What are the best tools and techniques for rotoscoping without tracking and stabilizing in Nuke?

1 Roto Node

The Roto node is the basic tool for rotoscoping in Nuke. It allows you to draw shapes using bezier or b-spline curves, and adjust their position, rotation, scale, and feathering over time. You can also use the RotoPaint node, which combines the features of the Roto and Paint nodes, and lets you use brushes, clone, and eraser tools. To use the Roto or RotoPaint node, simply connect it to the footage you want to rotoscope, and start drawing your shapes on the viewer. You can also use the toolbar buttons or keyboard shortcuts to switch between different modes and tools.

2 Keyframe Animation

One of the most important techniques for rotoscoping without tracking and stabilizing is keyframe animation. Keyframes are points in time where you set the values of your shape's properties, such as position, rotation, scale, and feathering. Nuke will interpolate the values between keyframes, creating smooth transitions. To create keyframes, you need to enable animation on the properties you want to animate, and use the timeline or the curve editor to set and adjust them. You can also use the dope sheet to view and edit your keyframes in a spreadsheet-like format. The key to effective keyframe animation is to use as few keyframes as possible, and tweak them until they match the motion of the footage.

3 Splines and Breakdowns

Another technique for rotoscoping without tracking and stabilizing is to use splines and breakdowns. Splines are smooth curves that define the shape of your mask or matte. Breakdowns are additional points that you can add to your splines to refine their shape and curvature. To use splines and breakdowns, you need to select the points of your shape that you want to convert to splines, and use the Spline button on the toolbar or the S key on the keyboard. You can then use the handles to adjust the tension and angle of the splines. To add breakdowns, you need to select the segment of the spline that you want to split, and use the Breakdown button on the toolbar or the B key on the keyboard. You can then move the breakdown point to change the shape of the spline.

4 Transform and CornerPin

Sometimes, you may need to transform or warp your shapes to match the perspective or distortion of the footage. For example, if you are rotoscoping a building or a car that is moving or rotating in 3D space. To do this, you can use the Transform or CornerPin nodes. The Transform node allows you to move, rotate, scale, and shear your shapes using a pivot point and a bounding box. The CornerPin node allows you to map your shapes to four corner points that you can position on the viewer. To use the Transform or CornerPin nodes, you need to connect them between your Roto or RotoPaint node and your footage, and adjust their parameters on the properties panel.

5 Blur and Merge

Finally, you may want to blur and merge your shapes to create more realistic and seamless masks or mattes. Blurring your shapes can help to soften the edges and reduce aliasing or jaggedness. Merging your shapes can help to combine them into one output or blend them with other elements. To blur your shapes, you can use the Blur node, which allows you to set the size and quality of the blur effect. To merge your shapes, you can use the Merge node, which allows you to choose from different operation modes, such as over, under, add, multiply, or screen. To use the Blur or Merge nodes, you need to connect them after your Roto or RotoPaint node, and before your final output.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?