Create GIF animation in Photoshop

Posted by Clint ⋅ July 25, 2009 ⋅ 16 Comments

Filed Under Adobe, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop CS4, animation, animator, gif, gif animation, gif animator, gif image, graphics, photoshop, photoshop cs4

You’ve created a nice graphics on Adobe Photoshop and you’ve decided to animate it. But how?

I’m using Adobe Photoshop CS4, I don’t know if the previous version of Photoshop has an Animation capability.

So, to start: open Adobe Photoshop

Create your desired graphics. I’ve created a simple red-green light animation. See screen shot to know much better than my explanation. I suck at explaining if you all know :p

GIF Animation: Frame 1

GIF Animation: Frame 2

Create your first frame. This frame will be the initial graphics you will see on your animation. Then create your sencond frame.

Photoshop: Animation Window

Add frame to animate

After you create all frames needed for you animation, Open Animation window. Click

Window > Animation

The animation window will then show on the bottom of the Photoshop window.

See that theres already a first frame. This frame is the current frame visible on your work area.

click new layer in the animation window and select your second frame.

Adjust the speed

You can adjust your frame speed by clicking the number on the animation window.

GIF Animation: Looping

If you want to loop your animation click on the drop-down box on the left side of the animation controller.

GIF Animation: Save your animation

After you finalize your work. Save it by clicking File> Save for Web and Devices

A preview window will then pop out.

GIF Animation: Save image

I assume that you know this windows. Choose GIF as your file format and in the animation field click your desired loop preference (Ex. 3 times, forever, etc.)

After you set everything. Click Save. Now you’re done. I will include my finished graphics here as well as the psd format.