Learning Adobe Photoshop CS4By Greg Bowden

Guided Computer Tutorialswww.gct.com.au

AnimationsChapter 20

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GUIDED COMPUTER TUTORIALSPO Box 311Belmont, Victoria, 3216, Australia

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© Greg Bowden

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First published 2009

ISBN: Module 1 1 921217 69 3 Module 2: 1 921217 70 7 Module 3 1 921217 71 5

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Chapter

20Animations

Animations can be created within Photoshop. For example, you can create time lapse photography, animated GIFs such as logos, Flash videos and QuickTime movies. The animating process involves setting the changes (or keyframes) is separate layers then turning layers on or off in frames that can be inserted in the ANIMATION panel.

Time Lapse Photography A popular photographic effect is to take photos of the same place at different times of the day to show the changes in activity and light that have occurred. For example, photos of a city can be taken at intervals through the day which capture the daytime activities, rush hour and the lights coming on at sunset.

A Loading the Sample Photo

A sample photo has been prepared for you. The exposure of the photo will be altered to simulate the sun going down.

1 Load Photoshop or close the current files and select OPEN from the FILE menu.

2 Access the PScs4 SUPPORT FILES, open the CHAPTER 20 folder and load the file:

Time Lapse

3 We could open multiple copies of the photo taken at different times and drag each into the one file, but altering the exposure will be adequate to demonstrate the process.

B Creating the Layers

1 In the LAYERS panel drag the BACKGROUND layer over the CREATE A NEW LAYER icon to duplicate the layer.

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Learning Adobe Photoshop CS4

3 Display the IMAGE menu, highlight ADJUSTMENTS and select EXPOSURE.

4 Reduce the EXPOSURE to about -1.0 and select OK to darken the image.

2 Rename the new layer:

Exposure 1

and press <enter> or <return>.

5 Drag the EXPOSURE 1 layer over the CREATE A NEW LAYER icon to duplicate the layer.

6 Rename the layer EXPOSURE 2 and repeat steps 3 and 4 to reduce the EXPOSURE to about -1.0 to darken the image further.

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20Animations

10 Use SAVE AS from the FILE menu to save the file in your STORAGE folder as a PHOTOSHOP file under the file name:

Time Lapse Animation

7 Drag the EXPOSURE 2 layer over the CREATE A NEW LAYER icon to duplicate the layer.

8 Rename the layer EXPOSURE 3 and repeat steps 3 and 4 to reduce the EXPOSURE to about -1.0 to darken the image further.

9 Turn off the visibility of the three EXPOSURE layers in the LAYERS panel.

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C Opening the Video Workspace

Frames are used to create the animation. These are inserted in the ANIMATION panel which can be quickly added to the screen using the VIDEO workspace.

1 Click on the arrow next to the WORKSPACE box in the APPLICATION BAR and select VIDEO.

2 The panels are rearranged to show the TIMELINE panel at the base of the screen with the LAYERS panel to its right.

3 Click on the CONVERT TO FRAME ANIMATION icon at the bottom right of the panel. This will adjust to TIMELINE panel to show frames.

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NOTE: The TIME DELAY value is how long the frame contents will stay on the screen before the contents of the next frame are displayed.

5 Click on the DUPLICATES SELECTED FRAMES button at the base of the ANIMATION panel. A copy of the first frame is created with the same time delay value.

6 Turn on the visibility of the EXPOSURE 1 layer in the LAYERS panel and the first darker image is displayed. This has only turned the darker layer on for the second frame, not the first.

4 The first frame should be visible, click on the TIME DELAY value at the base of the frame and select 0.5 seconds.

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Learning Adobe Photoshop CS4

7 Click on the DUPLICATES SELECTED FRAMES button at the base of the ANIMATION panel to insert a copy of the second frame and turn on the visibility of the EXPOSURE 2 layer.

8 Click on the DUPLICATES SELECTED FRAMES button at the base of the ANIMATION panel to insert a copy of the third frame and turn on the visibility of the EXPOSURE 3 layer.

9 Check that the LOOPING box at the bottom left of the ANIMATION panel is set it to ONCE so that the animation will play just once.

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20Animations

11 Press CTRL+S or COMMAND+S to save the document. The frames are saved when you save a document as a PHOTOSHOP file.

D Tweening

Tweening is the process of adding frames in between current frames to make an animation smoother. Photoshop automatically adjusts the animation in the inserted frames. At the moment the time lapse animation is very ‘jerky’ so some tween frames will be inserted to make it look more consistent.

NOTE: You can add more frames to make the animation smoother, but this also increases the file size.

10 Click on FRAME 1 then click on the PLAY button at the base of the ANIMATION panel to run the animation.

1 Click on the first frame then hold down the SHIFT key and click on the second frame so that both frames are selected.

2 Click on the TWEEN ANIMATION FRAMES button at the base of the ANIMATION panel.

3 Leave the TWEEN WITH box set to SELECTION, the FRAMES TO ADD box set to 5 and select OK.