User guide

Creating Animations 181
Single-layer animation
Let's look at a different example (below) which shows the Yin-Yang symbol as a
bouncing ball, and although it has four frames it only has one layer (Add Layer
to Each New Frame was unchecked). Three additional frames were cloned from
Frame 1 (using the New Frame button), and then, within each subsequent frame
the layer was dragged slightly (with the Move Tool) to reposition its contents in
the window.
Working with animation frames
Let's cover the "nuts and bolts" of creating and arranging animation frames using
the Animation tab. You'll use the tab in conjunction with the Layers tab to
varying extents, but we'll focus on the Animation tab for the moment.
Here are some general guidelines to help you produce memorable animations:
1. Decide if you want layers to be created with each frame. Check or uncheck
the Add Layer to Each New Frame option (if needed) by right-clicking on
the Animation tab. This means that each new frame can be edited
independently as it occupies its own layer.
2. Create enough frames to define the separate states of the animation.
3. Step through the frames, adjusting layer content and state for each frame.
You can delete or reposition frames as needed, and preview the animation
at any time.
4. Save the animation as a regular PhotoPlus (.SPP) file, and export it to the
.GIF or .AVI format.
To create a new frame:
Click the New Frame button (or right-click a thumbnail and choose
New Frame).