I’m new HELP please - After effects - auto trace

[Probmrjt]

So, I am new to after effects but trying to learn. 

the difficulty I am currently having is when using the "auto trace" feature in Ae it's not picking up the whole image ( or it's only picking up certain parts ) 

some images it works fine with. I may have to mess around with "Alpha, luminosity" and adjust threshold etc.  but with some images it's just not tracing as I would like.  

I will attach some photos 

The image I am really trying to work with is what I would consider "Complex" maybe there's too much going on. 

I have tried vectoring using illustrator. And also tried many other methods but I'm just not getting anywhere. 

Any help is greatly appreciated 

 

[Probmrjt]

Further to my post I've worked with other gaming logos and have no problem when it comes to tracing - it's just this image and a couple others I'm struggling with. 

this is another image, but there was no problem with this one. 

[kglad]

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

<"moved from using the community">

[Probmrjt]

Thank you 

[kglad]

(you're welcome)

[Rick Gerard]

You have options to choose Luminance, Red, Green, Blue, or Alpha channel and adjust the Tolerance, Minimum Area, Threshold, and Corner Roundness. It is often a good idea to apply some pretty severe color correction to your layer to isolate colors, then pre-compose moving all attributes and trimming the pre-comp before applying Auto Trace. It's also usually a good idea to just select the current frame unless you need animated masks.

[Probmrjt]

Thank you. I have tried luminance, alpha, and the colours and also adjusting the threshold, tolerance and other settings, but getting no where. My guess is there's just "too many" colours on the image for it to properly trace it. I mean I could go into photoshop/illustrator and adjust the colours to fewer  options. 

I've tried image-tracing in illustrator and then importing that in after effects but this doesn't make me any better off. I've also tried tracing as black and white, 6 colours, silhouette etc. 

This is a closer view of the image I am trying to work with. 

[Rick Gerard]

What are you trying to do? If all you want is an outline of the character, open the image in Photoshop and, remove the background, then auto-trace the Alpha channel.

[Probmrjt]

Yeah, I'm fine adding it as an alpha and then dropping the image onto the reflectivity section for it to come through. 

But I am trying to achieve a look where rather than an alpha layer it is luminosity with bevels containing outlines. 

 I tried what you said earlier, but wasn't getting much luck. what I've also done today is dropped the image in illustrator masked it to layers and I've just made the colours more solid other than loads of different shades. And that seems to have worked. But surely there's an easier way around it! 

I'll drop a few more pictures. so you can see what I'm trying to achieve. 😁

[Probmrjt]

And this is another project but this logo works fine, but I'm also guessing that's because the colours are more simple! 

In this photo you'll see what I'm trying to achieve, it's just with this image and others I'm having difficulty with the luminosity and the threshold etc. 

ibe tried image tracing/vectoring/black and white/gradient - all sorts and no joy! 

Thanks for your time and your responses. 😁