*tag is resized

 

 

 

This Tutorial, Cats, Mice and Pipes are ©rae ..  June 22, 2007

*alpha is created with font named 'Down the Drain'

~~*~~
This tutorial and its' supplies are not to be redistributed 
at other Groups, Messageboards or through Email;
translated and redistributed to other Groups,
Messageboards or through Email etc.  .. 
without Permission. 
Nor may you copy this tutorial and claim it
as your own, in any manner.

Snags, Blanks, Tagbacks and Incredimail Stationary..etc... are not allowed to be made with this tut

Please leave all filenames and info as they are

 

*~ supplies Here ~*

'raeDownDrainLayers' ~ Open at PSP  ..  if © is necessary ~ it's been added to a layer for you

'PipeAlpha' ~ Open at PSP

**note ~ if you'd prefer to create your own animation > Unlock the layers.  At the far right layer palette.. left click each '1' to return to 'None'.  Also, many of the mice look the same..but notice the 'tail' is positioned to move as he leaps.

 

 

1.  'raeDownDrainLayers' ~  It has a ton of layers!  ..don't worry

If you want to create a background as seen in the tag, above (or create whatever you like):

  

 

          

 

    found at PSP X >>   

 

 

2.  Add text ~ using the 'PipeAlpha'

*You will want to consider pasting more of your letters 'as a New Layer' ..  then you'll have the freedom to move some letters behind others..or in front..  as well, you'll be able to stack and stagger them  ..your nic will look better if the letters aren't set out in a neat line

If your nic has a lot of letters.. you'll appreciate being able to move them independently..

**Scrunch your letters to overlap or touch each other (no spaces in between) = you'll have a better end-result when you rock them, later in the tut

! ··  If you have a lot of letters and find you need more room ··!

  • Highlight 'Right Pipe section' Layer
  • Mover Tool  at canvas = move directly right
  • ..or
  • Mover Tool ..  Hold Shift > Click into canvas at the 'right pipe' layer ..  leave cursor over canvas ..  use the Directional Arrow Keys to move to the right

 

 

3.  ~ Position Text with the 'DrainHole'

! ··Important·· ! 

Do Not Move the 'Drain Hole!

  • it is linked up with all the Mice,Cats & Pipe for your animation = if you move the drain hole..you'll move many other layers and you'll mess up the final animation
  • Move your TEXT, only

 

4.  ~ You've moved your text into it's final postion

        

 

5.  ~ Turn OFF your Text layer

 

6.  ~ we'll use the Warp brush to expand the pipe..  as the mouse moves through

 

~ Open your Warp Brush Tool :

   

 

 

~ Center your Warp brush here = give it a lingering click or two

   

 

~ Warp :

   

~ Repeat, the above, for 'Xpand 3 & 4'

         

**please don't hold your Warp-click too long = if you do, you'll see the area lose most detail and become solid, soft grey = as all pixels are pushed outward...and the area will become 'Flat'

 

~ Apply the same Drop Shadow to all four expanded pipes

 

 

 

 ·· a note about using the © layer ··

It would be best of you'd leave the ©layer OFF while creating your tag at PSP

Paste the © to AS, as a New Animation, after you've created your animation frames and resized

Then Copy it, again, at AS and Paste it into your frames (*remember - Select All frames of your tag ani and enable Propagate Paste)

= this way it won't be resized and will remain legible

 

7.  ~ The Worst is Over!  ..  now we'll begin copying frames to AS

Open Animation Shop :

 

~ Return to PSP

 

 

 

8.  ~ Here follows a chart = layers OFF and ON

 

        OFF                    ON

2.     Mouse  1                        Mouse  2

3.     Mouse  2                        Mouse  3

4.                                            Mouse  3  ..  Cat  1

5.     Cat  1                             Mouse  3  ..  Cat  2

6.     Cat  2                             Mouse  3  ..  Cat  3

7.     Mouse  3                       Cat  3  ..  Mouse Wave  1

8.     Mouse Wave  1            Cat  3  ..  Mouse Wave  2

 9.  At AS = Holding Shift > Left Click into Frame #1 & then #2 ..  *selecting both frames

             OFF                              ON

10.     Mouse Wave  2 ..Cat  3             Mouse  3  ..Cat  4

11.     Mouse  3                                     Mouse  4  ..Cat  4

12.     Mouse  4                                     Mouse  5  ..Cat  4

13.     Mouse  5                                     Mouse  6  ..Cat  4

14.     Mouse  6                                     Mouse  7  ..Cat  4

15.     Mouse  7  ..Cat  4                      Mouse  8  ..Cat  5

16.     Mouse  8                                     Mouse  9  ..Cat  5

17.     Mouse  9                                     Mouse  10  ..Cat  5

18.     Mouse  10                                   Mouse  11  ..Cat  5

19.     Mouse  11                                   Mouse  12  ..Cat  5

20.     all Mice OFF  ..Cat  5                  Cat  6

21.     Cat  6  *all Mice OFF                  Cat  7

22.     Cat  7                                           Cat  8

23.     Cat  8                                           Cat  9

24.     Cat  9                                           Cat  10

**  you should have 27 Frames Total at AS

 

9.  ~ PSP .. All Mice and cat layers OFF  ..  we're finished with them

          

 

         

 

~ Return to PSP

 

 

~ Return to PSP

 

 

~ while at AS :

*you should have 35 frames Total

 

 

~ Return to PSP

~ PSP = Repeat for layers 'Xpand 2, 3, and 4'

 

 

10.  ~ You're finished using PSP..   remain at AS to wrap this puppy up!

 

Finally : 

 

11.  ~ all that is left to do = crop and set your animation speeds ..resize and save! 

         

        

 

 

     ~ Set Frames speeds = Right Click > Frame Properties :

Frame #1              = 50

Frame #2              = 20

Frame #3             = 150

Frames #4 & 5       = 10

Frame #6             = 150

Frames #7 thru 12  = 14

Frame #13           = 100

Frames#14 thru 34 = 10

Frame #35           = 150

Frames #36 thru 39 = 16

 

Resize, if necessary = 80% Bicubic

 

Add a background color to save KB's : 

 

Optimization : 

File > Optimization Wizard ..  at 2nd window = Customize tab :

Optimized Octree / Error Diffusion

 

 

many thanks to Crimson and Garfie for the excellent suggestions and critique of this tut!

* note ~ they both did the tut before I added the pipe warp

 

:)  here is Crimson's tut-test  :)   

 

 

   :)  here is Garfie's tut-test  :)