October 13, 2007

skeleton has been recolored from the original .. 

the 'walkers' are from an original animation from Millan.net = I tweaked them and added some simple costumes

the CandyCornAlpha is my creation

 ~ please do Not add ©rae to your tag 

 

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** Supplies Here **

 

• Open the 'raeCandyCornAlpha' at PSP
• Open the 'walker'.mng files at AS .. here are examples of what the 'walkers' look like

         

• I'm using a free filter =  download > Locas Software/3D Shadow

 

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 This is going to be pretty easy!

1.  Animation Shop ~ Open a canvas 600 X 250 ..  transparent

• Duplicate the frame > Select Frame #2
• Go to Animation > Insert Frames > Empty :

         

**or Duplicate to 8 frames Total

• Edit > Select All

 

 

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2.  Skeleton file :

• Edit > Select All
• Edit > Copy
• Right click = Paste into Selected Frame  ..  put him into the Left/Center

 

 

 

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3.  PSP ~ 'raecandyCornAlpha' :

• Open a canvas/transparent  ..  let's say 600 X 200 *increase the length if your name won't fit
• Selection out the letters, one at a time, for your name  
• Copy = Paste each, one at a time, at your new canvas **leave plenty of room around each letter = so you can crop each out at AS
• Click into the canvas > Copy merged
• Paste to AS

 

 

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4.  Animation Shop ~ have open the 'walkers' :

• Edit > Propagate Paste
• Edit > Select All  .. *at Each walker

Bring up your candy corn canvas :

• Crop tool = crop to your first letter, Copy
• Undo once to return to the full canvas

 

Select the 'walker' you want to carry the letter :

• Paste the letter in = sitting the letter at the tip of his fingers * it's not real easy to see..zooming in helps

         

 

• Paste the walker with letter into your frames  ..  feel free to stagger them a tiny bit **(they don't have to all fall into line..  but notice at my Tut Tag = the shadowing will be a bit altered for those higher/lower...  not a big deal for me if it isn't for you)

Here's an example of how I placed them = using 8 walkers :

         

• If you want to use the same walker again = simply Undo once to remove the previously pasted letter

 

 

 

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5.  You've placed all your text/walkers  ..  if you'd like to add a shadow effect :

• Right Click > Export Frames to PSP

 

At PSP ..  we'll use a free filter to add a perspective shadow.. 

• Effects > LocasSoftware > 3D Shadow :

         

• Apply to Each Frame
• when finished = close the frames .. at prompt ~  "save changes? = No   "send back to AnimationShop?" = Yes

 

 

 

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6.  Now, I'll show you how I made the fading text for the skeleton :

• Select one frame of your animation > Copy > Paste to PSP
• Add a New Raster layer

 

Open your text tool.. set to Vector  ..  enter whatever text you want to the new layer :

• I used 'Fading Background' gradient = using a color from the skeleton
• Foreground = Null

 

Once your text is entered ..  this is how to get the gradient to uniformly fill each letter :

• Layer Palette > click the + at the Vector layer to open
• Right click > Convert Text to Curves > As Character Shapes

 

Copy the text > Paste to AS

 

 

 

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7.  Animation Shop ~ fading the text :

• Animation > Insert Image Transition = Fade

        

• Select Frame #2  ..  Hold Shift  ..  scroll to Frame #4  ..  Select #4 ..  while holding shift = highlighting that series of frames 
• Right click > Copy
• Select Frame #5 > Right click > Paste After Current Frame
• go to Animation > Reverse Frames
• Edit Select All
• Edit > Copy

 

Now ..  bring up your candy corn animation :

• Edit > Select All frames
• Right click > Paste into Selected Frame
• Position and click to place

 

Crop your tag..  add a background color to reduce final file size :

• Right click > Animation Props > Opaque

 

At Optimization = I used 'Median Cut / Error Diffusion' 

 

..here's how the tag I made, while writing this, came out