Image Traps is a bit complex, and using plugins takes some getting used to. I thought I would try to put together a series of tutorials for the list. I will be using a 4 frame upr. The upper left is frame #1, upper right is frame number 2, etc. This upr uses the Stonehenge image which is available on my website:

Stonehenge Image

The secret to Image Traps is that it has two layers internally: one for the image or coloring from a ColorTrap plugin, and one for the classical trap. These are merged using Color Merge parameters at the bottom of the parameter list. The merging behaves just like the merges on the Outside tab.

1. I like to optimize the coloring for the internal trap first. This is illustrated in frame #1, where you can see simple egg shapes on the background. Notice that the image layer is on top, but its opacity is set zero, and the merge mode is normal, so only the simple trap layer can be seen. All the external layers for frame #1 is in group 1 on the outside tab layers display.


2. Frame #2 shows the image on the background. Notice that the image is trapped to the same shape as the simple trap layer. For the image I used the Color Trap Image Tiles plugin which is reb.ulb. I had to rotate, skew and move the image to get where I wanted it. If the parameters for hte plugin aren't showing click the little arror by "colors" and you can see how the parameters were set. Notice that to display the image only, the opacity is set to one. Frame #2 is contained in group 2 on the outside layers display.


3. Frame #3 puts everything together, which was done by setting the merge mode to overlay. The layer information is in group 3.


4. In Frame #4, a texture plugin, Worley Textures, has been added. The textures darkened the simple trap considerably, so I set the merge to normal and the opacity to zero so I could see the simple trap and its texture alone. I decreased the color density on the outside tab to brighten up the simple trap, and then changed the merge back to overlay and the opacity back to one.

After you go through this explanation, I suggest you play with the parameters for each frame to see the effects. Also, try some other plugins for trapshape, texture and colortrap. You should be able to find various plugins in common.ulb, standard.ulb, dmj5.ulb, mt.ulb. mmf.ulb and reb.ulb. This upr also shows some of the utility of groups, one of the new features of UF5.

Sample Parameters