How to make an Olaf!

...lousy tutorial by Head Banger at Millan Net...

1. Draw a serie of drawings.
Use thin paper so you can trace the contours of the previous movement.

2. Scan them as photos (using a scanner).

3. Save them as TIFF or JPEG.

4. Open them up in Photoshop.

5. Start with image 2.
Click in this order:
"select"
"all"
"edit"
"copy"
"paste"
"layer"
"duplicate layer"
select "image1"
"ok"

6. You now have a new layer on top of image 1. Using the "arrow with a flower at its end"-thingy located in the left-hand Photoshop Tool-menu , allows you to move the layer around.
You can click the layer on and off by checking/unchecking the eye at the layer-menu to your right.
This way you can see how well the layer fits into the previous layer, in other word: Keep an eye at the little window (top layer-menu) and you will see how the animation flows.

7. When satisfied with the layers placement, save it as a gif. Varies depending on what software you have installed on your computer (Photoshop anyone? :).

8. Repeat the steps with the other images 3-6.

9. Open up the images in your favourite GifAnimation program. I recommend Ulead Gif Animator!

10. Set time and save the animation.

11. You have now done a pencil-test.
This allows you to see what could be improved in Olafs movements and features. I thought his head began to increase, so I erased a few lines and re-drew it. And his cord-tail could move a bit smoother...

12. Fill in the pencil-lines with a black pen.

13. Scan them in again, this time as "line-drawings" or "black and white drawings" (or whatever your scanner calls "not photo".. :)

14. Save them as "BMP".

15. Open up in Photoshop.

16. Color Olaf

17. Repeat step 5-10.

18. You have now done an animated gif, whether it is in black-and-white .. or in color :)

Go phat :)