What Is an Animated GIF?

GIF pictures store single raster image data or multiple raster image data in 8-bit or 256 colors. GIF pictures support transparency, compression, interlacing, and multi-image pictures (animated GIFs). GIF transparency is not alpha channel transparency and cannot support translucency effects. GIF compression is LZW compression with a compression ratio of approximately 3: 1. Animated GIFs are supported in the GIF89a version of the GIF file specification.

gif animation

Pros: GIF supports a wide range of Internet standards. Supports lossless compression and transparency. Animated GIFs are popular and easy to create using many GIF animation programs.

Cons: GIF only supports 256 colors

Exquisite pictures are an essential element of a website, especially GIF animation, which can make the original dull website come to life. You may see the Welcome that rotates the most, and banner ads with different styles. On the Windows platform, there are many tools for making GIF animations. Among them are the well-known Adobe ImageReady,

Gif Animator is a specialized animation production program, which can be used to easily and conveniently create the animation you need. The latest version 5.0 adds a lot of special effects that can be applied immediately and the option to optimize gif animation pictures. The most surprising thing is that the common image formats can be imported smoothly and can be saved as the most popular Flash files nowadays. . In addition, Gif Animator has a lot of classic animation effect filters. As long as you input a picture, Gif Animator can automatically apply the animation mode to decompose it into several pictures to create an animation.

ImageReady is a gif animation based on layers. It can automatically divide the elements in the animation, and can use images in Photoshop for animation frames. It has very powerful web image processing capabilities and can create dynamic gif animations, interesting dynamic buttons, and even beautiful web pages. Therefore, ImageReady is fully capable of independently completing the process from drawing to animation, and its close integration with Photoshop can show its advantages. ^[1]

Fireworks has a strong ability to make vector graphics. Through the different settings of animation symbols in different frames, it causes our visual changes. The image is animated with the frame. Any object created or imported by Fireworks can be used as an animation symbol. Each symbol has its own independent properties, so you can create different animation forms for different objects, such as moving, fading, etc. Because the software is more random and skillful in making animations, your animation production process can be more free and creative.

The combination of ImageReady and PS is obvious to everyone. Remember that the official webpage of PS clearly says "world standard image editing solution", although it is a bit domineering, but we have to admit that PS's powerful backing really adds a lot to ImageReady.

Fireworks has higher requirements for professionalism, and the inspiration of designers can be better exerted, so using this software to create gif animations will achieve better results. At the same time, the close integration of Fireworks and MicroMedia's other two web design software DW and Flash is also a great advantage.

In fact, when Ulead GIF Animator, fireworks and ImageReady have all been developed to the current version, basically it can be said that they do not have particularly obvious shortcomings, but each has its own characteristics and strengths.

Since the release of Ulead Gif Animator 1.0 by Ulead in 1992, Ulead Gif Animator has been one of the most powerful and easy-to-use animation production software among the tools for making gif animations. With this special animation production program, everyone can easily and conveniently create the animation they need. You do nt even need to introduce an external picture, you can also use it to make some simple animations, such as the animation information display of a marquee; In addition, if you only input one picture, Gif Animator can automatically break it into several pictures and make The animation with special display effects in this picture can be said to be super powerful and worth recommending. The latest version 5.0 adds a lot of special effects that can be applied instantly, the option to optimize the animated gif image and the control of the process are more powerful. The most surprising is the new import and export of Ulead Gif Animator 5.0, import The image is not just a single gif. Currently common image formats can be smoothly imported, and the import of image files has also increased.

After launching the software, there will be an animation wizard to guide us in making animated gifs. The wizard consists of two parts: the new bar and the open bar. The new column contains "Create Image with Animation Wizard" and "Create a Blank Animated Document", "Open Existing Image in Open Bar", "Open Existing Video File" and "Open Sample File" . (Of course, if you feel that the next time you open the software, you don't need to start the guide of the wizard, you can select the "next show next time" option below) In fact, using the wizard to make animation is quite convenient thoughtful).

Let's take a look at how to use the Animation Wizard to create an animation.

1. Set the animation size (length, height).

2. Then select the picture needed for the animation, at the same time you can set the delay time, and the frame rate (note the frame rate preview at the bottom left of the dialog box, very thoughtful design).

3. After completing the previous step, each file in the animation will appear in the Frame Panel below. At this point you can click the "Preview" tab to preview the animation.

4. A wonderful animation banner is done. Note that if you save the generated animation file directly, it will be large and affect the spread on the network. Therefore, you need to optimize the animation. Select File-> Optimization Wizard in the menu to set the parameters of the optimization in the optimization wizard (generally the default can be used). The smaller the number of colors used, the smaller the file, and the worse the effect. Click the "Finish" button and Gif Animator will optimize the animation file. ...