New Picture Sequence & GIF Animation Import for Cartoon Animator 5.1
About Nathan Smith
Greetings my fellow animators! I’m Nathan—an esteemed member of Studio Ghibletz. As we speak, I’ll be your information as we discover Cartoon Animator 5’s newest options. We’ll discover ways to use the vector character launcher, find out how to create props in Photoshop and Illustrator, and find out how to add GIF animations to your subsequent cartoon.
Utilizing Adobe Illustrator to Edit Vector Characters
Cartoon Animator 5 ushered in a brand new technology of vector characters. Vector belongings allow you to provide characters and props which might be enlarged with no lack of high quality. Up to now, nevertheless, CTA5 lacked the flexibility to launch vector characters to an exterior picture editor, however Cartoon Animator 5.1 treatments this situation.
Now you can launch vector characters to Adobe Illustrator. To make edits to an SVG asset, convey it into the character composer. From right here, choose the SVG launcher, which is conveniently positioned beneath the PSD possibility. Seasoned CTA5 customers will discover this follows the identical pipeline because the Photoshop launcher.
CTA5 will then export your prop or character to Adobe Illustrator. For now, Illustrator is the one supported vector modifying software program, however this might change sooner or later. After bringing your character into Illustrator, make your required modifications, save, after which exit. Your character will robotically replace in CTA5.1.
Sure kinds of 2D animation, like water, hearth, and smoke, can’t be rigged with a bone construction like characters. They require a hand-drawn, frame-by-frame sequence. To make use of those belongings, you could create a prop. Up to now, you needed to import your prop’s sprites one after the other. This was time-consuming, particularly if you happen to had a ten-frame sequence for one thing like this flame. CTA5.1 now presents an alternate.
With CTA5.1, you may import a number of sprites directly. The pipeline begins in Photoshop. To import a prop with a number of sprites, you could appropriately format it in Photoshop. If the file isn’t appropriately formatted, your prop will fail to generate. You possibly can format your prop in Photoshop by following these 4 steps:
Step 1: Create a folder named sequence. This tells CTA5.1 that you just wish to play the next sprites in a loop.
Step 2: Create a second folder with the title of your motion sequence, then place it contained in the folder named sequence. For instance, the folder within the screenshot under is named flame.
Step 3: Load your entire sprites into the motion folder. Right here, you can even create a number of actions through the use of extra subfolders. For instance, I added a second motion sequence picture referred to as blue flame.
Please observe: In Photoshop, the sprites will play from the highest down. In Illustrator, nevertheless, the sprites will play from the underside up.
Step 4: save your doc as a .psd file, then drag it into CTA5.1. Your prop will robotically generate. From there, you’ll then discover the sprite sequences beneath the motion menu.
Sequence Pictures – SVG Prop Pipeline
If you wish to make an SVG prop, Adobe Illustrator employs an analogous pipeline. Once more, all of it comes right down to appropriately formatting the file. To make your first vector prop, observe these 5 steps:
Step 1: The primary layer ought to bear the title of your prop. Within the image under, the prop’s title is “bread”.
Step 2: Add one other layer. Title this one “sequence:” Don’t overlook so as to add the colon. This is essential as a result of with out the colon the prop won’t generate appropriately once you import your file into CTA 5.1.
Step 3: Create one other layer and title your motion sequence. Within the instance under, the layer is known as “bread_falling.”
Step 4: Place your sprites within the subsequent layer. Keep in mind, in Adobe Illustrator the sprites will play from backside to prime, which is why these 5 sprites are ordered in reverse. You can even create a number of sequences in the identical prop, identical to in Photoshop by creating one other layer beneath “sequence:”
Step 5: Save your prop as a .svg file. Different codecs, like .ai, gained’t work. Lastly, drag this .svg file into CTA5.1 to generate your new animated prop. As with conventional props, you’ll discover the sequence picture you created beneath the motion menu.
A Fast Q&A about GIF and APNG Compatibility
The subsequent thrilling function to grace CTA5.1 is GIF and APNG compatibility. Now you can import animated GIFs immediately into Cartoon Animator 5 with ease. This function requires no elaborate set of directions. Merely drag your GIF or APNG immediately into CTA5.1. You’ll then be prompted to set the variety of occasions you’d just like the gif to play, then presto — you’ve gotten a elaborate new prop.
To benefit from GIFs, use them for props that require a continuing loop — issues like water, hearth, and smoke. Moreover, you might think about using them for blinking lights or static laptop screens. For Floppy’s Impediment Course, I imported a number of butterfly GIFs so as to add flourish.
What’s the distinction between GIF and APNG?
GIFs and APNGs carry out the identical position. They create brief, looped animation sequences. The first distinction, as Cody explains, is: “ GIFs and APNGs are each kinds of animated picture information, however the principle distinction is that APNGs can have extra colours and be higher high quality than GIFs.”
The place can I get free GIFs?
You could find animated GIFs all throughout the web. The gifs utilized in Floppy’s Impediment Course got here from Envato. These butterflies have been initially video information which I transformed into GIFs so as to add into CTA5. One other excellent place to search out GIFs is giphy.com. Right here, you’ll discover all of the GIFs your coronary heart wishes, any of that are positive to spice up the manufacturing worth of your cartoon.
How can I create a GIF?
Humorous you must ask! The butterflies utilized in Floppy’s Impediment Course have been initially video information. You possibly can convert .mp4 information to GIFs utilizing software program like Premiere Professional, or a free GIF converter on-line.
Elevate Manufacturing Worth with CTA5.1
I hope these new options aid you produce glorious cartoons. In case you have any questions, I’ll be hanging out within the feedback part and within the Cartoon Animator Customers group on Fb. The CTA neighborhood is massive and supportive. By no means hesitate to succeed in out if you happen to’re inquisitive about 2D animation. Farewell brethren!
Studio Ghibletz: https://www.youtube.com/@StudioGhibletz
Know extra:
2D Animation Software for Cartoon Maker | Cartoon Animator
FREE for 30 days plus over 1,700 ready-made belongings:
