Tutorials

Getting Started

Welcome to Video Painter! This tutorial will walk you through your first session with the software.

Installation

Mac users: After purchasing and downloading Video Painter, simply unzip the archive and drag the app to your Applications folder. On first launch, you may need to right-click and select "Open" to bypass macOS Gatekeeper.

Windows users: After downloading the .exe, simply run it. Note that you will likely get a 'warning' module when you install. This is simply because it hasn't been 'signed' by a third party, but it is indeed safe to run.

Activating Your License

When you first launch Video Painter, you'll be prompted to enter your license key. This key was emailed to you after purchase. Simply copy and paste it into the activation window and click "Activate".

Interface Overview

The Video Painter interface consists of several key areas: the main output window, the control panel with all your parameters, and the visual library browser. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with each section.

Basic Controls

Learn the essential keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls for efficient performance.

Essential Keyboard Shortcuts

Effect Controls

All parameters can be adjusted by clicking and dragging sliders (or clicking to toggle) in the control panel. Double-click to manually input a specific number.

MIDI Setup

Video Painter has 'hot swap' enabled for devices, meaning you can plug in your MIDI device, and it should show up in your available device list. Any device that sends MIDI 'ON' can work as a visual trigger.

Hitching Mode

To map control settings to physical MIDI hardware, enable "Hitching Mode" Shift+Command+H. Ensure your MIDI device is connected. While this mode is enabled you can simply adjust an effect control in the effects UI panel, then adjust the slider or knob on your hardware that you want to map to. The hardware will auto map to the last-clicked setting. Exit Hitching Mode by again pressing Shift+Command+H.

Audio Input (beta feature)

Alternatively to using MIDI, you can use a microphone and audio as an input trigger. Toggle the 'audio input' button to activate.

Audio Input Setup

Select your audio input source from the settings menu. This can be your system audio, a line-in device, or a virtual audio router like Loopback or Soundflower.

Adjust dB Trigger Threshold

Adjust your dB slider until you find the right sensitivity for your sound. For example, a loud snare drum like sound will require a higher value to activate a trigger, whereas a whispering voice will require a lower value trigger.

Note: some visual libraries might cause overwhelming memory usage if the dB threshold is set too low. It is recommended that you start with a higher value and lower it until it reaches the right sensitivity.

Supported Formats

Video Painter currently supports four main visual library 'types': HAP codec video (no audio), 3D (OBJ), Shader (ISF), and PNG.

Due to the nature of different computers having different performance specs, some libraries might perform better on certain systems over others.

Patch System

Save and recall complete visual setups instantly during creation sessions.

Saving Patches

Press S followed by a number 0-9 to save your current settings to that patch slot. Video Painter has 99 patch slots available for storing different looks.

Loading Patches

Press L followed by a number to instantly recall that saved patch. You can also use [ and ] to navigate through your saved banks sequentially.

Custom Libraries (PRO)

Import your own videos, images, shaders, and 3D models to create custom visual libraries.

Importing Content

There are two methods to import a visual library:

• Method 1) In the file menu select: File > Import Visual Library
• Method 2) Drag and drop a properly formatted library into the main app window.

Library Management

Command+Shift+L opens up your library manager. Here you can easily hide any library, or hide, delete, and export custom-added libraries.

Performance Tips

Optimize Video Painter custom libraries for your suited needs and system's ability.

FPS

Adjust the FPS setting under the 'Output' section of the effects panel to best suit your hardware and desired look.

Resolution Settings

Set your output resolution to match your display or projection system. Higher resolutions require more processing power, so balance quality with performance based on your hardware.

Effect Usage

Some shader effects are more CPU/GPU intensive than others. Keep an eye on your memory usage in the performance UI panel to monitor your usage.