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starca — GIMP gif animation tutorial

Published: 2009-10-19 11:15:58 +0000 UTC; Views: 61462; Favourites: 1495; Downloads: 1388
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Description A gif animation tutorial using the GIMP program. So you just get an idea how I do the animations.
You can see the animation here
Part two: here

Sorry if there are mistakes... If you have any questions I'll explain and add them here to make this tutorial more complete.

Edit: Changes in the new GIMP (2.8):
-You can use the "smooth stroke" option to draw nice lines even in lower zoom then 200%. (you find it at every drawing tool options dialog)
-You can add all the layers you need for one "frame" in a "group layer" By doing so, the "playback" will play the group layers and not every layer separately. (And you won't have to delete the sketchy layers every time or merge them often) In the end before exporting, merge the layer groups one by one by right-clicking on them and choosing "merge layer group". I have a script that does this automatically for all layers. I don't remember the link so just google it
-This is something that was in the old GIMP too, but I haven't mentioned it here: For every "frame" (layer or layer group) rename it with "(100ms)" at the end. If you want that frame to be slower add a bigger number then 100, if you want it to go faster add a smaller number. If you want ALL layers/frames to have the same speed, in the last window when exporting, choose the speed you want at "Delay between frames...100 milliseconds" and add a tick at "Use delay entered above for all frames"
-When you finish, you EXPORT it as ".gif" and not SAVE it.
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Comments: 356

starca In reply to ??? [2013-01-21 18:53:54 +0000 UTC]

aww, you're welcome

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

KrakenGuard In reply to ??? [2012-11-25 04:24:40 +0000 UTC]

I just made my first gif with this, and I would like to thank you SO MUCH!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to KrakenGuard [2012-11-25 22:42:34 +0000 UTC]

I'm happy it helped you

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Fynniona In reply to ??? [2012-11-02 21:11:26 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for this tutorial. ^.^
Only I did the drawings in sai then copied them to gimp because I didn't liked the lines in there.
(Or just could't really manage to do some, hehe.)

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to Fynniona [2012-11-04 12:50:38 +0000 UTC]

^^ glad it was helpful

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PigsTail In reply to ??? [2012-09-16 16:00:59 +0000 UTC]

I have a questions for you. If I try doing a gif with transparent backgrounds you can still see the last layer when it plays. Is there anyway to get around this?

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starca In reply to PigsTail [2012-09-18 21:44:30 +0000 UTC]

Yes, in the last window, when you save in the "frame disposal" you can choose the one that says "(replace)"(where it says "I don't care"). If you want to see the animation before saving it as a gif then you have to rename every layer with " (replace)" at the end without the quotation marks

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PigsTail In reply to starca [2012-09-18 23:09:57 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much! That was driving me crazy.

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starca In reply to PigsTail [2012-09-19 21:43:05 +0000 UTC]

no problem

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whispery-mist In reply to ??? [2012-08-31 17:21:34 +0000 UTC]

I was having trouble with this. I want my animation to be faster so I put it on "30ms", but when I save it, it's still around the same speed! Please Help!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to whispery-mist [2012-09-02 22:16:30 +0000 UTC]

Maybe it's a bug..If you change it in the last window it should work. If that doesn't work, you can do that manually by renaming each layer with " (30ms)" at the end (without the quotes)

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

whispery-mist In reply to starca [2012-09-03 18:36:06 +0000 UTC]

What do you mean change "it" in the last window?
Also I did try to put it as "(30ms)" (yes, without the quotes). That's how I originally made it. If it's a bug is there anything I can do?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to whispery-mist [2012-09-03 19:00:42 +0000 UTC]

In the gimp when you save it as gif it shows the last window in the last picture you see here in the tutorial. You change the "100" milliseconds in "30" (there where it says "delay between frames")(if you have the new version of gimp this window is slightly different though)

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whispery-mist In reply to starca [2012-09-03 19:55:44 +0000 UTC]

Ok, so I tried that. Still didn't work. TT.TT
I have the newest version of gimp though (2.8 I believe).

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to whispery-mist [2012-09-05 21:03:59 +0000 UTC]

I don't know T_T I have gimp 2.8 too but it works fine for me.

