Animated Gif

[PaperMakeiT]

Here a brief Tut on how to create easily and freely an animated gif image.

There are several ways to get it. One of those is using The Gimp software, a free layered image editor. This is maybe not the best way but it works.

Other ways include online services, dedicated Gif makers, powerful commercial softwares. Most of them have a price or, if free, cannot be used for commercial purposes.

What is an animated Gif?
An image can be saved in this format:

image.gif

This format is able to include more than one single image: several images are shown one after the other sequentially giving the illusion of motion if there is a little difference between an image and the following.

We can get then something like this:

Some limitations:

a) getting a fluid motion needs 25 frames per second. So, a lot of images and a huge file.
b) the gif animated is indicated for small size images.
c) it works better with a low number of colors.
d) Gif format can manage transparency but not translucency (gradient of transparency).

Create a file in Gimp
After loading Gimp, put each image of the motion on a different layer like this:

Save the file as Gif format

Click on "Save as Animation"

Choice how Animation works

In our example I choice "Loop forever" and the suggested time delay between an image and the following.

That' all!


In this way you can have every kind of animations for avatars or for demos.

Gimp doesn't manage "Forth and Back sequence", so you have to duplicate the same images to come back in animation.

[cgutzmer]

thanks man! gonna come back to this later

[nothing]

i didnt know gimp had the animation in it. cool thanks.

[PaperMakeiT]

Yup!
It happens that gif animations are replaced by flash animations, but I haven't still found a free flash editor.

Who knows something about it? ???