Using the Vectorizer to Define PhotoMosaic Shapes

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Yesterday we showed how to use the Vectorizer to generate flat colored regions that were then used to position paint synthesizer text brush word positioning. Today we’ll show an approach to use the Vectorizer to build a region effect abstracted flat color source representation that the paint synthesizer will then convert into a photo mosaic image based on a movie brush. The photo mosaic sub image layout will be based on the abstracted shapes generated by the Vectorizer.

The paint action sequence below was what I used to create the abstracted photo mosaic effect shown above.

Note that there are 2 action steps. The first uses the Vectorizer to generate an abstracted flat color region representation of the source image in the main canvas. The second step uses path start regionization along with a movie brush in the paint synthesizer to fill in the individual float colored vectorizer generated regions with images from a movie brush to build an abstracted photo mosaic effect.

The vectorizer action step is setup to use the Boundary Rectangle option for the Region Effect parameter in the Drawing control panel (2nd gallery image above). Noe that i’m using the Pixel Raster Fill option for the Canvas Render Option. This is because I want to have hard edges for my flat color regions generated by the vectorizer since i’m going to be using the flat colored regions to drive path start regionization in the paint synthesizer.

The 3rd gallery image above shows the output of the Vectorizer action step.

The AutoPaint action step is based on a movie brush paint preset. Note that the

The movie source brush MB 1D Frame Mod parameter is set to RGB Mapping. So every time a paint nib is drawn the frame indexing for the movie brush is modulated to select the best image to represent the source image coloring at that location.

I used the same Path Start settings we’ve discussing in recent posts (2nd gallery image above). I want to fill in each of the flat colored regions (currently in the canvas) generated by the vectorizer. So I set the Generator to Flat Region Canvas as Regions. This option intelligently analyzes the canvas during the path start regionization processing and generates a path start position for each of the colored regions.

I used the Path Start Regionization option for the Path Type in the Path Shape control panel (3rd gallery image above). I set the Region Pattern Type to Outline, since I wanted to generate paths that correspond to the outline of each of the individual path start regions.

I want to fill the outline paths regions with the movie brush. So I set the Pen Mode to Region Fill as Brush. Remember that Region Fill as Brush pen mode overrides the source brush when it draws regions defined by the current path.

But I also want to draw the RGB channels of the movie source brush (as opposed to having them overridden by the generated region. To do this I set the Brush Option parameter in the Region as Brush Mode control panel to Alpha Only (4th gallery image above). This setting will only override the source brush alpha channel with the generated region shape (while leaving the source brush RGB channels alone).

I then set the Brush Type to Source Alpha Brush. And I setup the Paint Fill Setup control panel so that Fill From was the Brush Image (5th gallery image above).

At this point I had a paint preset that uses path start regionization to analyze the canvas and fill in every flat colored region in the canvas with a movie brush frame.

Customizing the Effect

The PASeq preset I used to create the abstracted photo mosaic effect is available here 6911.paseq . Note that the PASeq preset does not contain the specific movie brush file I used for my version of the effect. So you will have to edit the PASeq preset so that it uses your own custom movie brush.

To do that, press the red keyframe associated with the AutoPaint action step. Then run the File : Paint Synthesizer : New Movie Brush menu command and select your own custom movie brush file. Then option click the red keyframe associated with the AutoPaint action step to record your editing change.

By working with different vectorizer control settings, you can dramatically change the mosaic block shapes and positioning for your abstracted photo mosaic effect. The image above shows another variation of this effect that I created by using the vectorizer Shape technique with no Region Effects.

Categories: Mosaics, Vectorizer

Using the Vectorizer to Define PhotoMosaic Shapes

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