How to Make an Animated Falling Background
One way you can customize your desktop is by creating a custom wallpaper. Traditionally, you had three options for a wallpaper: use a stock image provided by Windows, download your own wallpaper, or, in Windows 7, set up a slide show of images that alternate. However, you can also use a GIF file to make your wallpaper appear to be animated with a falling object, such as snow or rain.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Design your wallpaper. Figure out what colors you want to use, and what you want falling in the background (snow is a popular option, particularly during the winter).
-
2
Right-click on your desktop then click "Screen Resolution." Write down the resolution -- the falling background you create needs to conform to this.
-
-
3
Open your graphics editing program -- note that the program you choose will need to be capable of designing GIF files as well as working in animation Photoshop can do this if you have it.
-
4
Create a new file that is the same size as your screen resolution.
-
5
Color your canvas. Alternatively, you can open a picture -- that is the same size as your screen resolution -- and use that as the background.
-
6
Create a new layer. This is the layer that the falling objects will appear on.
-
7
Draw the objects onto the layer. Make sure to leave space between the objects so that you can tell when they're moving.
-
8
Use your graphics editing program's animation feature. Your layer will be given a second frame. Copy the drawing from the original frame (your falling object) and paste it into the second frame. Now you'll need to move the animation in the first frame by using your program's "Move" tool.
-
9
Move the animation in the original frame up out of the picture. Now you'll have to select how many frames you want (in Photoshop, this is what the "Tweening" tool is for). The more frames you use, the smoother the animation -- but the more memory consumed by your computer.
-
10
Click "File," then "Save," and save the file as a GIF.
-
11
Right-click on your desktop and select "Personalize." Click "Desktop Background" then browse for the GIF image you created. Click "Apply" then "OK."
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Test out your animation to see if you're happy with it.
If you create falling snow, you'll want to use a background photo that has snow in it.
