Hi fellow VST designers
I'm new on this forum.
I will keep my fist post short.
I have designed a VST user interface in photoshop that look great.
the only thing that's left to send to the programmer is the knobs (also designed in PS)
my client want the knob to rotate 101 images like a "flimstrip"
I want to keep the work with in PS and not use knobman since I don't think the look is right for the product I'm designing.
I found Knob Render( http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=77476 ) which does what I want within PS, but it seems like the plugin doesn't exist any more?
Do you guys know of any plugins like Knob render that work with in PS?
Thank you
KNOB PROBLEM!
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 5 posts since 17 Apr, 2016
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- KVRist
- 449 posts since 26 Jun, 2005 from Sweden
You should split your knob into separate layers in photoshop.
Static (non-moving) layers in one groupfolder and the moving ones in another groupfolder, if your knob is simple you don't need to separate the layers.
Copy the static folder 101 times in your animationstrip, for the moving group copy it and also rotate it for each copy. This should be done with Photoshops actions or by making a script.
This will probably not work with rastered images as they will smear when you rotate them, only use vectorshapes.
Static (non-moving) layers in one groupfolder and the moving ones in another groupfolder, if your knob is simple you don't need to separate the layers.
Copy the static folder 101 times in your animationstrip, for the moving group copy it and also rotate it for each copy. This should be done with Photoshops actions or by making a script.
This will probably not work with rastered images as they will smear when you rotate them, only use vectorshapes.
Flavours of Lime - Tasty gui design for vst plugins.
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- KVRist
- 449 posts since 26 Jun, 2005 from Sweden
You can also extract the images from Photoshop and use jKnobman to make the rotation.
This should give you the same "looks" as in Photoshop and would probably be easier if you are not used to work with actions and scripts in PS.
Edit:
If you use a ring that indicates the knob position I would suggest to use jKnobman as it takes quite some work to get that right in PS.
This should give you the same "looks" as in Photoshop and would probably be easier if you are not used to work with actions and scripts in PS.
Edit:
If you use a ring that indicates the knob position I would suggest to use jKnobman as it takes quite some work to get that right in PS.
Flavours of Lime - Tasty gui design for vst plugins.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 5 posts since 17 Apr, 2016
Thank you for fast reply!
@deastman I have CC but if I animate the knob in AE the PS FX won't apply
and the shine and shadows would twist with the knob.
(if i would just import the image of the knob)
in the project I'm working on there's allot of different types of knobs, some more simple and others more advanced so I would really prefer to keep the project with in PS since that's the program from Adobe I'm most comfortable with.
Is there such script that is pre made? (it is important for the style of knob I'm designing that the PS FX move with the knob.
@deastman I have CC but if I animate the knob in AE the PS FX won't apply
and the shine and shadows would twist with the knob.
(if i would just import the image of the knob)
in the project I'm working on there's allot of different types of knobs, some more simple and others more advanced so I would really prefer to keep the project with in PS since that's the program from Adobe I'm most comfortable with.
Is there such script that is pre made? (it is important for the style of knob I'm designing that the PS FX move with the knob.
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- KVRist
- 449 posts since 26 Jun, 2005 from Sweden
To keep the shine and shadows moving you need to separate the layers.
Lets say your knob is 40x40px and use 101 frames.
1. Separate your layers into separate groups. Moving vs non-moving.
2. Resize your canvas to 40x(40x101) = 40x4040px.
3. Make an action for the static images. New Action > Copy Layer > Move down 40px > End.
4. Run the action 100 times (This is were a "Run Action x times" script is handy). Google: RunActionX-times.
5. Make an action for the moving images. New Action > Copy Layer > Move down 40px > Rotate by "x" degrees > End.
6. Same as step 4.
This should give you a complete animationstrip for your knob.
You must use vectorshapes for the moving parts as I said before otherwise you'll end up with a smeared result.
Edit: The following doesn't happen often but I've had it happen a few times so it's worth a mention.
Also, make sure you have a circle with 100% transparency in the group for the moving images that is big enough to contain all the moving parts, this only come in handy if your knob size (x/y) are not identical with eachoter (for example 40x50px). Without this Photoshop will probably rotate your images using an offcenter reference point and your knob will animate as wobbly.
