LAYER ANIMATION (can be used for simplified/little movement)
watch time stamp: 5:23–13:30 + 15:36 mark for export info on Vimeo Tutorial
1. Open Timeline. Go to Window > Timeline
2. Click on Create Video Timeline.
3. Purple Video Layer appears with a default duration of 5 seconds. You can use the scrubber at the bottom of the panel to zoom in and out on the timeline.
3. Click Timeline panel corner: Enable Timeline Shortcut Keys – allows arrow keys to navigate timeline frame-by-frame
4. Click Timeline Panel Corner: Set Timeline Frame Rate to 12
5. Make a drawing or place an image on first Layer in the Layers Panel
6. Make a new layer or duplicate layer and change drawing/image. To lower the opacity of the previous layer to be able to see it as you create your next layer drawing – you select the layer in the Layers Panel and hold “V” and a number on the keyboard. For example “V”+ 5 changes the opacity to 50% opacity. Just remember to change it back when you preview it.
7. Adjust length and timing of each layer in the timeline as needed. Wherever you place your playhead in the timeline when you create a new Layer, that is where the layer will begin.
8. Save For Web and create a GIF > looping > forever. If you want a video file for yourself, go to File > Export > Render Video > H.264
VIDEO LAYERS (more free flowing animation. great if you have a tablet.)
watch time stamp:16:18–22:24 + 15:36 mark on Vimeo Tutorial
1. Open Timeline. Go to Window > Timeline
2. Click on Create Video Timeline.
3. Purple Video Layer appears with a default duration of 5 seconds. You can use the scrubber at the bottom of the panel to zoom in and out on the timeline.
3. Click Timeline Panel Corner: Enable Timeline Shortcut Keys – allows arrow keys to navigate timeline frame-by-frame
4. Click Timeline Panel Corner: Set Timeline Frame Rate to 12
5. Stretch the current purple Video layer to be at least 10 seconds to start – you can always shorten it later.
6. Make a new type of layer that you will be working in. Go to Layer > Video Layers > New Blank Video Layer
7. Click Timeline Panel Corner: Enable Onion Skins
8. Draw on each frame as you move your playhead forward. You can use the left and right arrow keys to move one frame at a time. If Onion Skin is enabled you should see the previous frame drawing.
9. You can make New Blank Video Layers and draw different sections of your animation if you like. You can move the layer around on the timeline and adjust its length.
10. Click Timeline Panel Corner: can change onion skin settings and see more than one frame at a time if you want
11. Turn off onion skin and just play it to see results
12. If you discover you want to add a drawing in the middle of your Blank Video Layer, you can insert a new blank frame or duplicate the previous one. To insert a blank frame, put your playhead where you want to insert it and go to Layer > Video Layers > Insert a Blank Frame. To duplicate a frame, put your playhead where you want to insert it and go to Layer > Video Layers > Duplicate Frame.
13. Save For Web and create a GIF > looping > forever. If you want a video file for yourself, go to File > Export > Render Video > H.264
CREATE FRAME ANIMATION (make frames from layers)
1. Draw or place image in first layer, second layer, third layer and so on.
2. Open Timeline. Go to Window > Timeline
3. Create Frame Animation
4. Click Timeline Panel Corner: Make Frames From Layers
5. You can turn the visibility of the layers on and off to adjust if they show up in the frames.
6. Change the Playback on the Timeline from Once to Forever on the bottom of the Timeline.
7. You can also click on the bottom of the frames to change their delay.
8. You can also click on the icons on bottom of timeline for Tweening and Duplicating Frames or deleting frames.
9. Save For Web and create a GIF > looping > forever. If you want a video file for yourself, go to File > Export > Render Video > H.264
ILLUSTRATOR IMPORT (frame animation – frames from layers using Illustrator artwork)
- Same method as Frame Animation above, but you create artboards in Illustrator first.
- Then save out as PNG’s or JPEG’s using all artboards.
- Finally in Photoshop, go to File > Scripts > Load Files Into Stack > and Browse and select your PNG’s or JPEG’s.
- They will then load into your layers panel one at a time. This may take some time.