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Easy Guide to Making Animated GIFS. (2012)
- Thread starter weekend_warrior
- Start date
- Status
D
Deleted member 81567
Unconfirmed Member
How do I add an outline on text in Gimp? Should I just buy Photoshop instead? Really wanna get invested in this.
I know of a Mac method that is "free". It uses Quicktime, iMovie and Gimp. If you buy a new Mac, it should come with the iLife suite.
1. Record video using Quicktime, if needed. File > New Screen Recording
2. Import video into iMovie. File > Import > Movies...
3. In the events section (lower half), select the start and end of the clip.
4. Drag the clip into the projects section (upper left).
5. Export video to images. Share > Export using Quicktime... > Export: Movie to Image Sequence.
6. Import images into Gimp. File > Open as Layers...
7a. Edit images as you please.
7b. Generate optimum palette. Image > Mode > Indexed...
7c. Further optimization. Filters > Animation > Optimize
8. Last step! File > Save As > .gif > Save as Animation
1. Record video using Quicktime, if needed. File > New Screen Recording
2. Import video into iMovie. File > Import > Movies...
3. In the events section (lower half), select the start and end of the clip.
4. Drag the clip into the projects section (upper left).
5. Export video to images. Share > Export using Quicktime... > Export: Movie to Image Sequence.
6. Import images into Gimp. File > Open as Layers...
7a. Edit images as you please.
7b. Generate optimum palette. Image > Mode > Indexed...
7c. Further optimization. Filters > Animation > Optimize
8. Last step! File > Save As > .gif > Save as Animation
D
Deleted member 81567
Unconfirmed Member
Never had a problem with AVS.
Fury Sense
Member
I was looking for one too when I came to this thread. Saw someone mention it and tried it out. It seems to work really well.
1. Shift + click on the eye. This will toggle the visibility of all other layers.
2. I'm sure it can be done with script-fu, but I'm not familiar with it. Might be easier to cull frames before importing to Gimp. I know that with iMovie, you can export video to image sequence at a lower frame rate, so that there are fewer frames. I imagine it's the same with VirtualDub, Fraps, etc.
3. Edit the layer name, and add the delay time in brackets anywhere you like. For example, a layer named "Frame (30ms) 001" will last for 30ms. Again, I'm sure you can batch rename all layers with script-fu, but I just do this before importing to Gimp. When I export video to image sequence, I'll just save them "Frame (30ms)" so it's already in all the image filenames.
4. http://chiselapp.com/user/saulgoode/repository/script-fu/wiki?name=sg-combine-bg
Download the script and put it in your Gimp/scripts folder. In the program, go to Filters > Script-Fu > Refresh Scripts. This should add Filters > Animation > Overlay Background, and Combine Background.
SecretMoblin
Member
Amazingly helpful post.
Thanks a million.
Given that I spend a lot of time figuring out culling/frame delay and rarely do 'shops or add text, I think I'll just stick with Jasc and do any further edits in Gimp as necessary.
Thanks again!
A Pretty Panda
fuckin' called it, man
Is there a way to change the area it captures? For me it's just the top left of my screen and I can only change the size of it. So when I try and capture it takes the top part of my browser 
nvm got it
nvm got it
A Pretty Panda
fuckin' called it, man
My gif is 2mb, anyway to make that smaller? It's only 36 frames and the resolution is pretty small I think.?
When converting to indexed mode, you could use fewer colors
If it's from YT or some other service where you can download the stream, I usually just download the stream. No capturing required, typically.
I use DownloadHelper for Firefox to do that. I use AviDemux instead of VirtualDub to get the segment that I want. I save the segment and, depending on the type, I either use "copy" or convert to MP4.
Then I open it with Photoshop and edit.
I use DownloadHelper for Firefox to do that. I use AviDemux instead of VirtualDub to get the segment that I want. I save the segment and, depending on the type, I either use "copy" or convert to MP4.
Then I open it with Photoshop and edit.
I have a question. I'm making a gif in Photoshop
I'm using mp4 video.
I want to slow down my selection of the footage which is a smart object. How do I do this w/o having to use that annoying feature which imports some of the video as frames?
Is there a way to convert a selection of a smart object to frames?
I'm using mp4 video.
I want to slow down my selection of the footage which is a smart object. How do I do this w/o having to use that annoying feature which imports some of the video as frames?
Is there a way to convert a selection of a smart object to frames?
anonymous_abc
Member
mysticwhip
Banned
how do i add text to gifs in photoshop?
lunchtoast
Member
I've made so many gifs since I got gif brewery. All Simpsons or Workaholics around these parts.
AviDemux works with Mac, I believe.
http://avidemux.sourceforge.net/
You don't always have to convert when using Photoshop.
M-JPEG is a quick way to convert. It works with AVI containers.
