How to make an animated arrow

LaRa

Is there a way an animated arrow can be made in VP? For example, I would like to show the length of a fabric with an animated arrow starting from one end of the fabric to the other end, with the arrow lengthening as it moves across

[deleted]

It is possible but would work best if you had an image of the type of arrow you want. This should be made (or downloaded from the web) Here is an example of a lengthening arrow using one of the VP library arrow images..

arrow.mp4

This image was placed over a blank yellow clip. There are two effects applied..

Scale where only the vertical scale was altered between small at the start of the clip (keyframe 1) and lengthened at the end. (keyframe 2)
Position where the tail of the arrow is fixed at the bottom of the screen (keyframe 1) and also at this position at the end of the clip (Keyframe 2)

The reason that Position needs to used is that Scale enlarges the arrow up and down from the centre. Position keeps the tail at the bottom of the screen.

Obviously a better arrow is needed for this and it should have a transparent background (usually a png) but equally a monochrome background jpg arrow could be used, the background being made transparent with the green screen effect. if you want the arrow to stop for a moment at the end then either add a screen capture of the last frame or set the end keyframe before the end of the main clip and then another with the same parameters at the end of the clip.

aa.mp4

In your case position would be used to fix the arrow tail at the required edge of the material.....

Nat

LaRa

Great idea! Thanks a ton, Nat! I could use any of the arrows in wingdings 3 or maybe be create a custom arrow. Thanks again!

[deleted]

Yes..Wingdings would be OK. The image would obviousy be text but that shouldn't be a problem Furthermore you could choose a variety of directions. (just alter the scale to horizontal.) Here's one using the jpg again with green screen to remove the white background to the red arrow...with the arrow stopping using a screen copy of the last frame.

zz.mp4

Lots of possibilities.

Nat

LaRa

Great! Thanks so much! So happy to get prompt response 🙂IP

btw, Lots of possibilities is EXACTLY what I thought too https://content.invisioncic.com/r33241/emoticons/default\_smile.png

The maximum scale value of 3 doesn't seem to cover the length I want the arrow to cover. How did you manage to make your arrow extend to the length that you have in the above two videos.

Btw, VP crashes everytime I download and add either of the fletched arrows from the clipart gallery to the timeline. So I used the much shorter wingdings arrow.

[deleted]

Shouldn't crash...Worked OK here in VP 10.56. However, try here...

https://pngtree.com/free-arrows-png

On my demo it was just a matter of using the vertical scale parameter. The image, made in a third party graphics prog was big enough to do this. Check the font size for your Wingdings 3 arrow. It may have started off too small.

Here is a Wingdings 3 "h" This gives a vertical arrow (in this demo) Use the text editor font size to scale it up. Remember the Clip Preview screen is the video image size and you can judge roughly the size you need. Try around 100 - 120. You can always scale it down to nothing.

Place on the overlay track with the main image below it on Track 1. In fact this arrow may be a bit big at 120 and too wide so use Scale to reduce it to a suitable size. Presumably it will start very short and possibly small.

Now use position so the end starts in the correct place and set keyframe 1 with the cursor at the start of the clip. This is the starting length (scale) and position for the arrow. Like this...

Move the effects cursor to the right. (end of the clip) and scale the arrow up vertically until it about the correct length and Position it so it starts correctly and fits where you want it to. You may have to reduce the width a bit with Scale as this alters during the scaling up. Check the appearance and position at the end of the clip and when it looks OK set the second keyframe....

This is the idea. A lot depends on the image chosen for the arrow....A simple line might actually be better as you can keep the width from expanding as it scales up. Anyway.......(I haven't stopped it at the end)

ss.mp4

For a vertical line use a Capital i in Arial set at font size 100. Keep the width stable using the horizontal scale. The barbs on an arrow will not be there to present a problem. For a horizontal line just rotate the capital i. Experiment a bit.

Nat

LaRa

ok...thanks...looks likeI have to choose an arrow that doesn't overwhelm the final frame because of its scaled-up size. Increasing the font size is not an option because the final arrow becomes too huge. Thanks for the pngtree link.

Another option to convey the length is to use an arrow and move it along the desired edge. But I still think the lengthening arrow is a cool effect. I have seen a youtube video in which this effect has been used without any distortion of the arrow itself, likely made with some other video editing software