Ever wanted to learn how to edit add text to a GIF quickly and easily? Don't panic! It is actually very easy. Once you learn the basics captioning GIF files will be as easy as captioning JPEG and PNG files.
(Steps 1 to 4 are pretty self explanatory and you can skip to Step 5 if you already know a bit about Photoshop.)
Step 1 (How to use Photoshop):
First you need to have the software Adobe Photoshop. Any version will be fine. If you cannot afford Photoshop use a software called GIMP instead. The software is completely free and can be found at: http://www.gimp.org/downloads/. It is also possible to download Photoshop through questionable means via the internet.Step 2 (How to use Photoshop):
The easiest way is to simply download a GIF from the internet and edit it from there. Scroll down the very end of this tutorial after you learned the basics to learn how to make your own GIFs.
Open your browser and google your image for a GIF file. You can do this by adding "GIF" at the end of your search.
Now open the GIF file in Photoshop by either double clicking it, or if it isn't set to open with Photoshop, right click the file GIF. Unblock the file if it is blocked and then on the top where it says "Open's with" click "Change" and search for your Photoshop directory.
Step 3 (How to use Photoshop):
On the top of Photoshop there should be a list of options: (File-Edit-Image-Layer-Type-Select--Filter-3D-View-Window-Help).
Click on "Window". Look for "Timeline" in the menu. After you click that a toolbar should pop up at the bottom of your screen showing all of your slides. The toolbar is called Timeline and will be used to
The toolbar will give you the option to play the GIF by clicking the button that looks like a play arrow "l>". Click play to observe the GIF play in Photoshop.
The toolbar will give you the option to play the GIF by clicking the button that looks like a play arrow "l>". Click play to observe the GIF play in Photoshop.
Keep in mind that the play speed will be slightly faster than what it actually plays at online. Don't try to lengthen the delay between each frame to make it seem perfect. If you've downloaded a GIF from the internet, it is already formatted properly to play at the correct speed.
Step 4 (How to use Photoshop):
If you do not see a panel on the right hand side showing all of your layers go to the right hand side. Search until you find the toolbar with the options: (Layers-Channels-Paths). Click the "<<" button above it to expand your layers. The "Layers" toolbar will pop up. This toolbar will show you a list of all of the layers that will be in your GIF.
Step 5 (Making sure you create your layers in the right order)
Go to your "Timeline" (the toolbar with a slide of pictures at the bottom of your screen). You want to pause the animation if it is playing. Scroll right until you reach the last frame. Click on the last frame to make it appear on your screen. Scroll upwards to your very last layer. You should notice a "eye shaped symbol" appearing on it indicating that it is for this frame the layer is visible. Select the the last layer by clicking on it (not the eye shaped symbol but the text which should say Layer #) in the "Layers" toolbar .
Every new layer you create should always be above the other preexisting layers.
Finally you are read to create your caption. Just plug and play these steps without thinking too much about it. You'll get how everything works later through the explanations provided.
This will create a layer of pure background color which will be visible above all of your layers in every single frame of the GIF.
TLDR: Every layer you make in a premade GIF will be visible in every frame.
(Complicated explanation: When a GIF is made using the "Timeline" option "Make Frames from Layers", each existing layer is made visible on only a single frame and hidden on the rest. If you had a file with 100 layers it would create 100 frames where each layer was only visible in 1 frame and hidden for the other 99 frames. But when a new layer is made after the option "Make Frames from Layers" has created the frames, then Photoshop will not generate any new frames and instead a create a fixed picture which is visible in all of the frames.)
Once you've finished writing you can "Save your GIF for web". Click "File =>Save for Web. Photoshop will load a bit so wait a few secs. Once it finishes loading move your mouse to the top right side. Select GIF. Then select the Preset "GIF 256 Dithered". Click Save. A window will pop up showing the name of the GIF and where it will be saved." Click save. Photoshop will load for a few seconds. If everything goes fine the the window will close. You can then go your directory and click on the GIF to open it in Photoshop again (to view your GIF using the timeline). Click the play arrow on the timeline to see how your GIF turned out.
An easier method is to used a program called GIF viewer. You can view GIFS playing through a GIF player by double clicking them once you set them to "open with" GIF viewer.
Every new layer you create should always be above the other preexisting layers.
Finally you are read to create your caption. Just plug and play these steps without thinking too much about it. You'll get how everything works later through the explanations provided.
Step 6 (Making Space for the Caption Text)
First, create the extra space where you can fill up with your background color and text. Click "Image=>Canvas Size=> Change the Pixels setting to Percent=>Uncheck relative if it is checked=>Set Width percent to 160=>Where it says Anchor click the left arrow key (<--) to anchor the left side so it doesn't expand the canvas to the left and only to the right. A transparent checkboard pattern should appear on your right side.Step 7 (Creating the Fill Layer and Explanation )
Next, make your background color or "fill layer". Make sure the last layer in the "Layers" toolbar is selected like mentioned above. Select the "Rectangular marquee" tool (M key) and make select the entire checkboard area from its top left corner to bottom right corner. Next, click "Layer=>New Fill Layer =>Solid Color=>Click OK=> Select any background color you like=>Click OK".This will create a layer of pure background color which will be visible above all of your layers in every single frame of the GIF.
TLDR: Every layer you make in a premade GIF will be visible in every frame.
