Working on GIFs again during this week of self directed learning.
I have been wanting to figure out how to put two layers of action going on and sound. I also was very impressed with the Hulk GIF by Jim Groom and wanted to figure out how to do one similar – but not quite into the comic book genre yet.
I struggled with the two different movements by thinking of them as two different movements. Working with the layers I figured out that I would need to blend the two actions into one to create not blend them after creating.
I captured the b-cing-u footage from The Prisoner with MPEG Steamship and made a GIF. Capturing left it a little dark so for the active frames I adjusted the Brightness/Contrast throught the Auto option so that they changed as needed rather than trying to set each one at the same ratios. Same ratios would have been jumping instead of fluid. This time Auto was a good choice.
I captured a still of Number 6 in his handsome pose.
I then split the handsome No. 6 and ended up with a right and a left.
I create a background with text – sorta of a poster or book cover fashion using the Village font.
The b-cing-u gif I cut down to 12 frames.
It was then creating a layer for each with the split handsome portrait in different spacing to look like it was cut in half and opening.
I then reversed the process to have it look like it was closing. Having the first ones done, I was able to have them in the background and recreate the handsome face closing with the new b-cing-u gif background. Happened upon that by accident – a good accident!
I set the timing so the full version was longer to loop from end to beginning. I also lengthened the time of the gesture of the B at the forehead to be longer. All other frames were set a the same rate.
Lots of repetition – but worked.
I haven’t got around to figuring out masks yet and not sure if they could have been applied to this rendition.
My next challenge is to add sound to the GIF. another next is to make the image behind to be something different……….
I again used Photoshop because as long as it is paid for and I have it – I might as well use it! I also want to drop it into Fireworks and see if that produces something different.
Very nice, Kathy! It looks wonderful with the bright orange background — was that original or did you choose that?
I’d be interested in taking a look at your .psd, if you wouldn’t mind sharing it. Depending on how you have set up the elements, there may not be much that you could do with masking to make the file smaller.
But it depends.
The two pieces of number 2, for example. Am I correct in that you have 2 layers for the left half and 2 layers for the right? The two furthest apart (each rotated) are shown in one frame and the other frames are made with the other 2 layers (one each and one right) which are changed in position for each frame? If that is the case, there’s not much that can be done to reduce the file size with those. If, on the other hand, you have a layer for each frame of the animation with pieces of number 2, then that could be made smaller.
One little thing that my eye sees that may or may not be intentional: When #6 is in the “closed” position, the background picture darkens slightly compared to the other frames. The shift occurs during the final movement, and I find the change pulls my eye away from the central image. It might be interesting to see it without the darkening …
Well done! I’m keen to try something like this sometime!
Thanks Andrew!
The orange was chosen because of the black and purple in No. 6’s clothes. I also had seen the Be Seeing You sign in some other work that was in the orange. I wanted an advancing color to wrap around him and give him more depth from being neutral and cool colors.
Any tips on how to do the layers differently are appreciated – I will get the .psd to you.
The lighter background was intentional. After starting I noticed my clip exposure was a little low so did adjust – the one that didn’t get adjusted was the first frame – that layer was done and merged by that time. I thought it would be more like the action starting – @mdvfunes saw that as a plus, and for you it drew your eye away – so I may see if I can lighten it up for comparison purposes.
Thanks for the input – grateful and it helps!
Great GIF and write-up! The idea of working at multiple layers/levels is definitely interesting and worth pursuing. I can see where this could go with symbolism, questions of identity, metaphysics, and all kinds of things. Hidden things under hidden things under visible things. Strip away the layers in creative ways and find more layers.
Thanks for getting us going on this!
This has the factor x of good gif art! A gif artist I read said she knows a gif is good when she could watch it loop forever. Only just awake yet cannot stop watching it loop! Well done you!