How to Make Animated GIFs From Video

The other day, a viewer requested a tutorial on making animated GIFs from video, using Photoshop Elements.  I've been wanting to do a video about this for a while, now seems like a pretty good time!
So here is what I've come up with using the older Photoshop Elements 7.0, as well as, a handy little free program called CamStudio.  I hope you like it!

Create Animated GIFs With Fading Images Using GIMP! FREE!

Recently, a viewer wondered how to use Gimp (a free image editing software) to create animated GIFs with fading images.  In a previous tutorial, I had shown how to create one using Photoshop Elements 7.0.  The steps involved are somewhat similar, no matter which software is used.

The video above is my newest fading animated GIF tutorial, using one of the best pieces of free image editing software, GIMP!

Enjoy! (^.^)v  

How to Make an Animated GIF (With Text That Isn't!)

Please choose the "full screen" viewing option to better see the vid.





This tutorial is in the can, as it were.  Gone to press, done, fini...  And so on.  It was a fun one!

Yes, the time on it is correct.  I was working in the wee hours of the morning to get it ready for posting.  It was a request by a viewer, so I wanted to get it done as soon as possible.

O' course, technology always tosses a wee wrench in the machine.  I'm learning to frequently save my work in prep for software crashes.  Of which, I only had a couple!

Now, before anyone says anything (not that I expect anyone to, but just in case), I do realize there are likely even better and more "pro" ways to get the GIF-making job done.  Me, I improvise and figure out what makes sense to me, that I can somehow relay to others.  I hope it makes sense to everyone else, too!

It's funny...  I never thought I'd be making animated GIFs again.  It seems though, Tumblr has made them popular again.  And maybe other sites, as well.  For me, it was MySpace, back in its heyday.

Making an animated GIF back then, the MySpace days, was pretty exciting.  A person who did this didn't have to rely on those sites where you have to copy code and paste it to get the image.  It's nice being able to create your own stuff.  And now, with today's software, it's so much simpler!

The first time I tried Photoshop Elements 7.0, I was discouraged.  I wasn't sure it even made animations.  But, it does.  And it's pretty awesome.

Now, on to the next project.

I've got some new software coming.  An update to Serif's WebPlus X4 I've been using.  I had skipped the X5 version, since there wasn't much that I needed in it, and I'd heard it was a bit buggy.

Now, WebPlus X6 is out!  I'm looking forward to the new features.  One being the ability to create a website for mobile phone viewing as well as the full-sized site.  This should be fun!

In the days to come, there'll no doubt be mention of the new software as I test out its stuff.

More later~~
Enjoy~~~  

Death of the Endless Cosplay

 A-Kon 23 is fast approaching.  It can't be helped, I'm a bit excited and naturally looking forward to the madness that is an anime convention.

In order to prepare for the occasion, we needed a rehearsal of sorts.  So, photo equipment was dusted off and put to use.  Which, incidentally, reminded me how we could use some decent lighting!  I'm looking for a few pieces, such as a good softbox or two.  Sometime in the future I hope to obtain a fair set up.  Until then, we'll make do.  And depend on the touch of Photoshop for effect.

As mentioned before, my cosplay is Death of the Endless.  Gothic, indeed.  I suppose it suits me, as far as choice of clothing color goes.  Black it is.  Easy, goes with everything.

This week will be a busy one.  Things concerning school will need to be wrapped up for summer vacation.  All of us welcome the break.  There are other projects in the works that can only be completed during the summer holiday, I've been anxious to get started.

But of course, the one event weighing on our minds at the moment, A-Kon!

Thus, the day was spent gearing up.  Practicing our makeup application and costume wearing.  Testing out the durability of both items.  Yes, some of us even went shopping all decked out.  I think fellow shoppers enjoyed the show.  It certainly makes one's day just a little more interesting to see anime characters walking the aisles.  The girls were asked to pose for photos a few times.  O' course other questions were asked about just what in the world we were doing in such get-ups.  Now they know about A-Kon.  Judging from the smiles on their faces, they may just show up at the convention!

  

How to Make an Animated GIF for Tumblr

I remember years ago, there was a wondrous place called MySpace. I know, it seems nearly defunct now, but at one time, it was the place to be. You could post photos, music playlists and animated GIFs. It seemed everyone was making those GIFs and putting them in their comments. I couldn't wait to figure out how to make them, too. There were, and still are, websites out there that help you make them for free. Just Google "animated gif maker" and you'll see what I mean. But the first ones I ever created were made using an old version Photoshop and Image Ready 2.0.

Now, we have Tumblr to post those still popular magical moving images. And now, I've got some slightly newer software, Photoshop Elements 7.0.

It has been quite some time since I made an animated GIF, since lately I've been animating with the likes of Anime Studio Pro 6 and DrawPlusX5. Though, after a little brushing up with Photoshop, I made a couple of them fairly easily.

It got me thinking, there might be others out there who've wondered how it's done, like I did back in the MySpace days. So, I made a video about it. Enjoy! (^.^)/