How to Create an Animated Gif Using Photoshop

Want to impress the world with your Web site? Create your very own animated gif using Photoshop.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Photoshop 5.5
• ImageReady

Creating the Art

1. Open Photoshop 5.5 and create a new image file measuring 100 by 100 pixels. Set the resolution to 72 pixels per inch and the mode to RGB color.

2. Choose Show Layers from the Window menu. This will bring up the Layers floating palette.

3. Select the pencil tool. Use it to draw a picture.

4. Click on the Layer palette's submenu arrow and select Duplicate Layer.

5. Click on the eyeball icon to the left of the bottom layer on the Layer palette. Use the pencil tool to add to the image on the top layer. Select the erase tool to remove part of the image.

6. Under the file menu, select Jump to, and then Adobe ImageReady 2.0. Save when prompted.

Animating in ImageReady

7. Choose Show Animation from the Window menu. This will bring up the Animation floating palette.

8. Click on the Animation palette's submenu arrow and select Make Frames from Layers.

9. Use Save Optimized As to save the animation under a new name.

Tips & Warnings

• You can draw directly in ImageReady, which has nearly identical tools.
• Preview your animation by pressing play on the Animation palette.
• Add more unique frames for a richer animation.
• Click on the time values at the bottom of each frame to adjust how long it will remain visible.

[perdanjam]

on 10/10/2009 I've written a more detailed and up to date tutorial at http://makeyourownbeboskin.blogspot.com/2007/07/creating-flashing-glowing-text.html

[azrox]

on 9/23/2009 AWESOME!!!!!! Thank you SO much!

[coryl]

on 8/27/2009 If you would rather convert a YouTube video to an animated GIF clip without having to use software or paying, you can use http://www.gifsoup.com

[antaka]

on 7/27/2009 But I have a question

[antaka]

on 7/27/2009 Thank you very much honey