Operation Manual

Creating Animations 229
Onion Skinning
Onion skinning is a standard animation technique derived from cell animation,
where transparent sheets enable the artist to see through to the preceding
frame(s). It's useful for enabling precise registration and controlling object
movement from frame to frame. You can turn the feature on or off (the default
is off) as needed, and set the number of previous frames that will be visible
(normally one).
To turn onion skinning on or off:
1. From the Frames tab, click the Onion Skinning button to turn
onion skinning on or off.
2. (Optional) To set more than one previous frame to be visible,
click Properties, then set the number of frames in the Onion
Skinning input box.
The preceding frame's objects will show behind those of the currently selected
frame.
Previewing Stopframe animations
You can preview your animation prior to export at any time either directly from
your Frames tab (shown in a Preview window) or from within your default web
browser.
To preview in the Preview window:
• Click Preview on the Frames tab.
The animation loads into the Preview window and begins playing at its actual
size and speed. Notice that you see only the drawn portion of the animation—
any extra surrounding white space is cropped away. You can use the control
buttons (Play, Stop, etc.) to review individual frames.
To preview in a web browser:
• Select Preview in Browser from the File menu. The animation loads
your default web browser and begins playing.