[Tutorial] Creating GIFs

Coco

Coco

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GH2.png


There are many ways you can go about making a GIF. I've heard others use Quicktime and others actually have software just for GIF-making. The way I do them is actually a bit easier than other tutorials I've read and the best part is, no video downloading necessary.

Tools:

  • Adobe Photoshop CS3 (or higher)
  • MPEG Streamclip (this is free, and doesn't require installation.)
Run MPEG Streamclip. Go to File, and from here, you have the option of opening your video (if you have it saved in your computer) or you can Open URL. I always do the latter, so I just copy paste a Youtube link.

y1.png


Note: MPEG Streamclip can't read all Youtube links. Sometimes it goes 'cannot open file'. You can keep trying to input the link over and over, sometimes it works, or just find another video.

I can't stress enough how important it is to find a high quality video. Much like designing tags, there's no way to make resolution better. So make sure to find one larger than 500x350 pixels. D:

Once your video is open, you can crop the segment you want.
For this tutorial, I'll use Katy Perry's Teenage Dream music video.

y2-2.png


Move the navigator (the hourglass circled in pink) to where you want to start cropping.

Keyboard shortcut:

I = Select In (start of the segment you want)
O = Select Out (end of the segment you want)

or you can go Edit>Select In and Edit>Select Out.

y3.png


Once you're done, go to File>Export to AVI. A window will appear. Don't bother with the specifications, just hit Make AVI.

Open Adobe Photoshop. Go to File>Import>Video Frames To Layers. Find your cropped AVI segment.

y4.png


This will appear. Make sure to tick the box that says 'Limit To Every __ Frames' and 'Make Frame Animation'. Ideally frames should be limited to just 2, but you can go as far as 5. Beware though, the higher the number gets, the more it will affect your video. This will greatly affect the smoothness of the flow of your GIF.

The thing about making GIFs is that you have to work with two things: the Image Layers and Animation Layers.

Our goal is to have 20 Layers or less. If needed, delete a few layers. Just make sure that if you delete an Animation Layer, you also delete its corresponding Image Layer.

y5.png


Now, to enhance. In the Animation window, select the last frame and use Shift + Select until the first frame to select them all. It's crucial that you select the last frame first.

Go to Layer>New Adjustment Layer and from here, you can start playing with any of those. Here is where you can get creative.

If you want to crop or resize the image, you can do so. Just make sure, again, that all the frames are always selected last to first.

y6.png


This time, we add text. With all frames selected, go to Layer>New>Layer. Use the Text box (left-most box, 'T') and write your text.

Note: Unlike in images, you cannot move the text or edit its colors as a whole once you've set it. You can, but you'd have to do it frame by frame. I suggest you set it exactly how you want it (colors and position) before leaving the text editor.

Regarding the speed of the GIF, in the Animation Frames Window, there's that 0.04 sec. You can play with this as well. The timing varies from video to video, so it's a trial and error thing.

Once you're satisfied, and you're ready to publish your work, go to File>Save For Web & Devices.

y8.png


Here you can choose the resolution of your GIF. Since the forums doesn't have any restrictions on GIF sizes, you can opt not to worry about this. But I urge you not to go beyond 1MB.

Tip: As shown above, select Pattern. Noise and Diffusion don't look good. D:


KPTD.gif



© Coco (Micci Laroza) 2011
All Rights Reserved.

- END -


I can entertain questions in this thread. Feel free to post. :ryan:
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:ohoho: I'm still a tad confused with certain things, but... by following this tutorial, this was my crappy first outcome. I love you for making this tutorial, if it would let me rep you twice on the same day, I so would 5 times. Thank you very much. :ryan:

My result:
fdvfaw.jpg


It's going awfully fast. :wacky:

I fixed it, I think... Without the texture on it, though. 'Cause I forgot. -.-

2d0cnyo.jpg


Ps. The thing I am confused about is how do you know which frames you delete if you have like.... 40+? 'Cause if the goal is to have less than 25, how do you know what frames to delete in between, IF you don't want to delete all the ending frames? Do you just guess, or... pick anything specific out, or look what looks good by testing it separately each time? .....So confused. :lew:
 
