This is an animation that uses file objects created by processing movies like illustrations.It's a continuation of the previous 'Kaleidoscope' article.I tried making a 'kaleidoscope' using movies.

The frame rate is 8, but it's tough (8 seconds).To make a movie into an animated GIF under 10MB, reducing the number of colors becomes important.However, in reality, the number of colors isn't reduced as much as it appears.

Prepare the Movie

You need to prepare a movie for the 'kaleidoscope'.Going somewhere to film now would be nice, but it's night, too much trouble, and I can't think of anything to shoot, so I gave up.I remembered taking a video of the scenery from a Shinkansen (bullet train) a few years ago.(640 × 480px) is a small size, so I thought it would be just right.Due to the sound barrier walls, nothing is visible for long, so there aren't any long takes.

Import the Movie

This time, it also includes an experiment to eliminate pixel defects in the selection area.Create a 'New Illustration' of (480 × 480px).Display the 'Grid'.In 'Grid/Ruler Settings', set 'Grid/Ruler Origin' to (Center).In 'Grid Settings', set the interval to (120) px and the number of divisions to (4).I changed the interval from 100 to 120.

Import the movie to the canvas.From the 'File' menu, select 'Import', then 'Movie'.Movies seem to be treated as file objects.In the 'Timeline' palette, create a 'New Timeline'.Set the frame rate to (8) and the playback time to (8+0).

Determine the display position of the movie.

First, draw the area that will be displayed as a kaleidoscope.Draw a red triangle on a vector layer (line color is arbitrary).Draw a triangle connecting the points 'center', '120px left and 210px up from center', and '120px right and 210px up from center'.It looks like an equilateral triangle, but it's a very similar isosceles triangle.Since it only plays for 8 seconds, I'll look for a visually appealing start.I shifted the movie so it starts from where a steel tower crosses.Change the movie size so that the steel tower crossing the triangle fits nicely.I set the 'Magnification' to (71).Click the 'Enable keyframes on layer' icon in the 'Timeline' palette.Since the 'Keyframe interval' is not repeated, I don't care if it's 'Constant speed' or 'Smooth'.Add a 'Keyframe'.The 'Magnification' in the 'Tool Property' palette was automatically changed.Is this a bug?Display the last playback frame.I set the 'Magnification' to (80) and moved the movie position so the tree is in the center.The discrepancy in the 'Magnification' value can be corrected, but I won't; I'll proceed as is.Of course, you can correct it if you like.

Reduce the number of colors and adjust the tones.Add 'Correction layers' above the 'Movie' layer in the 'Layer' palette.From the 'Layer' menu, select 'New Correction Layer' -> 'Posterization'.Set 'Posterization levels' to (6) (this doesn't mean it will become 6 colors).Set the 'Blending mode' of the layer in the 'Layer' palette to 'Luminosity' (the lowest one).This is a big discovery!When 'Posterization' is chosen, unfamiliar color tones can be introduced, but this was solved by choosing 'Luminosity' as the layer blending mode.This is usable!!!To suppress the 'black' that can be created by 'Posterization',I thought of using 'Gradient Map' from the 'Layer' menu -> 'New Correction Layer'.Check 'Mixing Ratio Curve' in the 'Black to White' gradient map.Raise the 'Left node'; try to keep the area from the center to the right as close to the original state as possible.Also set the 'Blending mode' of this layer in the 'Layer' palette to 'Luminosity' (the lowest one).Adjust the overall colors with 'Hue/Saturation/Luminosity' from the 'Layer' menu -> 'New Correction Layer'.There is 'gray', but it feels out of place.I want to add color to it.From the 'Layer' menu, select 'New Correction Layer' -> 'Tone Curve'.Select 'Blue' and lift the 'darker parts' on the left.Keep the area from the center to the right close to the original state.

Save the file as (480×480.clip).Close the canvas.

This is the animation so far.The triangular part is what will be displayed in the kaleidoscope.

Create a File for Tiling

Create a new canvas of (720 × 840px) using 'New Illustration'.Display the 'Grid'.In 'Grid/Ruler Settings', set 'Grid/Ruler Origin' to (Center).In 'Grid Settings', set the 'Interval' to (120) and keep the 'Number of divisions' at (4).From the 'File' menu, select 'Import' -> 'Create file object', and import (480×480.clip).It will be displayed in the center of the canvas.

