EZBlinkyGraphicFrame HootyTut

EZ Blinky Graphic Frame Ani

Tutorial by Hooty aka Doyle Allen 1/14/04

Approved by the HootyTutTestersGroup!

Needed: Paint Shop Pro (either version) and AnimationShop

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner

1 File/Open

Open a graphic that you want to use..

I think the ones with dark areas around

the outer edges give a more dramatic

and easier kewl finished result.

Up to you.

Steps to take so you don't accidentally save

over your original graphic.

(a) Edit/Copy

(b) Close out your Image

(c) Edit/Paste as New Image

2 Image/Resize

Proportional Checked so that it is no

bigger than 430 pixels either way .. height or

width.

3 Dropper Tool:

Select 2 contrasting colors from your

graphic.

4 Image/Add Borders = 3

Symmetric Checked

Color = White … which you can select

from right clicking in the Color Box that

opens in the lower left.

Left click on your color choice to select it!

For future reference:

Also note that your 2 contrasting colors

are also showing here in the lower left also..

This will be handy a few steps down when

you add another 3 pixel border.

5 Image/Add Borders = 25

Symmetric Checked

Color = Black I use this color to add to

the contrast that the blinky border will have

when it is animated.

You may want to substitute another really dark

color of your own.

Again, the choice of color is up to you.

6 Image/Add Border = 3

Symmetric Checked

Color = Use the Lightest color from your

contrasting colors that you chose.. remember

. . right click in the color box to access this.

7 Magic Wand Tool:

Select the border that you just

added by left clicking on it.

Be sure that the tolerance

is set at Zero.

8 Effects/3D effects/Inner Bevel

Use a bevel of your choosing, on 3 pixels it

really doesn’t matter that much.

The default setting is fine and most others.

9 Selections/Select None

10 At this point you can add your watermark.

Just do not touch either of the little borders

in your placement.

I add mine sometimes in AS but that is another

tut and I am trying to keep this one simple as I can.

11 Layers/Promote Background Layer

12 Left Click on your Foreground Color Box in your

Materials or Color palette.

13 Select Gradient: Select the Foreground/Background

Gradient that comes with your Paint Shop Pro. It should be one of

the very first selections that you see at the top.

Settings: Be sure all of your settings are just as you see

below including the Texture NOT being checked.

14 View/Zoom

Zoom in by one step.

You will want a bigger view of your fill sequence.

15 Magic Wand Tool: Select the first White

3 pixel border

16 Flood Fill Tool:

Settings:

Left click on your border to fill it.

Zoom in to be sure that your selected border is

truly filled with your gradient aka View/Zoom

17 Layers/Duplicate

18 Left Click on your Foreground Color Box in your

Materials or Color palette.

Settings: Just Left Click on the INVERT Box.

This turns the contrasting colors top to bottom

and visa versa which is what makes the blinkie

ani come to life when it is animated.

19 Left click on the selected border to flood it with this

gradient.

20 Selections/Select None

21 File/Save as

Change the TYPE to Paint Shop Pro

Name it and type .Paint Shop Pro on the right of your chosen file

name.

Example: File name: MonkeySeeMonkeyDo.Paint Shop Pro

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

1 File/Jasc Software Products/Animation Shop

2 File/Open …. Find find the file that you just saved and

open it.

Note: your Files of type should say All Files.

3 View/Animation

4 File/Save

Save as type should say CompuServe

Name your animation and save as a gif.

Note: You should be able to save at the highest quality

and still have a low load size.. so make it look it’s best!

**********************************************

Now is that the shortest Animation Shop tut

you’ve ever seen? LOL

Hope you like this tutorial. I think it is easy as

they come and a good starter into learning animations.

Disclaimer:

I claim no originality for the blinky method although

my settings are different from the other tutorials that I

have seen using this method to make the small blinkies

that are so popular. There probably are some tuts

using this same idea in their frames in some way but the

idea and construction method is coming from me and

not from copying someone else's tutorial.

AfterThoughts:

If you are Intermediate to Advanced in Paint Shop Pro it

shouldn't be a stretch for you to do your

SideBorders, Divider or footer icons in the

same manner.

Any line that you can select with your magic

wand can be animated in the same manner.

Just remember that too much is too much and

every animation you add to your stat makes the

load size heavier.

Remember to Watermark your creations!

****************************************

Approved by the HootyTutTestersGroup!

Thanks to all the great testers that help me to

make these tutorials as good as they are!

The testers are always a vital part of the end

results of what you end up using.

Special thanks to all the testers:

Here are the testers that helped to make this

tutorial as good as it it!

Maria, Everam, Pat, Sue, Laurie, Mary, omi &

KMRA!