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T_T

I cannot thank you enough for doing this. I've tried, like, so many many times to figure out how to create gifs. And like you said, all that happened was I was really confused by tuts, got frustrated and then left it. But this makes it so simple. T_T Seriously, I am SO stoked to have seen this and I cannot wait to start making some gifs of all my fav scenes ^_^

Thanks again! And the Katy one is so purrty! :ryan:
 
@Six

Oh, MOTHER CHUCKER I FORGOT TO EXPLAIN THAT BIT :rage:

Okay, so if you have a very long segment for your GIF, once you're at this part:

y4.png


Play with Limit To Every __ Frame. Ideally it should be just 2, but you can go as far as 5. Beware though, the higher the number gets, the more it will affect your video. Like you'll be able to notice where the frames stop and end (it's hard to explain :gonk:). It will greatly affect the smoothness of the flow of your GIF. But this solves your 'too many frames but don't want to delete problem'.

EDIT:

For the speed, as you can see here:

y5.png


In the Animation Frames Window, there's that 0.04 sec. You can play with this as well. The timing varies from video to video, so it's a trial and error thing. :gonk:

@Calipso
Thank you so much. :8F: I put in a few hours to get this up. I'm glad some people actually try it.

Thank you both. <333 I'm glad I was able to explain it quite a bit. I found it hard to explain in some parts.
 
Haha, awesome I am actually writing some computer code for my API GUI here at work, and I'll take this into account. I am just hoping this tool can shrink the file as well.. if not then I won't be able to use it :sad2:.

I need the pixels around 50x50.

- Shu

EDIT: NM I saw that you used PS CS3 or above, hmm I'll figure out if I can upgrade. Otherwise I'm stuck to the older version :jtc:
 
@Shu

I'm not sure what API GUI is, but thank you very much for reading. :8F: The reason why it has to be CS3 or higher is because of the Video Frames to Layers option, the former versions don't have it. :sad3:

EDIT:

Seiji

...what's portable version? :hmmm:

 
Portable version is like the full version of a Photoshop, compressed into a small file, rather than being like 600MBs, it's only 50MBs, at the cost of something major doodads that PS regularly uses.

Idk, it's kinda hard to explain. :gasp:
 
Untitled-1.gif


Here's my uber fast non-modded video >_>.

I kinda just took a clip, converted it to a HD file and then just followed the tut excluding the text.

I just need help adjusting the speed and such.
 
OMG! Thank you so much, I have CS5 and I have never been able to make GIFs with it, I knew there was a way that you could somehow but I couldn't find it, so thank you so much for this, I was just about ready to spend like 30$ on GIF making software :ness:
 
Thank you, Micci! ♥

Now to go about getting CS3. I just play around the program for myself than any work or school related stuff, so I don't need the high end version out now. Hope it's cheaper by now :hmmm:
 
Fusionist said:
Thank you, Micci! ♥

Now to go about getting CS3. I just play around the program for myself than any work or school related stuff, so I don't need the high end version out now. Hope it's cheaper by now :hmmm:
Click to expand...

It's expensive as fuck. =/ The last price I saw was 1400 dollars. It's friggin ridiculous... =/

Downloaded the 30 trial for making this, because Photoshop CS2 doesn't seem to have the options availabe.. :gonk:

Once again, great tutorial. Saved it all in a word document in case it ever gets lost. :lew: Thanks Mic. ♥
 
; ___ ;

Thank you sooooo much for making this! I've been wanting to make gifs for ages, but most of the tuts i've read were kind of hard for me to understand.

Here's my lame result:

genie-snsd-gif-unedit.gif


Edited Version:

genie-snsd-gif.gif


Once again, thank you very much for making this!~

Rep+
 
Those are great Tsuki, very nice indeed.

And as for the quality of the clip, it all depends on what kind of resolution you downloaded and what you set the GIF to.

For me, I usually set up the resolution way up high, then I make necessary crops and adjustments.

Also, the size of the video - say it's like 1920 x 1080, and you crop it to like 600, it will make the speed WAY faster.
 
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