Duplicate the (400×400) layer in the 'Layer' palette to make six copies.Select the topmost layer.Use the 'Polyline Selection' sub-tool with anti-aliasing off to select an area that matches the triangle on the canvas.Apply a 'Layer mask'.Select the second layer.Select the 'Object' sub-tool.Set the 'Rotation angle' in the 'Tool Property' palette to (120).Use the 'Polyline Selection' sub-tool to select an area that matches the triangle on the canvas.Apply a 'Layer mask'.Select the third layer.Select the 'Object' sub-tool.Set the 'Rotation angle' in the 'Tool Property' palette to ( -120).Use the 'Polyline Selection' sub-tool to select an area that matches the triangle on the canvas.Apply a 'Layer mask'.Select the fourth layer.Select the 'Object' sub-tool.Click the 'Flip vertically with center of rotation as origin' icon in the 'Tool Property' palette.Use the 'Polyline Selection' sub-tool to select an area that matches the triangle on the canvas.Apply a 'Layer mask'.Select the fifth layer.Select the 'Object' sub-tool.Click the 'Flip vertically with center of rotation as origin' icon in the 'Tool Property' palette.Set the 'Rotation angle' to (120).Use the 'Polyline Selection' sub-tool to select an area that matches the triangle on the canvas.Apply a 'Layer mask'.Select the sixth layer.Select the 'Object' sub-tool.Click the 'Flip vertically with center of rotation as origin' icon in the 'Tool Property' palette.Set the 'Rotation angle' to ( -120).Use the 'Polyline Selection' sub-tool to select an area that matches the triangle on the canvas.Apply a 'Layer mask'.Group the duplicated file objects into one folder in the 'Layer' palette.I named the folder 'Center'.* Please save it as (720×840.clip) here. I forgot it in the attached file. Sorry.

Hide the reference triangle and arrange the hexagons on the canvas.Open (400×400.clip).In the 'Layer' palette, hide the 'Triangle' layer.'Save' and close the canvas.When you return to the canvas you are working on, the 'Reference Triangle' should be gone.If it's not, select 'Update All File Objects' from the 'Layer' menu -> 'File Object'.Close the folder in the 'Layer' palette, duplicate the folder, and arrange the hexagons without gaps.

In the 'Timeline' palette, click 'New Timeline'.Set the 'Frame Rate' to (8) and the 'Playback Time' to (8+0).

Save the file as (720×840.clip).Close the canvas.

This is the animated GIF so far.You can see the steel tower crossing. The latter half is a mess.Since the file size is already large, I've scaled it down.It's scaled down and cannot be confirmed here, but pixel defects were also corrected.

Dazzling 8-Second Kaleidoscope!

Create a new canvas of (1280 × 720) using 'New Illustration'.From the 'File' menu, select 'Import' -> 'Create file object', and open (720×840.clip).(720×840.clip) will be displayed in the center of the canvas, overflowing.Set the 'Sub Tool' to 'Object'.Set the 'Transformation Method' in the 'Tool Property' palette to 'Free Transform'.Check 'Tiling'.Manipulate the corner points of the file object on the canvas to apply a cool perspective.In the 'Timeline' palette, create a 'New Timeline'.Set the 'Frame Rate' to (8) and the 'Playback Time' to (8+0).

Save the file as (Kaleidoscope_8_Seconds_Shinkansen_Ver.clip).

This is the finished animated GIF.

Here are the (480 × 480) image without dithering and without color reduction,the finished kaleidoscope's actual size illustration-style color-reduced version (PNG image), andthe full-color (PNG image), placed side by side.

Summary

If there's no need to make it an animated GIF (which I think applies to most cases),there's no need to lower the frame rate, worry about playback time, or reduce the number of colors.You can just convert it to MP4 without thinking.You can create a kaleidoscope directly.In fact, creating a kaleidoscope using CLIP STUDIO PAINT might be almost impossible.I think you can quickly create one with a dedicated editing app.What kind of summary is this!!

It turned into a trilogy, but what I wanted to do was play around with CLIP STUDIO PAINT.It started with writing something random like 'kaleidoscope with movies', but... well, that's how it is.Thank you for reading to the end.