posted 22-12-2004 12:34 AM                  

Animation you will find quite easy. It is done completely with layers that you make in Photshop. I will explain the guns firing because that is only two frame animation and it does not get any easier than 2 frame. But keep in mind that you can do quite a few frames in an animation, so after I explain this simple 2 frame, you can go nuts if you want to. (not to nuts though, I find that after about 100 frames everthing slows way down.)
First I drew a picture of the girl with the guns.(Found in finshed works titled "I made an Improvement") After the picture was finished I flattened it.
Now with that picture as the background I made a new layer.
On this new layer I made the blast effects of her guns. Now with the new layer, it looks like the guns are firing. If I turn off that layer, the guns no longer have the blast. By clicking on and off the layer it looks like the guns are shooting.
This is what Imageready will do for you. It will turn the layer on and off automatically.
If you have a gun picture you have made, do the same as I have described so far. If not, draw a quick picture of a gun and then a layer over it with the blast.
Remember, that this part so far is done in Photoshop.
Now that the 2 layer picture is finished leave it on the screen. At the bottom of my tool box in my Photoshop is a button that jumps to Imageready. I am not sure if it is located in the same place in your version or not, but find this button and push it.
NOW IN IMAGEREADY
Now you are in imageready with the 2 layer gun picture.
You should see a window there that says Animation at the top of it. ( If you do not see it go to your file menu where it says Windows and open the animation window)

You will also need the Layers pallet open as well, so if you do not see it, open it the same way.
In the Animation window you will see in the first frame, your gun picture. If the gun blast is off in this frame, good. If the gun blast is on, go to the Layers Pallet and turn off that layer. Now the gun is not firing in the frame in the animation window.

At the bottom of the Animation Window there are buttons, one looks just like the add a new layer button on the Layers Pallet. This is called the New Frame button. Push this button once.

There should be now 2 frames in the Animation Window. Both should look like the gun is not firing. The new frame should also be highlighted automatically showing that this is the current frame you are working on.

Now go to the LAYERS PALLET and turn ON the layer with the gun blast. This will turn that layer on in the second frame in the Animation Window as well.

Okay now let's check it out. At the bottom of the Animation Window there is a play button. Press it and look at the Original Piece. It should now be firing on and off.
If it is not going on and on forever then find the button on the bottom of the Animation Window that will make it loop forever.
Now this must be saved as a gif file. Go to File>>> Save As Optimised and name the file GUN.GIF
Saving optimised will make it a much smaller file and it will run much smoother. (You might not notice a difference in this small 2 frame, but it will help more so on the higher frame containing files that I am sure you will be well on you way to making.)
Your animation can be veiwed far better in your Web Browser.

your friend in Wisconsin Dagan

posted 23-12-2004 05:52 PM                  

OH THANX, MAN! I now can animate my pics!

[ 27-12-2004: Message edited by: Cloud ]

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I hope you get ran over by a big ice cream truck full of AIDS