? I have a full CC subscription, but I am only truly proficient at Photoshop, and OK with PremPro, but I can probably work it out in AE if pointed in the right direction.

TIA

1. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

shooternz Apr 27, 2014 6:07 PM (in response to Trevor Dennis)

I am imagining that the box (target frame) stays constant and only the "area" contained is what zooms up at the viewer.

Thats easy. Can you figure that one out if it is what you want?
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2. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

Trevor Dennis Apr 27, 2014 6:26 PM (in response to shooternz)

Hi Shooter.

It would start with the image filling the frame. The a box outline would appear around the target area I want to zoom into with something like a 5 pixel line thickness. The box outline would zoom with the still image, but I would like to maintain that 5 pixel line thckness throughout.

Before
After
From there I'd do a fake enhance of the contents of the box outline. Then repeat the whole process zooming in so the figure above is revealed in sharp detail. The transition from above to the inset sharp version on the next track, is what I'd like to do with an animated pixelation effect.
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3. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

Steven L. Gotz Apr 27, 2014 7:11 PM (in response to Trevor Dennis)

It is pretty simple to animate the size of a Shape Layer in After Effects. The line stays the same thickness, unless you animate it too. Just create a rectangle, and unlink the two parameters to stop it from staying square.
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4. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

shooternz Apr 27, 2014 8:54 PM (in response to Trevor Dennis)

I think you are best off doing this in AEFX

Create a Shape Layer
Draw an unfilled Rectangle with 5px stroke
Select it and make it a 3D layer
Add a Blend Mode
Add a Camera

etc.......
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5. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

Steven L. Gotz Apr 27, 2014 9:06 PM (in response to shooternz)

Yikes!

That is overkill for a simple rectangle shape with a 5px stroke.

No need for 3D or blend modes or camera. Just a simple rectangle that you can keyframe the size.
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6. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

Trevor Dennis Apr 27, 2014 9:10 PM (in response to Steven L. Gotz)

Thanks guys. Simple is good, so I'll try it Steven's way. I'm almost there.
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7. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

shooternz Apr 27, 2014 9:23 PM (in response to Steven L. Gotz)

If you use Transform > Scale on a 5px stroke it will enlarge and thicken. Surely.

He does need to animate somehow to achieve his effect.

Let see how he goes.
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8. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

Steven L. Gotz Apr 27, 2014 9:50 PM (in response to shooternz)

Well, if you use Transform, then sure, I suppose it would. Here is an example of using the size parameter of the rectangle itself instead.

First, here is the parameter I animated:

And here is the video:

Edit: I forgot to mention that I animated the position parameter as well.
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9. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

shooternz Apr 27, 2014 9:58 PM (in response to Steven L. Gotz)

Nice.
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10. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

Steven L. Gotz Apr 27, 2014 10:00 PM (in response to Steven L. Gotz)

Funny story...

A long time ago, maybe 7 or 8 years or more, I was contacted by Adobe and was given the opportunity to look at their brand new shape effects. We set it up for them to be able to see my desktop.

They watched as I followed their general directions. The first thing I tried failed. They got all excited and wanted to know why I thought I could do that. I told them I just assumed that would be how it worked. They were dumbfounded when almost every time they sugested that I do something, I tried to do it in a way they had never thought of. They were so funny, talking among themselves like I wasn't even able to hear them. I remember trying to add an inside stroke and they only had regular strokes at the time. Why did I need that, they wanted to know. I patiently explained that I just assumed it would have the ability.

I was never given the opportunity to see anything that early in the process again since I kind of dropped out of the beta testing also. But it was fun.
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11. Re: Zoom without out Changing Line Thickness?

Steven L. Gotz Apr 27, 2014 10:19 PM (in response to shooternz)

shooternz wrote:

Nice.
Thanks.

You know I wasn't trying to give you a hard time, right?
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