The Art of Rotoscoping

Turn your video footage into a work of art. Learn the basics of rotoscoping to build creative effects and to isolate video elements for compositing or VFX. In this course, instructor and mograph artist Eran Stern starts by diving the history and origin of rotoscoping in film and video, providing the background for subsequent practical techniques. He shows how to transform video into natural art—from pencil sketches to Van Gogh paintings, claymation to chalkboard drawings, watercolors to graffiti, and ink blots, Legos, comic books, pastels, and much more. You can also find out how to use the same foundational techniques to isolate elements for compositing and visual effects work, and create simple character animations. Plus, explore the different software for rotoscoping, from Photoshop and After Effects to professional applications such as Mocha AE.

Topics include:

Rotoscoping with Photoshop
Applying Photoshop actions
Rotoscoping with After Effects
Using AE Auto Trace for quick rotoscoping
Using third-party effects such as Sapphire Stylize
Generating an animated character from video with Characterizer
Keying effects
Creating and refining mattes
Tracking masks
Using professional roto tools, like Mocha AE