Photoshop or GIMP or some other program with layers.
Android18a
Member
I like this.
Question: why is the framerate ignored when I upload to an image hosting site?
I'm using Jasc Animation Shop and it seems like the only way the GIF doesn't look in slow motion is if I cull the animation. I even uploaded a GIF with a framerate of "1" (just to test) and it still played very slowly :-/ (but in the actual program, the preview shows it as playing very quickly).
I've doing GIFs for a long time but I've always ran into this problem whenever the actual GIF is only a few frames long.
EDIT: No matter what I set the framerate to, it (appears) to default to 16 once I upload it.
I'm using Jasc Animation Shop and it seems like the only way the GIF doesn't look in slow motion is if I cull the animation. I even uploaded a GIF with a framerate of "1" (just to test) and it still played very slowly :-/ (but in the actual program, the preview shows it as playing very quickly).
I've doing GIFs for a long time but I've always ran into this problem whenever the actual GIF is only a few frames long.
EDIT: No matter what I set the framerate to, it (appears) to default to 16 once I upload it.
anonymous_abc
Member
i just got gifBrewery this is seriously awesome and easy.
too bad the frame limit is 100
How I long for a new Mirrors Edge...
too bad the frame limit is 100
How I long for a new Mirrors Edge...
Here's what I do when I want to make a gif of an MKV file on OSX.
Use either MPlayer OS X Exteneded or the unofficial fork MPlayer.app for this.
In preferences, go to the advance tab and click the '+' button at the bottom.
The field in the middle will get a new entry "enter additional options here". Double click this to enter the follow code.
Now to explain. The 00:00:00 is hh:mm:ss and is the start point of where you are going to take snapshots. The second 0 after -endpos is how many seconds you want to record.
-nosubs is optional and should only be used if the mkv file has subtitles. Obviously is disables the subtitles when outputting the snapshots.
png is the file type. You can change this to jpeg if you like.
The handy thing is that you can store this code and turn it on and off. So once it is entered you'll never need to remember it. Just tick the box to activate it. However I also recommend under the Video tab setting the 'Drop frames' option to 'Don't drop any frames to catch up' if you have a slow computer otherwise it might skip some frames when taking a lot of snapshots. As a result the sound may seem to go on longer than you specified.
Now that you have a bunch of images for every frame. Before I import these into Photoshop I do two things. First I open up all the images in Preview and resize them. I work at around 500 pixels wide since gifs don't really need to be bigger than that. If it is a long clip I remove every other frame. Easy way to do this is use the Finder window. Just adjust the size of the icons and grid so you have an even number of columns and highlight the even numbers. Send them to the bin and you'll be left with just the odd frames.
Now to Photoshop:
First step: File -> Scripts ->Load files into stack...
Browse for you files and click OK.
Now you'll have an image with all the frames as separate layers, but if you click the animation pane (Window -> Animation) you'll notice there's only one frame. In the Animation Window open the Animation Menu (
) and select 'Make Frames from Layers'. However there's one problem, the whole thing is backwards. So open up the Animation Menu again and select 'Reverse Frames'.
Now you can play around with the animation any way you want.
Use either MPlayer OS X Exteneded or the unofficial fork MPlayer.app for this.
In preferences, go to the advance tab and click the '+' button at the bottom.
The field in the middle will get a new entry "enter additional options here". Double click this to enter the follow code.
Code:
-vo png -ss 00:00:00 -endpos 0 -nosubNow to explain. The 00:00:00 is hh:mm:ss and is the start point of where you are going to take snapshots. The second 0 after -endpos is how many seconds you want to record.
-nosubs is optional and should only be used if the mkv file has subtitles. Obviously is disables the subtitles when outputting the snapshots.
png is the file type. You can change this to jpeg if you like.
The handy thing is that you can store this code and turn it on and off. So once it is entered you'll never need to remember it. Just tick the box to activate it. However I also recommend under the Video tab setting the 'Drop frames' option to 'Don't drop any frames to catch up' if you have a slow computer otherwise it might skip some frames when taking a lot of snapshots. As a result the sound may seem to go on longer than you specified.
Now that you have a bunch of images for every frame. Before I import these into Photoshop I do two things. First I open up all the images in Preview and resize them. I work at around 500 pixels wide since gifs don't really need to be bigger than that. If it is a long clip I remove every other frame. Easy way to do this is use the Finder window. Just adjust the size of the icons and grid so you have an even number of columns and highlight the even numbers. Send them to the bin and you'll be left with just the odd frames.
Now to Photoshop:
First step: File -> Scripts ->Load files into stack...
Browse for you files and click OK.
Now you'll have an image with all the frames as separate layers, but if you click the animation pane (Window -> Animation) you'll notice there's only one frame. In the Animation Window open the Animation Menu (
Now you can play around with the animation any way you want.
lunchtoast
Member
Didn't know where I should put these, but here are two reaction gifs.
