How to Create an Animated GIF in Photoshop: Glowing Pumpkin

In this Instructable, you will learn how to create an animated GIF in Photoshop using timeline animation. For this demonstration, we will use Adobe Photoshop CC 2019, and we will be creating a glowing pumpkin! 🎃👻

Adobe Photoshop CC 2019

For this project, it is important to understand the tools we are working with. Here are the tools you will see in this project, their names, and a description of what they do.

• Move
• Brush
• Color Picker
• Polygonal Lasso
• Add To Selection
• Playhead
• Keyframe

1. Download an Image
   • I found my image using a Google search for "Cartoon Pumpkin". Find one you like, download it, and move it to your desktop. Here is a direct link to the image I downloaded: Pumpkin Image
2. Open Photoshop
   • Select "Create New..."
3. Set Up Your Document
   • Give your project a name
   • Set both the length and the height to 500 pixels
   • Set resolution to 72 pixels per inch
   • Set Color Mode to RGB Color 8 bit
   • Set Background contents to White
   • Select Create
4. Set Up Your Workspace
   • Window>Workspace>Reset Essentials
   • By resetting the workspace, all the essential tools used in this project will be easier to find.

Unlock Layer> Rename Layer>Brush>Color Pick: Black>Brush in layer> Lock Layer

1. Unlock the Background Layer

Select the lock icon next to the layer name

2. and 3. Rename your Layer "Black"

Double click the layer name to re-name the layer

4. Select the Brush Tool

5. Select the Color Picker

6. and 7. Make the color black

Drag the color picker to black or type #000000 into the hexcode box

Select OK

8. Brush in Your Layer

9. Lock the Black Layer

Drag Image to Workspace>Select Check Mark>Layer>Rasterize>Layer

1. Click and drag pumpkin image into workspace

2. Select the check mark that will appear in the top-right corner, OR press enter on your keyboard

3. Rasterize the Layer

Layer>Rasterize>Layer

With Pumpkin Layer Selected:

Polygonal Lasso>Select Pumpkin>Invert Selection>Delete>Deselect>

Polygonal Lasso>Add To Selection>Select pixels>delete>Deselect>Lock Pumpkin Layer

1-3 Take the background off your pumpkin image

Use the Polygonal Lasso Tool to Select the pumpkin. Click points on the pumpkin to make the PL Tool stick until you have selected the entire pumpkin. You have made a complete selection once your selection lines turn into dotted lines.

4-7 Delete the white space

With your pumpkin selected:

Select>Inverse>Delete>Select>Deselect

8 Carve your pumpkin!

Polygonal Lasso Tool>Add to Selection

Click and close connections with the PL to create the face of your pumpkin.

9- 10 Delete and Deselect

11. Lock Pumpkin Layer

Layer>New>Layer...

Name>OK

Rename Layer

Brush>Color Picker>Yellow> Set Brush size to 500px> click ONCE on your canvas

Layer>Smart Objects>Convert to Smart Object

Adjust Layer Order

Edit>Transform (Position x:250, y:280)

Check mark

1-3 Create a New Layer

Create a new layer by selecting Layer>New>Layer... Then, rename that new layer by typing "Glow" into the text field. Then, Click OK. Now you have made a layer for your glow.

4-7 Paint a Yellow Glow

To create the glow, select the Brush, then select the color picker. Set the color picker to a light yellow, or use hexcode #fffc08. At the top of the work space, set your brush size to 500px. Move your brush to the center of your canvas, then click ONCE. Now, you should see a yellow glow-like orb on top of your pumpkin.

8. Convert Glow into a Smart Object

In order to move this glow later in our animation, we need to make it a Smart Object. When objects are converted to smart objects, they will not lose resolution when they change in size on your canvas. With the Glow layer selected click Layer>Smart Objects>Convert to Smart Object. Now your glow is a smart object and can be transformed without losing resolution.

9. Adjust Layer Order

Because we want the glow to appear to be inside of our pumpkin, we need to put the glow layer behind the pumpkin layer. In your layers panel, click and drag the glow layer so that it is under the pumpkin layer. Your layers should be in this order: 1-Pumpkin 2-Glow 3-Black

10. Transform the Glow (AKA move the glow)

In our animation, we want our glow to happen in the center of the pumpkin. Position the glow at x:250, y:280 by Edit>transform>scale then enter the coordinates. then, click the check mark.

Window>Timeline

Create Video Timeline

1-2 Set Up a Timeline Window

We will be animating our pumpkin glow on a video timeline for this project. You will need to open up a workspace to do this. Select Window>Timeline. Then, click "Create Video Timeline" in that new window

Set Workspace time to 02:00f by sliding the slider to 02:00f

1-3 Set up your timeline

For this project, we will be making a 2 second GIF that will repeat on a loop. The default time for s PS video timeline is 5 second, or 05:00f. To shorten the workspace timeline to 2 seconds, click and drag the slider under the time increments to the 02:00f mark.

Mark Keyframe 1 at 00>Edit>Transform>Scale>W:50%,H:50%>Check mark

Mark Keyframe 2 at 01:00f>Edit>Transform>Scale>W:35%,H:35%>Check mark

Mark Keyframe 3 at 02:00f>Edit>Transform>Scale>W:50%,H:50%>Check mark

1. Move the playhead to 00

Click and drag the play head to 00

2. Set Keyframe 1

The diamond symbol next the the word "Transform" on your timeline is a keyframe button. Click it. Now you have a keyframe set at 00 and can manipulate your glow at this point in the timeline.

3.Transform your glow on Keyframe 1

After putting a keyframe at 00, Select Edit>Transform>Scale. Then, change your W and H values to be 50%. Then click the check mark.

4-5 Set Keyframe 2

Click and drag the play head to 01:00. Click the keyframe symbol like you did for the first keyframe.

6. Transform your glow on Keyframe 2

Select Edit>Transform>Scale. Then, change your W and H values to be 35%. Then click the check mark.

7. Set Keyframe 3
Click and drag the play head to 02:00. Click the keyframe symbol like you did for the first keyframe.

8. Transform your glow on Keyframe 3

Select Edit>Transform>Scale. Then, change your W and H values to be 50%. Then click the check mark.

Click the Play Button

1. Check out your animation!

By clicking the play button on the left side of your timeline workspace, you can watch your animation. Move your play head back to 00, then click play. If you set your keyframes up correctly, you should see the pumpkin glow shrink from a large state, then grow smaller, then grow larger again.

File>Export>Save for Web (Legacy)...

Set to GIF

Colors: 32

Check Transparency

Save...

1. Set up the export

Hooray! You have created an animation in PS. Now, you will want to export it and save it to your computer so that you can sent it to your friends. To do this, select File>Export>Save for Web (Legacy)...

2. Set up your Save

This is where we will turn the animation into a GIF file. Click the dropdown for file type (This will likely be set to PNG) and click GIF. Then, set your colors to 32. This is so your GIF file's size will be smaller and easy to load on browsers and phones. Check the Transparency box. Click Save!

3. Name your file and save to destination

Click and drag file into browser to see your animation!

Congrats! You have successfully created a GIF in Photoshop.

This file can be emailed, dowloaded, put on web pages, and sent through a text.