To convert layers into animation frames in Photoshop, use the "Make Frames From Layers" option in the Timeline panel.
Here's a step-by-step breakdown:
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Open the Timeline Panel: Go to
Window > Timelineto open the Timeline panel at the bottom of your Photoshop workspace. If the Timeline panel already exists, ensure it's visible. -
Create Your Layers: Ensure your Photoshop document contains the different layers you want to turn into animation frames. Each layer will become one frame in your animation. Name your layers descriptively to easily manage the frames later.
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Access "Make Frames From Layers": In the Timeline panel, look for the menu icon (usually three horizontal lines) in the upper-right corner. Click this menu.
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Select "Make Frames From Layers": From the dropdown menu that appears, select "Make Frames From Layers".
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Review Your Frames: Photoshop will automatically convert each layer in your Layers panel into an individual frame in the Timeline panel. You can now preview, adjust the timing of, and edit your animation directly within the Timeline.
Key Considerations:
- Layer Order: The order of the layers in your Layers panel directly corresponds to the order of the frames in your animation. The top layer becomes the first frame, and so on.
- Visibility: Only visible layers are converted into frames. Hidden layers are ignored. This can be useful if you have layers used for reference that you don't want to be part of the animation.
- Grouping Layers: You can group layers into layer folders. The "Make Frames From Layers" function will treat each layer folder as a single frame. This is useful for complex animations where each frame has multiple elements.
- Timing: After creating the frames, you'll want to adjust the timing (duration) of each frame to create the desired animation speed. You can do this directly in the Timeline panel by clicking on the time displayed below each frame.
Example:
Imagine you have three layers named "Frame 1", "Frame 2", and "Frame 3" in your Photoshop document. After using "Make Frames From Layers," your Timeline will show three frames in the same order, ready to be played as an animation.
