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daveo58
Participating Frequently
September 11, 2017
Question

How to make path behind animation

  • September 11, 2017
  • 1 reply
  • 4738 views

I have a simple key frame animation of a caricature moving on the screen. I would like to have it leave a trail of its path of movement. How do I do this in Photoshop?

Thx

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    1 reply

    Silkrooster
    Silkrooster
    Legend
    September 11, 2017

    Off the top of my head, one way would be to make a layer for each head. (ctrl-j) can be used to create the new layer with the head copied in that layer. place each head in the proper location and set the opacity to 0.

    Then use opacity to make the head visible once the original layer passes that head.

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    daveo58Author
    Participating Frequently
    September 11, 2017

    What I'm trying to do is have the moving character leave a trial or path behind it as it moves. just like the image below.

    Silkrooster
    Silkrooster
    Legend
    September 14, 2017

    Hi!

    Another way you can create a trail, is to use a layer mask.

    Create the trail layer and draw the trail. Add a layer mask to the Trail layer, and set the mask to  black so the entire image is hidden.

    As you move the figure across the screen, add a new frame in your animation panel, and in the Layer's panel, paint white in the mask along the trail to reveal the line to the location of your figure. Continue to do this--moving the figure, adding a frame of animation and painting with white on the mask layer to reveal the line up to your figure-- until your image finishes on the other side.

    Using shorter strokes while painting and adding many frames will give you smoother movement as the line grows.

    Let me know if you have any questions! I hope that helps.

    Michelle


    Good idea, actually that was the method used in flash. Moving the mask escaped me. Masks are great for covering and revealing as they can move independently from the image on the same layer.

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