(Complicated explanation: When a GIF is made using the "Timeline" option "Make Frames from Layers", each existing layer is made visible on only a single frame and hidden on the rest. If you had a file with 100 layers it would create 100 frames where each layer was only visible in 1 frame and hidden for the other 99 frames. But when a new layer is made after the option "Make Frames from Layers" has created the frames, then Photoshop will not generate any new frames and instead a create a fixed picture which is visible in all of the frames.)
Step 8 (Creating the Text Layer and Saving your GIF)
Last, make your "text layer". Simply click the (T Key) which will allow you to create a text box. This layer's order should be above the fill layer.Once you've finished writing you can "Save your GIF for web". Click "File =>Save for Web. Photoshop will load a bit so wait a few secs. Once it finishes loading move your mouse to the top right side. Select GIF. Then select the Preset "GIF 256 Dithered". Click Save. A window will pop up showing the name of the GIF and where it will be saved." Click save. Photoshop will load for a few seconds. If everything goes fine the the window will close. You can then go your directory and click on the GIF to open it in Photoshop again (to view your GIF using the timeline). Click the play arrow on the timeline to see how your GIF turned out.
An easier method is to used a program called GIF viewer. You can view GIFS playing through a GIF player by double clicking them once you set them to "open with" GIF viewer.
The program can be found at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/gifviewer/.
Special Step (Creating frames from a video file/Make Frames from Layers):
***Skip this section if you're using are already using a GIF you find online.
This section shows how to make a GIF from a video file***
This section shows how to make a GIF from a video file***
If you want to try something only slightly more difficult and you know how to open Photoshop, then you can use snippets of videos files to create your GIF. This can be useful if the content you're looking for is only found in a video file.
To download video quickly and easily you can download this software: https://www.4kdownload.com/products/product-videodownloader. It is free and you can download things quickly by pasting in the link.
Once you have your video file open Photoshop and click "File=>Import=>Video Frames to Layers". Select your video file (mp4 files usually work best). Before you proceed any further check the circle "Selected Range Only".
You don't want to import all of your frames if you're using a 1 hour video file! Make sure to use the sliders to isolate the specific section of the video you want. Keep in mind that Photoshop can only handle around 120-200 frames depending on your the dimensions of your video file.
The next step in importing the video is to check on the circle "Limit to Every 2 Frames". This will not decrease the quality of the GIF! If you do not then the GIF will run slow when you produce it. This is because GIF files play at a lower frames per second rate than video files.
The next step in importing the video is to check on the circle "Limit to Every 2 Frames". This will not decrease the quality of the GIF! If you do not then the GIF will run slow when you produce it. This is because GIF files play at a lower frames per second rate than video files.
Do not click "Make Frame Animation". This will create frames from the imported video but it may freeze your computer for a few minutes if you import too much content. Instead after the video has imported there should be layers of all the video content on the right hand toolbar. Click on "Window". Look for "Timeline" in the menu. After you click that a toolbar should pop up at the bottom of your screen showing only 1 frame. If you create your GIF now there will only be one frame!To make more frames in a GIF you have to follow this step.
On the right hand side there should be a dropdown arrow. Click on it. The "Make Frames From Layers" option should be available and shouldn't not be greyed out.
(If it is greyed out this is because there is because you might have accidentally created a frame by clicking the "New Frame" option. To fix this, select all of the frames in the timeline by shift selecting them. Then select the option "Delete Frames".)
After you click on "Make Frames From Layers" you'll see your frames appear. To make editing easier go to the bottom left hand corner of the timeline. Click "Forever"to make your frame animation loop forever. Once you do, click the button that looks like a play arrow "l>". If you can see the animation playing then congratulations! You're almost done.
Before you finish you have to re-size your GIF animation or Photoshop will give you this error message when saving your GIF for web:
"Could not complete this operation. An unknown operating system error has occurred."
You don't want that to happen so resize your image down if it is way too large. Do this by clicking on Image=>Image size=> and set the first box to 1280. The bottom box should automatically adjust to 720. An image resolution of 1280 width x 720 height will usually decent if you want your GIFs playing at HD quality. However you may want to go down to as low as 1024x768 if you have 200 frames or more.
Now you can "Save your GIF for web". Click "File =>Save for Web. Photoshop will load a bit so wait a few secs. Once it finishes loading move your mouse to the top right side. Select GIF. Then select the Preset "GIF 256 Dithered". Click Save. A window will pop up showing the name of the GIF and where it will be saved." Click save. Photoshop will load for a few seconds. If everything goes fine the the window will close. You can then go your directory and click on the GIF to open it in Photoshop again. Proceed through Steps 5 - 8 to add caption text.
Before you finish you have to re-size your GIF animation or Photoshop will give you this error message when saving your GIF for web:
"Could not complete this operation. An unknown operating system error has occurred."
You don't want that to happen so resize your image down if it is way too large. Do this by clicking on Image=>Image size=> and set the first box to 1280. The bottom box should automatically adjust to 720. An image resolution of 1280 width x 720 height will usually decent if you want your GIFs playing at HD quality. However you may want to go down to as low as 1024x768 if you have 200 frames or more.
Now you can "Save your GIF for web". Click "File =>Save for Web. Photoshop will load a bit so wait a few secs. Once it finishes loading move your mouse to the top right side. Select GIF. Then select the Preset "GIF 256 Dithered". Click Save. A window will pop up showing the name of the GIF and where it will be saved." Click save. Photoshop will load for a few seconds. If everything goes fine the the window will close. You can then go your directory and click on the GIF to open it in Photoshop again. Proceed through Steps 5 - 8 to add caption text.
No comments:
Post a Comment