We designed Lightform Creator to use a simple and intuitive workflow to create amazing projected AR content.
In this article:
Overview
While designing Lightform Creator, we drew inspiration from best practices used in softwares like Adobe Suite and Interface Design to bring familiarity to a new medium of projected augmented reality motion content.
At the center of the user interface (UI) is an interactive view into the canvas where an artboard is drawn and all of the content is created. The toolbar at the top dynamically reveals all of the content creation and editing tools. The layers panel on the left displays all objects in a rearrangeable list with the scan panel beneath it. The property panel on the right dynamically reveals all editable parameters.
Artboard
You can zoom in or out of the artboard by pressing CMD+Scroll or if using a trackpad, pinch, and pannable spacebar workspace. All content is created inside of the artboard and its size is determined by the resolution of the projector during the scan.
To change the resolution of the artboard, take a new scan at the desired resolution. The current content will stay in place after the new scan. You can place content outside of the artboard but any part of the content not inside the artboard will not be visible when published.
Toolbar
We intentionally chose not to hide any tools within drop-down menus. Instead, the toolbar dynamically changes to reveal the allowed operations at any given time.
Note
If you would like to return to the default mode (i.e., switch away from a particular masking tool you've selected) press esc.
Read more about editing modes, masking tools, and content creation.
Layers Panel
The layers panel consists of surfaces. Each surface can contain its own smart group of content, masks, effects, or structures. Adjusting or warping the mask of the surface will apply to all of the content within that surface.
Layers can be selected, reordered, renamed, locked, and hidden. When a layer is selected in the Layers Panel or the Artboard, all of its properties are revealed in the Property Panel.
Scan Panel
The scan acts as a powerful background layer for masking and creating instant effects. The Scan Panel is much like the Layers Panel but only contains the scan layer.
When selected, the Scan properties such as opacity, brightness and hole filling appear in the Property Panel.
Property Panel
The Property Panel can inspect and modify parameters for any selected object(s). This includes Surfaces, Scans, Content, and Slides. The Property Panel changes dynamically based on the selection.
Slides Panel
The Slides Panel is a horizontal view of Slides. Slides can be duplicated, deleted, reordered, and renamed.
Each Surface contains its own content. Adjusting the mask and structure of the Surface will apply to all of the content within that Surface. By creating a new slide, you are able to use the same Surface, including the Surface's mask and structure defined in any Slide, with entirely new content.
Media Browser
The Media Browser is a library of built-in and user-imported content. It is a hidden panel that slides out when new content is being added to the project.
Users can import custom images and videos into the Media Browser by dragging files directly into Lightform Creator. Read more about adding content.