Creating Your First Animation

[D4rkAngeL666]

Well I use this tuto for make some signatures.

 

Creating Your First Animation

Tutorial Created By d0nk3y Aka's Ohikatu Friends

Posted on

iPhotoshop

 

See bottom for cliffnotes.

 

Before starting, it's important to know the basis of animation. In order to get things to move, we use different frames. Each frame contains a different picture, and when the pictures are put in order and up to speed, we see the series as it was meant to be portrayed, for example, as a movie clip.

 

To begin with, I will be using Eadweard Muybridge's The Horse In Motion. 19th century photographer specialized in sequences, and we will be turning his series of images into a clip of a horse running.

 

The first thing you need to do is to create all of your layers in Photoshop. You don't need to make fading layers, but you should have new layers for each new picture. What I need to do is cut apart all of these images and get them the same size, so the horse is not all over the place.

Once you have your layers created, we're ready to animate them. Click your 'edit image in imageready' button at the bottom of your tool bar (or press Ctrl + Shift + M), and wait a minute for Imageready to load.

 

 

Here's the most important part: Go to Windows > Animation, and make sure it's checked.

 

Now, depending on what you want your animation to do, this next step might differ. Because I have all of my frames created by now, and each layer is going to be a new frame, I'll use the next step. If you need to create your layer using a combination of layers, maybe you have moving text on a background, don't use this step.

 

Optional Step: In the animation window, click the little arrow, and then "Make Frames From Layers", to save yourself some work.

 

You now need to get your first frame exactly the way you want it. Move around all content until you're happy with it.

 

Now, either click on your next frame, or if you don't have one, click "Duplicates current Frame" in the animation window". Click on frame #2, and get it the way you want it. Repeat this step until all of your frames are as you want them.

 

You may now need to do some timing, because most likely you want to speed it up or slow it down. To set the time, you need to adjust each frame individually, or click one, and shift + click, to select all frames inbetween the two clicked frames. Additionally, you can ctrl + click each frame you are adjusting. When you have some frame(s) selected, you can click the arrow/number right below any of the frames, and set something. Repeat that for all of your frames, until your timing is perfect. If you want to test it, click the play button.

 

You should now be able to watch your animation! However, you still need to save it, but pay attention: Only .GIF Files will play animation, and when you click File > Save, only .PSD is available. Thus, you must click FILE > SAVE OPTIMIZED AS, and select GIF.

 

And you're done! You've created a simple animation! As time goes on you will get better. Keep reading for a few things you can add on to animations to liven them up.

 

Here's what I've got!

With this technique, you can create miniature movie clips (press print screen and paste on each new frame), and much more!

Tweening (fading images)

You will most likely find yourself in a situation where you want to fade an image or text, into another image.

 

To do this, use the 'Tween' button. What you need to do is use the above technique to get all your frames created, except the ones between what your fading to. If you only have 2 frames, that's fine. Click on the "fade from" layer, hold ctrl, and click the "fade to" layer.

 

Now in your animation window, Look for a button (near play) that looks like some fading circles. Click the button, and have it on 'Selection' (if its not already). Now put in the number of frames you want. More frames would be a smoother transition, less would be faster. Anything more than 15 is pretty much useless.

 

Now you should check multiple times to make sure the image is fading properly. If all is correct, select File > Save Optimized > GIF, and your done!

Cliff Notes

• create frames in photoshop to avoid imageready headaches
  
• do the actual animating in imageready
  
• make sure your timing looks believeable
  
• use tween button for simple fading
  
• always check your animation before considering it done
  
• File > Save Optimized As > .GIF
  

I hope the tutorial helped you, I realize its basic for all of you who have tried this sort of thing before. Rip or whatever, it's just a tutorial...

Enjoy,

 

Tutorial Copyright © To d0nk3y of

iPhotoshop. For further questions. Send an email to him.

 

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Any problem message to my friend donkey@iphotoshop.org

 

I think all who read this tuto can make one animation =P

[DrenepiaWorld]

nice info man :P

but i think there is already a guide like that :)

[tsoukis]

Nice! :)

[micholes]

I use toom boom to make animations =D

[divine1]

Thanks a lot dude.

Helpful, interesting, awesome ;)

[cuppacoffee]

I wonder when people stop making all these guide-posts which are all pretty much C/P from some other site...

It's nice of you to think of it as usefull for others but really... people can use google cant they?

[kaguyakun]

We can, but we appreciate any kinda of help. Well, there some jokes here in Brazil and No-Idea about how to translate to you understand. Well, for Portuguese speakers... here goes a funny site :) www.useaporradogoogle.com (in english should be: www.usethe-beep-ofgoogle.com, or something like that). And I think that everyone got Googlemania... for exemple.. here goes a simpe version of joke :)

 

Person1: May I ask somet....

Person2: Use the google.

Person1: Where do I find ...?

Person2: Use the google...

Person1: Where can I downl....

Person2: www.usethe-beep-ofgoogle.com. lol

 

Edit: Ops, I Forget, Thanks for guide.