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whispery-mist In reply to starca [2012-09-06 12:11:08 +0000 UTC]

That's ok. Thanks for trying to help though. I'll figure it out somehow.
I'm probably going to try to animate something else, and if that doesn't work, I'll know there's probably something wrong with my Gimp.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to whispery-mist [2012-09-06 21:55:28 +0000 UTC]

I hope you find a solution good luck

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

whispery-mist In reply to starca [2012-09-07 12:20:58 +0000 UTC]

Thanks

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

doodleavc14 In reply to ??? [2012-08-29 21:46:40 +0000 UTC]

WOOHOO! Now i dont have to buy animation software!!!!
YOU HAVE SAVED MY NONEXISTANT WALLET!! XD

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to doodleavc14 [2012-08-29 22:19:07 +0000 UTC]

hehe ^^ glad to be of help

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Punys In reply to ??? [2012-08-05 03:32:52 +0000 UTC]

ive done all of the above but the timing aint right o^o

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to Punys [2012-08-05 21:54:33 +0000 UTC]

try to change the number "100" milliseconds in the last picture

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EvilDemonNeko In reply to ??? [2012-08-04 09:07:32 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much I've looked at soo many tutorials but i never understood any of them! This is much more easy.. Cause.. it has pictures! 8DDDD

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to EvilDemonNeko [2012-08-05 21:43:09 +0000 UTC]

you're welcome ^v^ hehe

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Amibar In reply to ??? [2012-07-14 13:46:59 +0000 UTC]

God bless you, i've been looking for how to animate in gimp for days

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to Amibar [2012-07-15 22:11:01 +0000 UTC]

glad to be of help <3

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

victorescu In reply to ??? [2012-07-03 20:54:27 +0000 UTC]

All your videos helped me, i'm going through my tutorials folder and the best ones are from you. [link]

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to victorescu [2012-07-06 22:15:29 +0000 UTC]

I'm glad it was of help

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

MamaWeegieSwag In reply to ??? [2012-06-16 06:10:00 +0000 UTC]

I Put All The Images For My Animation But How Do I.......?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to MamaWeegieSwag [2012-06-16 21:42:29 +0000 UTC]

"How do you" what? 8'D "Put together the images for the animation?" - You add them as new layers every time. Go to the playback to see if it's alright, & then save it as gif. To upload gifs in deviantart there's only one category: Digital Art / Miscellaneous / Animation (It also needs a preview image.)

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MamaWeegieSwag In reply to starca [2012-06-17 01:57:27 +0000 UTC]

I Was Using Windows Movie Maker

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starca In reply to MamaWeegieSwag [2012-06-17 14:28:40 +0000 UTC]

ah..^^> this is a tutorial about how you do that with the gimp XD

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MamaWeegieSwag In reply to starca [2012-06-17 14:33:47 +0000 UTC]

That might not work

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starca In reply to MamaWeegieSwag [2012-06-17 14:48:01 +0000 UTC]

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MamaWeegieSwag In reply to starca [2012-06-17 16:43:46 +0000 UTC]

Know What I Give Up

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Sheiinja In reply to ??? [2012-04-26 08:49:02 +0000 UTC]

I had absolutely no clue about gif making but I'm quite shocked that it's this easy. Thanks for making this, it's very good.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to Sheiinja [2012-04-26 22:57:14 +0000 UTC]

no problem ^-^ <3

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princesspeach123455 In reply to ??? [2012-04-24 01:43:20 +0000 UTC]

One word.....AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to princesspeach123455 [2012-04-26 22:49:58 +0000 UTC]

thank you

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

XxShySonicLoverxX In reply to ??? [2012-04-22 20:39:46 +0000 UTC]

Im making mine right know!!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to XxShySonicLoverxX [2012-04-22 22:15:56 +0000 UTC]

^v^

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XxShySonicLoverxX In reply to starca [2012-04-24 03:17:40 +0000 UTC]

YAY IM DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to XxShySonicLoverxX [2012-04-26 22:58:16 +0000 UTC]

YAY~ lol

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

XxShySonicLoverxX In reply to starca [2012-04-28 20:43:43 +0000 UTC]

YA IM A WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Jc-the-penguin In reply to ??? [2012-04-22 06:09:54 +0000 UTC]

I was gonna make my animation than a stupid error poed out ;_; I need to restart and this is helpful

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to Jc-the-penguin [2012-04-22 22:11:34 +0000 UTC]

glad it helps

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Jc-the-penguin In reply to starca [2012-04-23 08:46:44 +0000 UTC]

how did you made your icon

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to Jc-the-penguin [2012-04-23 23:04:01 +0000 UTC]

I took this: [link] , copy-pasted in different layers every character. Then I duplicated & modified each of the layers until the action was complete (drew the eyes more closed until they finally close - for example) :]

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Jc-the-penguin In reply to starca [2012-04-23 23:07:54 +0000 UTC]

Ypur icon is very cute :3

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starca In reply to Jc-the-penguin [2012-04-23 23:09:52 +0000 UTC]

thanks

👍: 0 ⏩: 1


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