Animated Dragon Sig Tag



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Animations are quite long and tedious and this one is no exception.   To cut down on some of the tedious work, you can make this one with static text and it will work just as well.   Also if you are good at "eyeballing" placements you do not have to use the exact settings in some of the steps, just make sure to line the dragon up using the guides.

Resources

Let's get started

*Please note: If you install this tutorial as a quick guide you may get a script error when trying to view the images, just click "yes" at the prompt and the images will show properly. Don't know how to install quick guides? then check out the tutorial found HERE.

Since this tutorial requires you to merge layers and turn the layer visibility on and off a lot, the quickest and easiest way is to make a custom palette. (You can always delete it later).   So let's go ahead and make one.  You can skip this part if your workspace/palettes are ergonomically efficient and you are comfortable with them.

Making a Custom toolbar for this project
  1. Right click on any of your toolbars to bring up a flyout.   Choose "Customize".
  2. Click on the toolbars tab then on New.  Give your new toolbar any name you wish then click OK.
  3. Now click on the Commands tab and choose Layers in the categories window then scroll down and choose Duplicate in the commands window and drag it on to the newly created palette.   Then select Merge Down, View Current Only and View All and drag them also.   Then select Close.

Your toolbar should look like this .   That is all you need to do!   Just drag your new toolbar as close to your layers palette as possible to make for easy clicking.

The Animation

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Remember to save often . . . . .
  1. Open a new image 500x500px with white background.
  2. Add a new raster layer name it 14.   Get the dragon2 tube, scale 100.  (This is the only time you will need this tube)   Hold your cursor at coordinates x250 y250 and apply the tube.   The coordinates are located in right hand corner of the status bar as shown below:
  1. Duplicate layer 14 by clicking on the button on your toolbar.   Rename this new layer to 13.  Now drag layer 13 below layer 14.
  2. Now drag vertical and horizontal guide lines onto the image as shown below making sure that point one lines up exactly.   This will be the most critical point in placing the other tubes so always check this spot.
  1. Click on the background layer and add a new layer named 12. (This is how you will add the remaining layers so that they are in decending sequential order.) Get the dragon1 tube, scale 100 (this is the tube you will use for the rest of the tutorial).   Apply it at coordinates x250 y251.  Make sure this tube lines up perfectly with the other layers and point 1 on the guide.  You can check by turning off visibility to layer 14 and clicking the eye on and off in either 12 or 13.   If they are not in alignment then get the mover tool and move layer 12 until they are.   The idea here is to get the foot to swing without the other parts moving--refer to the finished tag.
  2. Duplicate layer 12 and rename it to 11.   Drag this layer below layer 12.
  3. Add a new layer named 10.   Apply the tube at coordinates x250 y244.   Make sure the right foot lines up with the guide point 1.
  4. Add a new layer named 9.   Apply the tube at coordinates x250 y235.   Again check the alignment with point 1.   Your layers palette should look like this:
layer palette 1
  1. Add a new layer named 8.   Apply the tube at coordinates x250 y242.
  2. Add a new layer named 7.   Apply the tube at coordinates x250 y250.
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