Continue Draw

We are going to be making a forum sig tag so open a new image in the 250 pixel size.

This will depend on how long or short your name is, I use mostly 180wX70h.

A fat font with small holes are best for this animation,

Mama  FineoMite Foo  Arbuckle These are just a few fat fonts, I am sure that you can find more.

Select your text tool and type your name.

 When you are happy with the font and the colour scheme, zoom in so that you can see better what you are about to do, I usually zoom into about 500% with a sig tag this small

OK  lets start

1.  Right-click and Duplicate.

2.  Right-click/Convert to Path.

3.   Close the eye of the bottom name

4.   Select the "Path Drawing Tool"

5.   Choose Continue Draw from the mode drop down list

6.   Now select the Path Edit Tool

Because my name has a D and an A I will be deleting the holes and replacing them with the star animation.

7.   Touch the hole in your name (in this case mine is D and A) and then press on the X in your tool bar. This will delete the hole. Don't worry as we are going to replace it with a star to make the animation.

8.   Click on the "Path Drawing" tool in the tool bar and select the "5 Pointed Star"

You will notice that the star has blue nodes and they are the reason this animation works.

Information Only

Shapes that have the blue nodes that can be used to make this animation are in the drop down list and the last 2 rows in the other drop down list that has the Custom Shape Menu,

9.   In the drop down menu for how many points you want your star select 3

10.   Click on the Path Edit tool again that is under the "Path Drawing Tool" With the now 3 pointed star still highlighted, click on the Duplicate path icon.

Move the second 3 pointed star to the next letter that you have deleted the hole from

or

if you only have 1 letter with hole then you won't have to do this step.

11.  Click on the Edit Path icon and this will bring you back to 2D mode, now don't be alarmed as you probably won't see your stars!!

12.  Click back on the "Path Drawing Tool" and then put a tick in the Even/Odd Fill box on your Tool Settings and like magic your star holes will appear!

13.  Right-Click/Duplicate and change the number in the star point to 4

14.  Right-Click/Duplicate and change the number in the star point to 5

15.  Right-Click/Duplicate and change the number in the star point to 6

16.  Right-Click/Duplicate and change the number in the star point to 7

17.  Right-Click/Duplicate and change the number in the star point to 8

18.  Right-Click/Duplicate and change the number in the star point to 9

I have only made it to a 9 pointed star as if you make too many it makes for a heavy kb animation.

19. If you are happy with how your name looks, click on the bottom name layer the one that has no star and delete. Now select all your layers, Right-Click/Convert Object Type/From Text/Path to Image.

What this does is save any border that you may have put on your text.

19a.  If you have opened a bigger new image, click on your crop tool and either draw round your name and crop the excess off or just hit the tick icon.

20.  File/Save As a UFO or a PSD if you have trouble opening UFO files in GA 5.

21.  Open your Gif Animator and then open your UFO file for this animation.

22. Highlight all the layers in your Object Manager then go to Object/Distribute to Frames.

23.  Highlight frames 2-7 on your storyboard, Right-click/Duplicate Frames Click OK.

24.  Right-Click/Reverse Order of Frames, click OK

25.  Right-Click/Change Frame Order/Assign as Last Frame click OK.

Now it is up to you to choose what delay value you would like your frames to run at. i have mine running at 15 in the Frame Properties box.

The Black sig tag is made in the same way only every time your duplicate you add another star. Then when you have all the stars added..................add some coloured ones over the star hole and play with the merge mode etc in GA 5.

Please feel free to  print this tutorial out for your own personal use, All i ask is that you don't in anyway re-write or claim as your own.

Any resemblance to any other tutorial like this, is not intentional and is purely coincidental.

This tutorial was written on the 7th July 2011 and is therefore

© to Edna Munn

Website and web set Design

Also created

by

Edna Munn