Didn't know where I should put these, but here are two reaction gifs.
hah these are perfect
lunchtoast
Member
Little tip on optimisation.
~500kb
~250kb
Colour count, dithering, number of frame and dimensions are all equal.
However the second one actually looks like this.
In Photoshop is you right click a frame a menu will pop up with the words "Automatic", "Do not dispose" and "Dispose". If you choose "Do not dispose" all pixels that are transparent will not override what was shown in the previous frame. While this example was pretty small to begin with, this could be handy for shrinking down gifs that are larger than 2MB.
~500kb
~250kb
Colour count, dithering, number of frame and dimensions are all equal.
However the second one actually looks like this.
In Photoshop is you right click a frame a menu will pop up with the words "Automatic", "Do not dispose" and "Dispose". If you choose "Do not dispose" all pixels that are transparent will not override what was shown in the previous frame. While this example was pretty small to begin with, this could be handy for shrinking down gifs that are larger than 2MB.
Change the 0.00 to another value like 0.03 or 0.04. For some reason 0.00 is not the quickest speed.
Tokubetsu
Member
Oh my god, I love you.
hey gif gaf,
frustrating problem here
I'm getting "not enough memory" errors in jasc animation studio on a
win7 i7 2600k with 8gb ram and no non-essential progs running.
this is followed by another error
"The file does not exist or could not be read",
it happens about 3/4 of the way through loading aprox 280 .jpgs.
i have tried to reload the images, rename the folder theyre in,
same errors again about 3/4 of the way through loading them.
this gif process works on my work win xp piece of shizer computer so im not sure what gives, any help is appreciated, tanx
frustrating problem here
I'm getting "not enough memory" errors in jasc animation studio on a
win7 i7 2600k with 8gb ram and no non-essential progs running.
this is followed by another error
"The file does not exist or could not be read",
it happens about 3/4 of the way through loading aprox 280 .jpgs.
i have tried to reload the images, rename the folder theyre in,
same errors again about 3/4 of the way through loading them.
this gif process works on my work win xp piece of shizer computer so im not sure what gives, any help is appreciated, tanx
Johnny Cage In The Shower
Member
Haha, came to post this...
ready for E3:
using gimp
LOL imagine Joan of Arc seeing a Half Life 3 unveiling
PackerinMN
Member
Sorry to bump an old thread but I wanted to test my gif and also thank Sentry for the Mac guide. It worked perfectly for me!
Needed this gif for my fantasy football team, The Catalina Wine Mixers.
Needed this gif for my fantasy football team, The Catalina Wine Mixers.
weekend_warrior
Banned
looks good hateful.
PackerinMN
Member
Thank you!
Now that I can do it, I will be surfing youtube all night! It's addicting.
Now that I can do it, I will be surfing youtube all night! It's addicting.
Polishin8r
Member
ok first gif looks good
Wafflecakes
Member
Just throwing this out there. What is the easiest way to add captions to a gif?
I capture image>add captions using live movie maker>convert to gif>finalize in photoshop.
However, its really inflexible and annoying if you want to adjust something. I could probably just do it all in photoshop but no clue how (can add text to all frames but having the text shift during different section I cannot do). Using photoshop 6.
I capture image>add captions using live movie maker>convert to gif>finalize in photoshop.
However, its really inflexible and annoying if you want to adjust something. I could probably just do it all in photoshop but no clue how (can add text to all frames but having the text shift during different section I cannot do). Using photoshop 6.
spiderman123
Member
Hey GIF gaf i'm trying to combine
this picture: http://i.imgur.com/dWFFQ.jpg
with this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KcvoJ0O9gA
I imported the video into photoshop ( created the layers) and try inserting the image from the part where he gets scared into the computer screen. I'm not sure what to do from there.
Any help would be appreciated.
this picture: http://i.imgur.com/dWFFQ.jpg
with this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KcvoJ0O9gA
I imported the video into photoshop ( created the layers) and try inserting the image from the part where he gets scared into the computer screen. I'm not sure what to do from there.
Any help would be appreciated.
weekend_warrior
Banned
Open the picture of the girl as a layer, use the resize and perspective tools to match it to the size of the computer screen in the gif, find the layer where the screen changes and paste it in, you'll have to make multiple copies of the picture and paste it into each frame of the gif afterwards, and then erase parts of it where his hand is as he punches through it.
spiderman123
Member
thanks ill do this.
spiderman123
Member
I ran into a problem, every time i paste the picture into a frame, it does this for all the frames and I am unable to edit it out. Is there a way around this? where I can only paste the picture into frames that I want.
I think you might be able to select all frames, disable visibility, and then select the frames you do want it to appear in and enable visibility for the layer.
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