25 Replies Latest reply on Apr 12, 2017 2:17 AM by Infinity_Prism

CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 1:15 AM

Hello,

I am currently working on a project and when I use CC Glass on a footage layer and then try applying a bump map from another layer, nothing happens.

CC Glass definitely works when I apply it to the footage but then once I apply a bump map, the glass effect disappears and nothing happens.

I have tried it on a regular footage layer and a pre composed layer and it does not work either way.

1. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Mylenium Mar 13, 2017 1:33 AM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

Screenshots, exact settings.

Mylenium
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2. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 2:16 AM (in response to Mylenium)

Thanks for your fast reply

So this is a new project, not the original one, but its doing the same thing.

I presume you mean comp settings?
If so:
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3. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Gutter-Fish Mar 13, 2017 3:45 AM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

no, he did not mean composition settings. In order to try to tell you why CCGlass is not recognizing your "bump map", the setting we'd need to see would be the CC Glass settings (which you presumed) but also your "bump map".

Is your "bump map" black and white? Is it the same dimensions as the comp it's sitting in?
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4. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 4:18 AM (in response to Gutter-Fish)

As far as i'm aware, in CC Glass, all I have to do is set the Bump Map to the desired layer (which you can see I have done in provided pictures) but once I apply it to that layer, nothing.

Am I missing something?
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5. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Gutter-Fish Mar 13, 2017 4:28 AM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

Infinity_Prism wrote

Am I missing something?

Am I?
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6. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 4:29 AM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

The layer I am attempting to use as a bump map is just a solid which has the same dimensions as the original footage and composition
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7. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Gutter-Fish Mar 13, 2017 4:40 AM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

I asked you two really simple questions. You're wasting my time.
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8. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 5:05 AM (in response to Gutter-Fish)

The settings of CC Glass are just the default settings, the only setting I have change is the directory of "Bump map" (Which you can see pictured)
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9. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 5:18 AM (in response to Gutter-Fish)

Here is The images of everything you requested, the bump map is not in B&W.
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10. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Gutter-Fish Mar 13, 2017 5:29 AM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

The problem is not that
'CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK'
the problem is that you do not know what a bump map is
Bump mapping - Wikipedia
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11. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Colin Holgate Mar 13, 2017 5:28 AM (in response to Gutter-Fish)

These posts, being short and lots of images, have been delayed in the moderation queue. I've been following along and giving them permission to post. I'm not an AE novice, let alone expert, but here's two thoughts:

Because of the moderation queue it seemed at times like a question had been ignored. It hadn't, it just got here late.

Not sure about AE, but elsewhere bump maps are usually 8 bit grayscale.
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12. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Gutter-Fish Mar 13, 2017 5:31 AM (in response to Colin Holgate)

Apparently he/she is using a completely white solid for their "bump map"
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13. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 5:37 AM (in response to Gutter-Fish)

It is a masked white solid, after wondering why it wouldn't work I looked up a few tutorials and this tutorial ALSO uses a completely white solid: VIDEO COPILOT | After Effects Tutorials, Plug-ins and Stock Footage for Post Production Professionals
Go to 7:10 for the section where he simply applies CC Glass and uses a White Solid.
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14. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Gutter-Fish Mar 13, 2017 5:40 AM (in response to Colin Holgate)

I'd have to disagree as I asked both questions in the same post & only one was replied to.
Still having never showed the bump map I am assuming that
apparently he/she is using a completely white solid for their "bump map".
I apologize for having wasted your time by having to have you approve all these posts.
It's just that I strongly believe that being forced to exert a bit of effort in ones own education is a valuable thing whether it's appreciated or not.
Hence the link to start them on their journey of finding out what exactly a bump is.
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15. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Colin Holgate Mar 13, 2017 5:46 AM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

It's nice to come and visit here for a change! The video was interesting. One thing you may not have noticed is that he sets the bump map to the alpha channel of another video. That is effectively an 8 bit grayscale image, that happens to be animated.
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16. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 5:51 AM (in response to Colin Holgate)

Oh wow.... I can't believe I missed that... thank you all so much for your time and I am very sorry for wasting your time!
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17. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Stan Jones Mar 13, 2017 5:59 AM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

Also, at 3:30, he changes the white solid to an oval. So it is not just a white solid.
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18. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 6:00 AM (in response to Colin Holgate)

Ok so i'm sorry but I adjusted it to the alpha channel and still nothing...
I've noticed that when I use CC Glass on the footage layer it does not stylise the footage anywhere near as much as the linked video...

Could using 4k footage cause issues in that sense?
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19. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 6:01 AM (in response to Stan Jones)

My white solid was also an oval.
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20. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Colin Holgate Mar 13, 2017 6:11 AM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

What is the video that you're using as a bump map? Does it have an animation against a transparent background?
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21. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Mar 13, 2017 6:22 AM (in response to Colin Holgate)

So in the original effect, what I am essentially trying to do is make the tip of the blade look as if it is under the talents skin, I originally masked around the tip of the knife then set that as the bump map (purely the original but masked footage)... nothing. (I then copied the mask and applied it to a white solid, nothing again)

I then found the previously linked tutorial so I followed it almost exactly (I did not use a tracker or null, perhaps that may be the issue? I don't know) by creating white solids and masking an Ellipse and animating it to move, Still, the bump map does not set in CC Glass.

Masking an object then animating it to move is animation against a transparent background, right?

I hope this made sense
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22. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Colin Holgate Mar 13, 2017 6:34 AM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

As I mentioned, I don't really know AE, but I do know about images and alpha channels. I would not expect an image with a masked layer to make it look transparent would be seen as a valid 8 bit grayscale, unless you had rendered it as 32 bit video and imported that file to use as the bump map. If you recreated the look you want for the sword in Photoshop, then export that as a 24 bit with transparency PNG, and use the alpha channel of that images as the bump map, it ought to work.

Having said that, I don't know if you can point to the alpha channel of a still image like you can with a video.
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23. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Szalam Mar 13, 2017 1:50 PM (in response to Colin Holgate)

In the current version of AE, if you are referencing another layer from your effect, that layer looks at the other layer's source. That is to say, if you have masks or effects on the layer you're referencing, you won't get results from those masks or effects. Precompose your referenced layer (and MOVE ALL ATTRIBUTES into the precomp). Then reference that precomp in your effect. It should work as you expect.
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24. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Kevin-Monahan Apr 11, 2017 4:45 PM (in response to Infinity_Prism)

Hi Infinity_Prism,
With the info that you got from our forum experts, did you complete the effect you wanted to create? Please let us know as it sounds like you have some very good instruction here. If you still need help, also let us know.

Thanks,
Kevin
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25. Re: CC Glass Bump Map WILL NOT WORK

Infinity_Prism Apr 12, 2017 2:17 AM (in response to Kevin-Monahan)

Sorry, I ended up using alternative measures with the effect as I was running close to the deadline of the project, thanks for your help everyone
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