Yesterday I started the morning knowing I wanted to add some animation to the Gladiator scene. I separated out each of the gladiators in Procreate and exported each as a PNG file. I then patched the background where gladiators had left holes in the painting.
As I was working I stumbled on a youTube video that showed how to use a free depth generator online. The freeware is called ZOE Depth and is easy to use. I imported the background into the engine and with a click of a button it generated a fully dimensional image that can be rotated. Every pixel is pushed back into space. It is like a 3D diorama with a floor plane an walls. The 3D model is darker than the original art but that can be corrected.
I had to upload the newest version of Adobe After Effects which can work with the 3D model. Once it was imported, I then created a 35mm camera which could be moved through the setting. There are limitations, in that things tend to stretch and distort if you move the camera too much. But for the tight one second shot I wanted to accomplish it was perfect. I tracked the camera down and moved it in slightly towards the action.
The youTube video I watched was just 10 days old and the Adobe After Effects update was brand new. It is exciting to get to play with brand new technology using my traditional art. I continue to dabble in the digital world. The gladiator scene I completed with ZOE Depth turned out amazing. This morning, I listed 5 shots which I will try this new technology on. I am giddy and delighted to continue the experiment. Seeing the ZOE Depth video I shared, I also decided to try and make the foreground Gladiator more dimensional. This isn’t critical but I will give it a try.