How to Create Rotating Globe Icons

Icons are small image files that can be used as program icons, shortcuts, website menus and logos. An animated icon is a series of icon images that display in the same space over a period of time, giving the appearance of motion. To create a rotating animated globe icon, you'll need to first create the separate images that create the animation effect, then combine the images to create the animated icon.

Instructions

Creating the Animation Images

1. Launch the image editing program. To launch the native Windows image editor, Paint, click the "Start" menu, then click "All Programs." Click "Accessories," then click "Paint."

2. Click the "File" menu, then click "New." Input the number of pixels in height and width you want to make the rotating globe icon, then click "OK."

3. Click the "Ellipse" tool. Draw a circle in the artboard area.

4. Click the "Brush" tool. Click to select your preferred brush width, shape, and color. Click and drag to draw the globe details inside the circle. Use a map for reference when drawing the borders of countries and land masses.

5. Click the "File" menu, then click "Save" when finished creating the globe image. Type "globe1" as the image name and select "GIF" in the "Save as type" drop-down menu. Click "Save."

6. Click the "Eraser" tool. Click and drag to erase the contents of the globe image within the borders of the circle drawn in Step 3.

7. Redraw the globe within the circle with the countries, land masses and oceans shifted in the direction you want the globe to spin in the animation. Draw in any new details on the opposite end of the globe to simulate countries, land masses and oceans coming into view as the globe spins.

8. Click the "File" menu, then click "Save As." Type "globe2" as the image name, then click "Save."

9. Repeat Steps 6, 7 and 8 to create 10 images of the globe as it rotates. Save each new image as "globe[x]" where "[x]" is the next number in the sequence of images. For example, the sixth image is named "globe6", and the seventh image is named "globe7".

Create the Animated Icon

1. Launch a Web browser and navigate to a GIF animation creator, such as "Picasion," "MakeAGIF" or "GifNinja."

2. Click the "Choose File" or "Add Pictures" button. Click to select "globe1.gif," then click "Open." Click "Choose File" or "Add Picture" again to select the rest of the globe animation images in order to upload all of them to the GIF animation creator. If using "GifNinja", click the "Select Files" button, then click to select "globe1.gif." Press "Shift" on your keyboard, then click on "globe10.gif" to highlight all of the globe images. Click "Open."

3. Click to select your preferred animation speed for the rotating globe icon. Click to select the size of the icon from the "Size" drop-down menu, if applicable. If using "MakeAGIF," click "Continue" to show these options.

4. Click "Create Animation" or "Create Your GIF."

5. Click the "Download" button or "Save this animation" link to save the rotating globe icon to your computer.

References

• Microsoft: Using Paint
• WebDevelopersNotes: What Are Animated GIFs

Resources

• Picasion
• MakeAGIF
• GifNinja