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Mesh tool

Pro Feature

Pro features are available with a Professional licence. To upgrade, visit cavalry.scenegroup.co.

Intro

Create a mesh by adding control vertices which can be used to deform raster graphics (images) and/or other Shaders.

Support

The Mesh tool is currently only supported for use with the Footage Shape.

Mesh preview

Enable Draw Debug Information in the Viewport Settings to preview the resulting mesh.

UI

Add a vertex

With the Footage Shape selected, hold Option/Alt and click on the Shape.

Keep holding Option/Alt and clicking to create more vertices with connecting edges.

Edit a vertex

Vertices have two positions, Bind and Offset. See the Footage Shape (Mesh tab) for more information.

Hold Option/Alt and click and drag a vertex to move its Bind Position.

Click and drag a vertex to move its Offset Position.

When holding Option/Alt, the vertices will return to their Bind Positions in the Viewport. This is the equivalent of unchecking the Mesh checkbox.

Create an edge

The direction of triangles within the mesh can be customised by:

  1. Holding Shift.
  2. Clicking on a vertex.
  3. Dragging to another vertex and releasing the mouse.

This is useful for refining the resulting deformation. For example, in the situation where 4 individual vertices have been added to form a rectangle, that rectangle will be split across opposite diagonals to form two triangles. By following the steps above, the split can be set to connect the other two vertices.

Hotkeys

ShortcutDescription
Option/AltAdd a vertex.
ShiftDraw/connect an edge.
S + click + dragIncrease/decrease the Soft Selection Size.

Tool settings

See Tool Settings for the context specific options available for this tool.

Example
  1. Import an image to the Assets Window.
  2. Drag the image from the Assets Window into the Viewport.
  3. Enable the Mesh tool.
  4. Click on the image to ensure the Footage Shape is selected.
  5. Hold Option/Alt and click in the centre of the image in the Viewport to create a vertex.
  6. Release Option/Alt and click and drag the vertex.