Heart Twirl

Author: Edna Munn

Software: PhotoImpact Version 12 & X3

Title: Heart Twirl

Skill Level: Intermediate

Description: This tutorial will teach you how to make a rotating effect inside a heart shape with the  modes in the Gradient Ramp Palette in PhotoImpact. (most versions)

 Ever wondered what else you could do with the modes in the Gradient Ramp Palette??  No outside filters are used to make the rotating animation, it is all done with the "Gradient Ramp Palette" in your PhotoImpact Software.

Supplies Needed: A copy of PhotoImpact 30 Day Free Trial 

Let's get started and don't forget to save often!!

Open your copy of PhotoImpact.

Goto File/New and open a new image 300x300 with a Transparent background. 

Goto your Path Drawing Tool and select shape S08.

Draw out the heart shape and size it to 198 x195.

Duplicate this shape and select 3D Pipe mode from the drop down menu.

Goto your Tool Settings - Path and give it a width of 3 and a Depth of 30 for now.

Right-click on your original heart shape and goto Convert Object Type/From Text/Path to Image.

Duplicate this twice (Shift+D) you should now have 3 heart layers and 1 3D Pipe layer, 4 layers in total.

Drag your 3D Pipe layer to the top of the layer stack.

Click on your first 2D heart layer under the 3D Pipe layer.

Goto Edit/Fill, then click on the Gradient tab then the Magic Gradient box.

Click on Edit and choose a Gradient to work with; for this tutorial I used Gradient 035.

Note: If you would like a different colour, click on Edit then just right-click on the colour dots and choose the colour you want. You could use a different Gradient but you will have to figure out the rotation so that it looks smooth.

Now click on Mode 24 and use these settings.

Repeat Number: 0.65

Frequency: 14.20

Amplitude: -0.83

You may also need to move the centre up slightly, so grab the centre and move ever so gently, click on the preview and if it looks OK  don't touch it again.

With this Gradient I started with the red dot on 10

Click ok and move onto the next step.

Click on the next heart layer down, goto Edit/Fill, click on the magic Gradient box and your settings will still be there so just advance the rotation setting to 20.

Click ok.

This can be done by dragging the red dot or clicking on the + sign.

Repeat  this instruction on your 3rd heart layer and give it a rotation value of 30

This is what your layer stack should look like.

Now go back to your 3D Pipe layer and fancy it up some. This part of the tutorial is entirely up to you.

Save your image as a UFO.

Animating the Heart

Open your  GA, (Gif Animator)

 Starting from frame 1, the eye should also be open on the top heart layer, change the frame properties to 8.

Duplicate this frame, uncheck the eye on heart layer 1 and check the eye (middle) on the frame 2 heart layer.

Duplicate the second frame, uncheck the eye on heart layer 2 (middle) and check the bottom eye on heart layer 3.

Click on the preview tab and check the animation. If you like it save it, if not play with it some more.

You should have a heart that is rotating similar to this one

We are now done.

Thank you for trying my tutorial, I do hope you enjoyed it!

Please feel free to  print this tutorial out for your own personal use.

Do not under any circumstances copy it in any way to post on-line, pass out through email groups, or re-write and 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 20th January 2009 and is therefore

© to Edna Munn