TAG ANIMATION TUTORIAL
For PI 8+ and Gif Animator 4 & 5
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Software: Gift Animator 4 or 5
Author: Claudia Conover A.K.A. Dia
Homepage: Dia's Dimensions
Terms Of Use: Please Read
Title: Baby Elephant Stomp Tag Animation (Part 2)
Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Featured Tools: Text Tool, Transform Tools, Zoom
Gift Animator 4 & 5
Description: This is part 2 to animated your name tag. She stomps for a number of reasons...happiness, excitement and/or frustration!
The Stomp
I don't have a name on my previews, but don't let that throw you! As long as your file is in layers it won't matter. If you merged your file for a tube on the first page of this tut make sure you undo that step before going on with this tutorial.
Step 1.
Select all parts of the elephant, and click on the Crop tool. Click on the Crop, Check Mark on the top right of your menu above to crop. The size of my elephant is 164x183, which is a bit big for a stationery tag 'animation' weight wise, so click on the Image Size icon (Format, Image Size), and use the settings below:
My elephant is now 139x156 (or there about). You may crop some of the white around the outside of your elephant to make the whole file smaller. Don't forget to Center, Both after you do this step.
Hide the background with the eye in the Layer Manager. Save as 'ele.psd' for frame 1.
Step 2. Select her butt and feet and Merge as a Single Object. Select her head and ears and Merge as a Single Object.
Click on her butt, and on the Transform Tool, Destort, and pull the left side up a little way. Keep the side line straight.
Click on Deselect the object and Save as 'ele1.psd' for frame 2.
Step 3. Undo the Destort you just made, and pull the right side up about the same distance.
Save as 'ele2.psd' for frame 3.
Step 4. Undo that Destort, deselect, and Save as 'ele3.psd' for frame 4.
Step 5. Click on the tail to select. Now it doesn't matter whether you go right and then left or vise-versa. Zoom in to 300 for this part!
Step 5. With the tail selected, the Transform tool selected, click on the Rotate tool. The crossed circle 
in the middle has to be moved straight up so you only move the bottom of the tail. Move it up and center it by eye.
Step 6. Now, Change the Rotate by Degrees to 30.00°, click on the left arrow to move the tail right. Deselect the tail. Save as 'ele4.psd' for frame 5.
Undo the tail back to the center. Deselect, Pick tool, Save this as 'ele5.psd' for frame 6.
Step 7. Select the tail again, Transform tool, Rotator tool and click on the Right arrow to move the tail left. Deselect tail. Save as ele6.psd for frame 7.
To create the 'stomp' you have to duplicate some files.
CAUTION: Make sure you get the right files for this or you can ruin your whole animation right here!!!
Open file 'ele1.psd' (or the left leg up) and Save as 'ele2a.psd'.
Save again as 'ele2c.psd'. Close the file.
Open file 'ele2.psd' (or the right leg up). Save as 'ele2b.psd', and again as 'ele2d.psd'. Close the file. You should now be ready to animate your 11 frames.
Prepare for Animating
Step 1. Open your Gift Animator 4. When the Startup Wizard pops up, click on Animation Wizard.
Step 2. Next window, click Add Image. Click on the last file, hold the shift key down and click on the first file. They will be lined up in the order you need in the animator window. Click Next.
For Gif Animator 5 choose the size of your overall file dimensions on this first window, then Add Image.
Step 3. Click on Photo-Oriented (Dither). Next.
Step 4. The timing is 25 and 4. Finish.
GA 5 will ask you how you want your PSD frames brought in. You need to choose all objects brought in (not first object only option).
Step 5. Once the images are in your animator you'll have to change the timing for all frames. Here is a list for each frame:
Select the names of the frames to change the timing.
Click on the 1st frame's name and change the timing to 150 above (instead of 25).
Select the 2nd name = timing 12
3rd frame = 12
4th frame = 12
5th frame = 12
6th frame = 12
7th frame = 12
8th frame = 25
9th frame = 25
10th frame = 12
11th frame = 12. Click on the Preview tab and watch your baby stomp!
In GA 5 the stomp frames get timed like this...
frame 1 = 25
frame 2 = 25
frame 3 = 12
frame 4 = 12
frame 5 = 12
frame 6 = 12
frame 7 = 25
frame 8 = 12
frame 9 = 12
frame 10 = 12
frame 11 = 100 or 150. Click on the Preview tab and watch your baby stomp!
Step 6. (GA4) This animation will have a white background. If you are happy with your animation, click on the Optimize tab. Click on the Wizard at the bottom of the middle panel. Your settings for the windows are:
Global Pallet - Yes (Recommended).
256 Colors, and Dither Yes (Recommended for Photo-Oriented Images.
Click on the Advanced tab. Minimum Variance, and User Pallet - Optimize. Click OK.
Next.
Next and Finish.
In GA 5 click on the Optimize tab at the top and click on the Save button on the bottom right of the right preview window. If your global color palet is in the way close it with the X or grab the title bar at the top and move it. This will have a transparent background.
You are finished! Congratulations!
Step 7. (GA4) When the Wizard is finished optimizing, click on the Preview window. Click on the Arrow pointing right to view the animation file.
Click on the Square to stop and the X to close the window.
If you like what you see, and all is done right, click on the Save As and save the file with your final name. Click on Cancel. You are finished. Congratulations! :)))
GA4 and GA 5 - When you go to close the Animator it will ask you if you want to save the file, click on NO and let it close!
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.
Feel free to contact me if you get stuck and need help!
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