General Graphics Questions

[Vita]

Hello!

Post your general graphic making questions here! Please be sure to include the program and version you are using and try to be as specific as possible when asking. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to answer questions that are asked. I will do my best to catalog answered and frequently asked questions.

Ask away!

[Beatifically]

When you animate, how do you apply something that affects all the frames? Like if I want to use a clip from a movie/tv show/etc. and I want to make every frame a certain coloring, how do I do that?

[kala_way]

Originally Posted by Beatifically

When you animate, how do you apply something that affects all the frames? Like if I want to use a clip from a movie/tv show/etc. and I want to make every frame a certain coloring, how do I do that?

Put the coloring layers above all the image layers.
Select all the frames (bottom left) and make sure the coloring layers are visible for all frames.



(this is assuming you're using a program that uses layers like this)

[Hysteria]

Is it possible to use Photoshop to make an animated avatar (for example) from a tv/movie clip without doing it frame for frame? Can you capture part of the actual clip and insert it to Photoshop or do you need a more sophisticated animation program?

[boushh]

Originally Posted by Hysteria

Is it possible to use Photoshop to make an animated avatar (for example) from a tv/movie clip without doing it frame for frame? Can you capture part of the actual clip and insert it to Photoshop or do you need a more sophisticated animation program?

One way to do it is if you have a quicktime file you can import it into Image Ready and then Jump to Photoshop. It will open with all of the frames as different layers. Then you can jump back and forth between the programs.

[Hysteria]

If I'm using Photoshop CS3 (which doesn't come with Image Ready. The animation tool is inbuilt) can I import the quicktime straight to Photoshop? It doesn't seem to be working.

[kala_way]

Originally Posted by Hysteria

If I'm using Photoshop CS3 (which doesn't come with Image Ready. The animation tool is inbuilt) can I import the quicktime straight to Photoshop? It doesn't seem to be working.

No, as far as I know you can't animate using just Photoshop because it has no capability to create frames or set timing. I've never looked for it, but I'm sure there are free programs out there that do similar things to Image Ready (like Gimp is to Photoshop).

[Hysteria]

Ok thanks I might look into that

[Rell]

Hysteria, GIMP has its own animation feature It's very good.

----------
And I have a question - I just downloaded a bunch of fonts, and I forgot how to import them into photoshop! (I'm using elements if that makes a difference).

Originally Posted by Beatifically

When you animate, how do you apply something that affects all the frames? Like if I want to use a clip from a movie/tv show/etc. and I want to make every frame a certain coloring, how do I do that?

In photoshop elements, I actually copied the color layer (or levels or whatever) over each frame and merged them. I think imageready must have an easier way to do that, but I have no idea if elements does. If anyone is familiar with animating in elements, I'd love to hear of an easier way!

[boushh]

Originally Posted by Hysteria

If I'm using Photoshop CS3 (which doesn't come with Image Ready. The animation tool is inbuilt) can I import the quicktime straight to Photoshop? It doesn't seem to be working.

Darn. Importing into Image Ready is handy when one can do it. I've used it like 1% of the time though because I rarely use quicktimes.

Rell, I didn't realize GIMP has an animation feature. Good to know.

[Vita]

Rell what version of Microsoft do you have? Vista? Because for Vista what you do is create an icon on your desktop of the font and then right click and select install, it's really easy. Otherwise you have to again, create an icon on the desktop then click and drag it into your Font file found in your programs.

[Rell]

Thanks vita!

[Klio]

Originally Posted by Rell

And I have a question - I just downloaded a bunch of fonts, and I forgot how to import them into photoshop! (I'm using elements if that makes a difference).

I have been using PS both in XP and Vista. In both programmes, download the font to some subfolder, then go to control panel > fonts and choose install font. That allows you to browse for the fonts, you can select them all in one go.

After that, all those fonts will be available in most of the Windows applications you are using - as well as in Photoshop.

I am actually really pleased that I have them all in Word as well. About two months ago I collected some 150 fonts online and downloaded them all. I made a template in word (alphabet in caps and small letters, numbers, various signs, sample sentence), and then made a table with all the fonts displayed, and then ordered by different theme ('gothic', typewriter' 'handwriting', etc.). When I want to pick a font for Photoshop I go the table first and scroll through it. Usually I know which rough tyle I want, butthis way I have an easy way of indentifying the font that looks best for the job.

