Making an Animation

Alex Gröger

4 Aug, 2017 02:31 PM

I know this isn't as much of a tutorial as it is shameless self promotion but hey, everybody's gotta start somewhere.

1. Step 1: Starting Your Computer

   If you are using Windows, start by starting your computer.

   If you are a Mac user, say to it, "Lazarus come out!", and if it should not start immediately type, "hello/doctor/name/continue/yesterday/tomorrow" in the command prompt and hit ENTER. If the screen is still blank invoke it's creator by saying, "Wake up! I have Jobs for you."

   It should start beeping and making whirring noises and after that begin to show signs of artificial intelligence greeting you with, "Good morning Steve. This is Hal. I'm ready for my first lesson."

   Note: If you'd like to personalize the startup greeting, it's a simple registry edit. Just Google it on YouTube.

   
   

   If you have a Hal 9000 disregard the previous steps, go to the last step, and just say, "Animate!", followed by, "Produce!"

   
   

   

2. Step 2: Bang it Out on the Keyboard!

   Hit random keys on the keyboard until you have something that looks like this.

   
   

   
   

   

   
   

3. Step 3: Seriously

   First you come up with a cool design. Then...

   
   

   Most cad systems allow you to use the keyboard buttons like up down or arrow keys to manipulate objects onscreen.

   
   

   You simply step with the keyboard and press the "Print Scrn" button each time you step saving to your Paint program between steps and numbering each image in sequence. The "Print Scrn" function on your keyboard saves an image of whatever you may be looking at onscreen at the time you press it. The image is copied to a certain thing known as your clipboard. Then you just open up Paint, hit edit from the drop down menu and click on "paste". You'll be delighted to see an image of whatever your desktop was when you hit the "Print Scrn" key.

   
   

   After that you'll have a whole bunch of images, in my case 72 images made one complete revolution, and you just compile them into a .GIF with whatever software you use for that.

   
   

   It's just that easy.

   Have fun!

   ~ Alex ~

   

   
   

   
   

4. Step 4: (Optional)

   

   Bask in the Glory of Your Design!

   
   

   You did it kiddo, and you deserve to feel a little proud, even if only for the moment.

5. Step 5: Mandatory

   

   Make the freaking thing already!!!

   
   

   Gee whizz, you spent enough time designing it, didn't you?

   
   

   It's time to get to gettin'.