MODULE 1: ROTOSCOPING + FRAME ANIMATION TUTORIALS

 

PROJECT 1 INTRODUCTION

STEP 1: Record video + share with your computer

You can resize or trim the video in your Phone video app, or a basic video player or editor like Quicktime Player (For Macs) and VLC for Window's-Based machines. Photoshop can read most common video files such as .mov and .mp4 -if photoshop cannot recognize your file in the step below, you will need to convert your video to one of the above formats before importing.

Record a clip between 5 - 10 seconds long. Try to keep the camera as still as possible, unless you want to include camera movement in your animation. When filming, try to have the moving subject fit into the frame without a lot of background or empty space behind it, so you have enough detail to work with. You can always “zoom out” once you have imported the video layers in the next step.

STEP 2: IMPORTING VIDEO FRAMES TO LAYERS

  1. Import Video Frames to Layers: File > Import > Video Frames to Layers > Select File > Open

  2. Dialog Box Import Video to Layers : Adjust Clip Length (if needed) by moving the sliders at the bottom of your timeline & click the play/stop button to view the selected range
    Then select "Limit to Every" > Check Make Frame Animation > Click OK

  3. Timeline Frame Window: Window > Select "Timeline"
    Press Space Bar within Timeline to play through your animation

  4. Deleting Frames in the Timeline: Select frame(s) to delete > click the Trashcan > check YES

  5. If you have a small amount of action/movement in your selected frames
    Note: trim clip before opening it in Photoshop - this can be done in QuickTime
    Redo the process starting with step 1.

  6. Save your project: File > Save > Make sure the format is saved as a Photoshop Document (.psd) & title your file > Make sure "Layers" is selected > Hit Save

STEP 3: RESIZING VIDEO SIZE, CANVAS DIMENSIONS AND PREPPING LAYERS


Setting Up Video Frames, Image Size + Cropping the Canvas

  1. Changing Dimensions of your Photoshop Document & Making it a Square:
    Image > Canvas Size... > Select Pixels > Set Width & Height to the same pixel value > OK

  2. Cropping within the Image:
    Select the Crop Tool > Hold down shift and drag out your Square (release the mouse) > click and drag your box around to see what will be cropped > click ESC to exit the crop screen or click ENTER to apply the crop
    Note: if you are unhappy with the crop go back a step in your photoshop history and redo your crop

  3. Check the Size of your Image and the Document:
    Image > Image Size... > Set Width and Height to the same pixel value (use dimensions outlined in project requirement) > OK

  4. Save your file:
    File > Save or click CMND > S (CTRL for PCs)

Prepping the Layers + Timeline:
Note:The Timeline is marker for time "when": shows the visible and invisible layers from your layer window. When you select a frame in the Timeline it shows you which layer is visible in your Layer Tab.

  1. Delete extra layers that you didn't include in the timeline and rename layers to correspond with your Timeline frames:
    To Delete Layers: Select layers in Layer Tab > Click the Trash Can to delete
    To Rename Layers: double click the name > Insert name

STEP 4: THE ROTOSCOPING PROCESS

Open your file in Photoshop & have timeline and layers open:

  1. Add a new layer to the base video layer
    Before you start:
    a. Click the menu in top right-hand corner of Timeline > Uncheck New Layers Visible in All Frames
    b. Select your first video layer > Uncheck Propagate Frame One)

  2. Select frame 1 in the Layer menu and select frame 1 in the Timeline > Click the icon to the left of the Trashcan to create new layer > Select Layer 1 > Uncheck Propogate Frame One

  3. Keep your new layer selected and
    a. Select Brush in left-hand tool bar to draw on new layer > Create line drawing
    b. Go to Timeline and select frame two > Select base video layer 2 > Create New Layer > Select Layer 2 > Create line drawing

  4. Repeat this process to create new layers for your base video layers
    Note: Make sure the corresponding timeline frame and layer in the Layer Tab are visible and matched-up

  5. Turn off visibility for the video base layers:
    Select frame 1 in Timeline > Hide video base layer in Layers Tab by clicking the eye icon to the left of the layer > Select frame 2 in Timeline > Hide that video base layer in Layers Tab > Repeat for the rest of layers

  6. Press play (space bar) in Timeline to see your drawing played through

  7. Make sure to Save!

Optional Photoshop Tutorials

STEP 5: ADDING A BACKGROUND COLOR

Note: the checkered board background is transparent when exported

Static Background (non-changing background color or image):

  1. Create one layer you want to go through every single frame & add color to every frame

  2. Click timeline menu (top right-hand corner) > Select New Layers in All Frames > Select frame 1 in Timeline > Select bottom layer in Layer Panel >

  3. Click New Layer icon & Select the new layer > Select Color from Tool Bar to choose color > Select Paint Bucket Tool > Click to apply paint

STEP 6: EXPORTING THE ANIMATED GIF

foxAnimate01.gif

Also, a few reminders of your options with this different video format:

  1. Pop out of Canvas and watch in a new tab if any of the features aren't working

  2. There are fullscreen and CC (Sub-title) options available in the right hand corner. For being YouTube auto-captions, these are pretty clear. I think they must have improved their algorithm. Please email me with any accessibility needs.

  3. If you are feeling pressed for time, but don't want to miss anything, you can watch with audio in 1.5 speed by hitting that little gear icon.