This has been extremely useful!

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

Originally Posted by boushh

One way to do it is if you have a quicktime file you can import it into Image Ready and then Jump to Photoshop. It will open with all of the frames as different layers. Then you can jump back and forth between the programs.

WHAT?!?!?! that's really really annoying for me because it turns out i've been wasting time doing print screening videos for animations . Well, at least now I know

Originally Posted by Rell

Hysteria, GIMP has its own animation feature It's very good.

----------
And I have a question - I just downloaded a bunch of fonts, and I forgot how to import them into photoshop! (I'm using elements if that makes a difference).

In photoshop elements, I actually copied the color layer (or levels or whatever) over each frame and merged them. I think imageready must have an easier way to do that, but I have no idea if elements does. If anyone is familiar with animating in elements, I'd love to hear of an easier way!

hmm...i've never heard of the install font thing Klio is talking about, but the way I do it is I go to my computer and you go to your Hard Disk Drive, which for me is called Local Disk, and when you go in you'll see a few subfolders, and you can go into the folder that says Windows or WINDOWS and there will be more subfolders, including one named Font. Then you can drag and drop or copy paste font files into there.

i'm going to see whether or not Ihave the install font thing

ETA: I just checked, i do'nt have install font, it's just a folder, similar to the one i described on My Computer

[Vita]

This is what I mean for the Install feature with a desktop icon

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

oh ok, but I don't think it's on my computer, it's an XP

[biara]

font managers

there are some font manager programs that help a lot in dealing with a great number of fonts. i downloaded some of them, all freeware. the ones i use the most are FastFontPreview, FontXplorer and Free&EasyFontViewer. but i'm sure there are new and better stuff out there.

with these programs you can type a sample of text and see it in every font available in your computer. which makes it much easier to choose the 'perfect' font (like there is such thing as the perfect font! ). you can also install and uninstall fonts (the instalation is the act of copying the file to the Windows Fonts folder, like V8 does manually ).

some of those font managers allow you to organize the fonts in categories, like Klio did on Word. and some even let you print font catalogues! there was a time when i was really into this and i researched a lot of font managers, but i never found one that did it all.

[Vita]

Ooh that's handy B! Thank's for sharing

[boushh]

Originally Posted by Voldemorts8thHorcrux

WHAT?!?!?! that's really really annoying for me because it turns out i've been wasting time doing print screening videos for animations . Well, at least now I know

Don't feel bad. I do that most of the time too. Alt, Print Screen. I rarely have quicktimes to use. I can make them now but it involves an extra step so I may be using the Image Ready importing in the future if it isn't too much of a pain.

As for installing fonts... I've been doing them the same way in Vista or XP... I just download them into a folder on the desktop or wherever is convenient. Then I go to control panel and find the "Fonts" folder and open it. Then I just drag and drop or cut and paste the fonts into the "Fonts" folder. It's very easy. Then those fonts should be available in all (or at least stuff like Photoshop and Word) your programs.

Edit: biara, those programs look handy. Thanks!

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

Originally Posted by boushh

Don't feel bad. I do that most of the time too. Alt, Print Screen. I rarely have quicktimes to use. I can make them now but it involves an extra step so I may be using the Image Ready importing in the future if it isn't too much of a pain.

As for installing fonts... I've been doing them the same way in Vista or XP... I just download them into a folder on the desktop or wherever is convenient. Then I go to control panel and find the "Fonts" folder and open it. Then I just drag and drop or cut and paste the fonts into the "Fonts" folder. It's very easy. Then those fonts should be available in all (or at least stuff like Photoshop and Word) your programs.

Edit: biara, those programs look handy. Thanks!

http://www.any-video-converter.com/p...or_video_free/ This site is wonderful, you can use it to download youtube videos or upload any movies you have and convert them. I just looked and i'm not sure if it converts quicktime files but either way, downloading a youtube vid to wma and using windows movie maker to slow down the clips helps a LOT too