How to Add Arrows, Circles, and the like?

[TwoRails]

I'm new to all this and would like to learn how to add things like arrows, circles, and more to a video using X8 Ultimate. I've Googled and have not found an answer.

So, for example, if the video is a 'how to' video to disassemble something, I'd like to circle or point to things such as, "remove these four bolts," numbering them in the order removed. I don't need to freeze frame the video as there is plenty of time to do this without a freeze frame.

I don't want to draw with a mouse as I'm not that steady and I want a nicer look than freehand.

Any ideas?

[asik1]

How about staring by reading the manual? How about page 127 ?
Was this a good idea?

[BrianCee]

Unfortunately VideoStudio does not provide any pre-drawn circles and arrows etc. - there is the Painting Creator off course but that relies on drawing with a mouse and I can undestand your reasons for not wanting to do that.

The way I do things like that is to create those shapes in an external graphics programme putting them on a transparent background - I have attached a circle to this post - please download it and try it.

With your video in the top track add the circle to the overlay track - you can then make it's duration whatever you want - if you click on the clip in the overlay track you will see the option to resize the circle by moving the yellow corner blocks or moving it by left clicking and sliding

If the item you want to highlight is also moving then you are going to have to learn about "Track Motion" as well

have a go - download and unzip this

trans circle.zip

(21.08 KiB) Downloaded 607 times

[lata]

Hi TwoRails

As Asik says the Guide is probably the best place to start, press F1 to open. Content tab , graphics.

From the Graphics Library (the flower icon)
Most objects are transparent PNG files, view the content of the graphics library there may be some you can use. The Corel Guide – Graphics download has some other samples, not sure its what you are after.

You may be best creating your own images (PNG) using an image editor.

You could use the Text Editor to create a single O, that may be used as a circle.

I have attached an arrow for you to try?

arrow 1.zip

place in overlay track

(7.11 KiB) Downloaded 564 times

[TwoRails]

Unfortunately VideoStudio does not provide any pre-drawn circles and arrows etc. - there is the Painting Creator off course but that relies on drawing with a mouse and I can undestand your reasons for not wanting to do that.

The way I do things like that is to create those shapes in an external graphics programme putting them on a transparent background - I have attached a circle to this post - please download it and try it.

With your video in the top track add the circle to the overlay track - you can then make it's duration whatever you want - if you click on the clip in the overlay track you will see the option to resize the circle by moving the yellow corner blocks or moving it by left clicking and sliding

If the item you want to highlight is also moving then you are going to have to learn about "Track Motion" as well

have a go - download and unzip this

trans circle.zip

...

Thanks for the tips, BrianCee. I checked out your circle and that's the kind of thing I was looking for. And now I know how to use it.

[TwoRails]

Hi TwoRails

As Asik says the Guide is probably the best place to start, press F1 to open. Content tab , graphics.

From the Graphics Library (the flower icon)
Most objects are transparent PNG files, view the content of the graphics library there may be some you can use. The Corel Guide – Graphics download has some other samples, not sure its what you are after.

You may be best creating your own images (PNG) using an image editor.

You could use the Text Editor to create a single O, that may be used as a circle.

I have attached an arrow for you to try?

arrow 1.zip

Hi lata. Thanks for the tips and pretty snazzy arrow.

[TwoRails]

Now that I know that nothing is built into VideoStudio, and that I have to make my own items, I have a tip that maybe you'll find helpful. I use SnagIt for capturing screenshots. SnagIt has a pretty good library of arrows and other shapes to add to your screenshots. And it's pretty easy to use. So I made some numbers and circles and the like. Saved them as PNG as mentioned above, and they work -- I guess I'm spoiled with it and is why I "assumed" VideoStudio would have something similar build-in.

Check it out if you'd like:

https://www.techsmith.com/snagit-features.html

.

[TwoRails]

Sorry, but I have another, related question. How can I crop a PNG?? I used the F1 help as mentioned above and tried the Crop FX. But all I could get it to do was resize the image. So I tried Crop on a video clip to test it, and same thing: all I could do is resize. So I must be missing something.

The reason I'd like to do a true crop is that the first PNG I made has six numbers in it and a circle. I figured that way I could have just one image file instead of a bunch, and simply crop out the numbers and stuff I don't need in a particular situation.

Any ideas?

[BrianCee]

Would be better to cut the one picture with numerous items up into single items in an external editor before importing them to a VideoStudio library so that they are always quickly available for future projects

[TwoRails]

Would be better to cut the one picture with numerous items up into single items in an external editor before importing them to a VideoStudio library so that they are always quickly available for future projects

Easily done, thanks again.