Animating with the Transform Tool

With the Transform tool, you can animate changes in position, rotation, scaling and skewing all from one tool. Unlike the Motion, Rotation, Scale and Skew tools, you work visually to select and modify Drawing and Image elements, rather than Pegs, in the Camera View. Toon Boom Studio applies transformations applied visually to drawing and image elements to their parent pegs.

You can use the Transform tool in the Camera View only. If you want to animate a motion path through 3D space you can use the Motion tool in the Top or Side View windows. Or, you can edit the front-back or east-west functions of the motion path in the Function Editor.


	The Transform tool is ideal for working with cut-outs when you are creating keyframes at every frame or when you are creating constant segments. However, if you want to animate only one function, such as a rotation on an arm, or if you want Toon Boom Studio to interpolate changes between keyframes, it is best to use the tool specific to the function you want to create: Motion, Rotation, Scale or Skew.

To animate with the Transform tool:

1. In the Timeline, drag the red frame slider to the frame where you want to add a keyframe.

2. Select Tools > Sceneplanning Tools > Transform. This activates the Transform tool.

3. With the Transform tool, select the elements you want to animate. You can drag the cursor to create a selection box around the elements.

4. Do any of the following to change the selected elements at that frame:

Drag the selection to a new position to create a motion keyframe on the motion path.

Use the rotate handles to create a rotation keyframe and change the angle of the element.
Use the scale handles to create a scale keyframe and change the horizontal or vertical size of the element.
Hold down [Alt] as you select the handles to create a skew keyframe and skew the angle of the element.

Toon Boom Studio automatically adds a keyframe for motion, rotation, skewing and scaling at the selected frame. You can use the Function Editor to edit the functions created when you animate with pegs, including the velocity. You can use the Motion, Rotation, Skew or Scale tools to animate each function separately.