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Animated Christmas Lights
All of the text and images on this tutorial are copyrighted. Have a peek at the link below to learn more about what copyright means.
Needed tools. Christmas lights tube provided by Jasc. Click on Downloads, then on picture tubes.
Open a new image 500 X 300 Transparent. Larger if you feel you will need it.
Select the pattern or color that you would like and place your text on your image. Apply any bevel effect that you like.
Make a new layer. Activate your Draw tool set to freehand. Set the foreground color to the color of your choice and the background to null.
Draw a line where you would like your light string to be. Apply any bevel effect that you like to your string.
Now to give your image the effect that the string is weaving through the letters. Select the BOTTOM layer. (this is the layer with your text) Use your selection tool or your lasso tool to select the first area where the light string will go behind the text.
Click on your text and the selection will conform to the text. COPY (CTRL + C)
In your layer palette activate the TOP layer (you will have a new layer called Floating Selection. Disregard. After clicking on the TOP layer, press CTRL + SHIFT + L to paste into selection. This will paste the portion of your text onto the string layer.
You can do this in any area where you want the light string to be behind the text. Make a new layer called LIGHTS.
You will be using your CTRL + Z keys a lot here. that is the shortcut for UNDO. Activate your Picture tube Tool. Select the Little Lights Tube that you downloaded. Change the size of the tube to something that will work well with your image.
Place your mouse where you want the first bulb to be. If the bulb is not positioned correctly, press CTRL + Z to undo, click again. Repeat until you have the bulb right where you want it. Go on to the next bulb. Remember that the lights should be on both sides of the string.
In your layer palette, turn OFF the light layer and merge the other 2 layers.
Turn the light layer back on and save. Open Animation Shop. Click File > Preferences > General Program Preferences > Layered Files. Be sure that Keep Layers in separate frames is checked and click ok. Open your image.
You will see that your animation has 2 frames. One is the text and the string, the other is the lights only.
Click on the lights frame. Click Effects > Insert Image Effect.
Select the Rotate Colors effect with the settings below (these are the default settings)
Click ok to apply the effect. You will see that your animation now has 12 frames. Select all of the light frames. ( hold your CTRL key as you select them) Press CTRL + X to CUT.
Now you have only one frame. Duplicate your text frame until you have eleven frames. Select all (CTRL + A) Paste your lights onto your text (CTRL + E) Use your crop tool to crop away any unneeded transparency.
While all frames are still selected (if they're not press CTRL + A to select them), right click on your animation and select Frame properties from the drop down menu. Change the number there from 10 to 25.
You are ready to save your animation. GREAT JOB! I hope you have enjoyed my tutorial. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at:
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