How do I make these?

Jeff396 · Dec 6, 2001

I got this recently from another TBNer and thought I could use it as my signiture. Unfortunately, it is too large and if I shrink it, it stops moving. What type of software is used to create these type of images?

Jeff

s1120 · Dec 6, 2001

looks great. Hope you figure out a way to make it work.

MikePA · Dec 6, 2001

Jeff, I sent you one in a separate email, but here's a copy of an 8K version just in case you don't check email soon.

MikePA · Dec 6, 2001

Here's an 8K flag to bring it under the 10K recommended size for signatures.

Wal · Dec 7, 2001

whoooh, I'm getting dizzy. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MikePA · Dec 7, 2001

I never answered your question about what software makes the animated GIF. Visit CNet and search on "animated gif" and a number of products will be listed. I use ULeads GIF Animator. A nice feature of the ULead product is that it allows you to save the animated gif and specify the size desired. Great for creating TBN signatures that meet Muhammad's recommended signature file size. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

BTW, if you edit your profile and change your signature to (change the {} to brackets)

{image}http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/2-88572-tbird8k.gif{/image}

the spinning TBird will be your signature without having to attach it.

Edited by MikePA on 12/07/01 08:02 AM (server time).

Jeff396 · Dec 7, 2001

Thanks, I was wondering how you all got your signitures to show up without making it an attachment every time. I have already had a couple of requests from my T-bird club in Tucson for a copy of the T-bird gif. They seem to be pretty amused by it. I will also look into that software. Seems like a pretty slick thing to be able to do./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Jeff

Anonymous Poster · Dec 7, 2001

...I use ULeads GIF Animator. ..

Mike, I have this program... help me shorten the learning curve...

Give us some quick tips or sound bites on doing an animated GIF 'down & dirty'... or am I expecting too much...?

DocHeb · Dec 7, 2001

Small point, but the final tag should be {/image}, again changing the {} to []:

{image}http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/2-88572-tbird8k.gif{/image}

MikePA · Dec 7, 2001

I'm by no means an expert, but here goes. I've tried two approaches, one starts with digital photos while the other starts with a graphic.

I've taken pictures of my TC25D with the FEL on the ground, raise the bucket a little, take another picture, raise the bucket a little, take another picture, etc. Then you pull all these pictures into GA and you have an animated gif of the bucket lifting. The challenges with this approach are;

1. You really need to use a tripod for the camera so that the only change between pictures is the movement of the FEL (in this example), and not the movement of the camera.

2. Depending upon the background, you might have to clean up the pictures so that the only object is the tractor.

Starting from a graphic, GA allows you to duplicate the initial graphic. This allows you to make additions, e.g., puffs of smoke rising from a smoke stack, to a base graphic that remains constant. GA lets you use cut and paste to pull the same 'puff' in and just change it's position above the stack. It's really like making your own cartoon.

Ulead also sells other products that allow you to add 3d effects such as the spinning TBird, but I haven't purchased them. GA also allows starting with digital video as the initial source, but I haven't gotten around to trying that. I have ULead's Video editing product and a Firewire connection on my PC, so I might try video taping the rising FEL as the initial source instead of the still pictures.

Edited by MikePA on 12/07/01 08:22 AM (server time).