Lets say your knob is 40x40px and use 101 frames.
1. Separate your layers into separate groups. Moving vs non-moving.
2. Resize your canvas to 40x(40x101) = 40x4040px.
3. Make an action for the static images. New Action > Copy Layer > Move down 40px > End.
4. Run the action 100 times (This is were a "Run Action x times" script is handy). Google: RunActionX-times.
5. Make an action for the moving images. New Action > Copy Layer > Move down 40px > Rotate by "x" degrees > End.
6. Same as step 4.
This should give you a complete animationstrip for your knob.
You must use vectorshapes for the moving parts as I said before otherwise you'll end up with a smeared result.
Edit: The following doesn't happen often but I've had it happen a few times so it's worth a mention.
Also, make sure you have a circle with 100% transparency in the group for the moving images that is big enough to contain all the moving parts, this only come in handy if your knob size (x/y) are not identical with eachoter (for example 40x50px). Without this Photoshop will probably rotate your images using an offcenter reference point and your knob will animate as wobbly.
Flavours of Lime - Tasty gui design for vst plugins.
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- KVRAF
- 7540 posts since 7 Aug, 2003 from San Francisco Bay Area
After Effects supports Photoshop layers and layer styles. You could also just apply the same effects in AE- drop shadows, bevels, etc. and they would be applied post-transformation, so they wouldn't twist with the knob.KobraSweden wrote:Thank you for fast reply!
@deastman I have CC but if I animate the knob in AE the PS FX won't apply
and the shine and shadows would twist with the knob.
(if i would just import the image of the knob)
in the project I'm working on there's allot of different types of knobs, some more simple and others more advanced so I would really prefer to keep the project with in PS since that's the program from Adobe I'm most comfortable with.
Is there such script that is pre made? (it is important for the style of knob I'm designing that the PS FX move with the knob.
Incomplete list of my gear: 1/8" audio input jack.
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- Beware the Quoth
- 33177 posts since 4 Sep, 2001 from R'lyeh Oceanic Amusement Park and Funfair
my other modular synth is a bugbrand
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- KVRist
- 449 posts since 26 Jun, 2005 from Sweden
@Whyterabbyt.
Nice find, I haven't tried this but it looks promising and it does what I described in one script which is both a workflow improvement and a timesaver. I will need to test this script.
Thanks for posting the link.
Edit:
I've tested the script, it works really good and is a huge timesaver if you only work in PS.
Nice find, I haven't tried this but it looks promising and it does what I described in one script which is both a workflow improvement and a timesaver. I will need to test this script.
Thanks for posting the link.
Edit:
I've tested the script, it works really good and is a huge timesaver if you only work in PS.
Flavours of Lime - Tasty gui design for vst plugins.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 5 posts since 17 Apr, 2016
Once again, Thank you guys!
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- Rad Grandad
- 38044 posts since 6 Sep, 2003 from Downeast Maine
Hi, while it seems you have already received some good responses here there is a forum dedicated to DSP and plugin design.I am a bit on the fence on whether to move this topic to that forum due to the responses already generated but leaving a shadow topic here will redirect everyone to the DSP and Plugin development forum where hopefully you'll get more responses and meet more VST designers. 
The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world. It requires profound, purpose‐larger‐than‐the‐self kind of understanding.
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- KVRAF
- 2696 posts since 19 Apr, 2005 from The City Beneath the Sea
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- KVRAF
- 7540 posts since 7 Aug, 2003 from San Francisco Bay Area
I'll just add that, more and more, I find myself doing the vast majority of my design work strictly in After Effects. Unless I need to actually do some hand painting of pixels in Photoshop- like a detailed mask around a complex subject from a photo, or cloning something out of an image, I'll just go straight to AE. The workflow for designing something like a UI is just a whole lot cleaner and more modular. I might start with shapes in Illustrator, but more likely not. It doesn't hurt that a lite version of Cinema4D comes bundled and tightly integrated. Or more often I might build 3D UI components such as knobs, sliders, etc. in 3ds Max, export them to .obj files, load them into VideoCopilot's Element 3D plugin inside of After Effects, and design the look from there. Doing everything in Photoshop feels like going back to the stone age.
Incomplete list of my gear: 1/8" audio input jack.
