Tutorial: How to Make an Animated Motion-Blur Text Icon

[charliemc]

I was recently asked how to create this effect, so I decided to reason it out and share the results -- even though the member who asked has already figured out how to do it! (smile)

We'll end up with something like these:






By the way, I'm sorry I didn't post this sooner, but often tutorials like this take many hours to write up -- especially when I'm including images. I just haven't been able recently to find the time to finish until now...

1. Start out by opening both PSP9 and Animation Shop 3 (AS3).
   
   
2. Go to PSP9.
   
   
3. We're going to start with a solid color base (any color you wish), 100 x 100 pixels in size.
   
   Note: Normally I don't bother to do this, but I'm going to have you actually take the time to NAME some of your layers for this tutorial. I think it's going to make it a little easier to understand if you know exactly which layer we're working with!
   
   
4. Add a New Raster Layer. (Go to Layers > New Raster Layer.) Name it: Text 1.
   
   
5. Select the Text tool from the Tool palette. Use the following settings:
   Create as: Floating (or Vector, if you wish)
   Font: Courier New (or any other font you wish that looks good small)
   Size: 10 (or some other small size)
   Stroke width: 0.0
   Font style: nothing
   Alignment: doesn't matter
   Anti-alias: Sharp (but depends on font, of course)
   Line style: (default) solid
   Join: (default) 1st choice
   Miter limit: (default) 10.00
   Warp text: not selected (doesn't matter)
   Offset: (default) 0
   Auto kern: checkmarked
   Leading: -0.399 (but depends on font, of course)
   Kerning: -25 (but depends on font, of course)
   Tracking 0.000
   
   
   
   Use a contrasting color -- one that will stand out from the background color of your icon.
   
   
6. Type your first text. Click the Apply button.
   
   
   
   
7. If necessary, reposition your text. For this tutorial you'll ideally want to center the text side-to-side and top-to-bottom. To do this, either use the built-in Move tool included as part of your Text tool, or go to the Tool palette and select the Move tool. Deselect your text. (Right-click the Text tool, or to go Selections > Select none.)
   
   Important Note:
   You'll see that I've set both the Leading and the Kerning for the text I used here. Leading sets the vertical space between text lines. I wanted to eliminate the normal amount of space that would appear in two-line text using the 'Courier New' font, so I changed this from the default 0.000 to the setting noted above. Kerning sets the horizontal space between characters. (And Auto kern factors in the font's built-in kerning values to your kerning setting.) I wanted less space between my letters, so I set this from the default 0 to the setting noted above. Obviously if you're using a different font, you'll need to play around with these settings.
   
   By the way, don't be afraid to try changing these! You can easily return to the default zero settings whenever you wish.
   
   
8. Now we're going to duplicate that first text layer! Go to Layers > Duplicate.
   
   You'll note that this layer is automatically named Copy of Text 1.
   
   
   
   
9. If you don't have your Layers palette open at this point, let's take time to do that now. (Pressing the F8 function key on your keyboard will toggle on and off the Layers palette.)
   
   
10. While still at the Layers palette, X-out the Copy of Text 1 layer. (Click the Visibility Toggle button that resembles an eye so that a red 'X' appears over it.)
    
    
11. If necessary, use your Zoom tool (Tool palette) to zoom in on your image, making it easier to see it. I often find this makes it easier to work with an icon! (smile)
    
    
12. Add a New Raster Layer (as above). Name it: Text 2.
    
    Hint: Did you know you can add layers via the Layers palette? You can! Just click the New Raster Layer button on the top of the Layers palette.
    
    
    
    
13. Go back and again select your Text tool (Tool palette). Use the same settings as above.
    
    
14. Type your second text.
    
    
    
    
15. If you've zoomed in, it should be relatively easy to line this up evenly with the bottom layer of text! Either use the built-in Move tool included as part of your Text tool, or go to the Tool palette and select the Move tool. Deselect your text. (Right-click the Text tool, or to go Selections > Select none.)
    
    
16. Now duplicate the second text layer. (Go to Layers > Duplicate.)
    
    You'll note that the new layer is automatically named Copy of Text 2.
    
    
    
    Still with me so far? Great! It's time to create our blurred text.
    
    
17. Now go to the Layers palette and X-out all layers except Background and Copy of Text 1.
    
    
18. Click on the Copy of Text 1 layer to select it. (It should be highlighted.)
    
    
    
    Note: This is an important step, because if you don't have the correct layer selected, you'll apply your blur to the wrong layer!
    
    
19. Go to Adjust > Blur > Motion Blur.
    
    
    
    Use these settings:
    Angle: 90
    Strength: 40
    
    
    
    
20. Return to Adjust > Blur > Motion Blur. Use these settings:
    Angle: 270
    Strength: 40
    
    
    
    
21. Now go to the Layers palette and X-out all layers except Background and Copy of Text 2.
    
    Remember to click on the Copy of Text 2 layer to select it. (Again, it should be highlighted.)
    
    
    
    
22. Go to Adjust > Blur > Motion Blur. Use these settings:
    Angle: 90
    Strength: 40
    
    
23. Return to Adjust > Blur > Motion Blur. Use these settings:
    Angle: 270
    Strength: 40
    
    Now it's time to begin the creation of our actual animation!
    
    
24. Go back to the Layers palette and X-out all layers except Background and Text 1.
    
    
25. Right-click > Copy Merged.
    
    
    
    
26. Go to Animation Shop 3 (AS3).
    
    
27. Ctrl+V (or right-click > Paste As New Animation).
    
    
28. Return to PSP9.
    
    
29. This time X-out all layers except Background and Copy of Text 1.
    
    
30. Right-click > Copy Merged (or Ctrl+Shift+C).
    
    
31. Go back to AS3.
    
    
32. Ctrl+L (or right-click > Paste Before Frame).
    
    
33. Now Highlight/select frame 2 (F:2). This is an important step! If you don't highlight the correct frame, you'll put the new frame in the wrong place.
    
    Important Note: What we're doing here is adding a text frame -- then putting a blur of that text frame both before and after it. No matter how many text frames you add to this animation, you need to remember this step for creating the blur.
    
    
34. Shift+Ctrl+L (or right-click > Paste After Frame).
    
    You've now created three of your animation frames.
    
    
35. Return to PSP9.
    
    
36. Now go to the Layers palette and X-out all layers except Background and Text 2.
    
    Remember to click on the Text 2 layer to select it. (It should be highlighted.)
    
    
    
    
37. Right-click > Copy Merged (or Ctrl+Shift+C).
    
    
38. Go back to AS3.
    
    
39. Frame 3 (F:3) should still be selected. If it's not, select it now! Shift+Ctrl+L (Paste After Frame). You've added frame four.
    
    
40. Return to PSP9.
    
    
41. X-out all layers except Background and Copy of Text 2. Be sure Copy of Text 2 is selected!
    
    
42. Right-click > Copy Merged (or Ctrl+Shift+C).
    
    
43. Go back to AS3.
    
    Be sure frame 4 (F:4) is selected.
    
    
44. Ctrl+L (or right-click > Paste Before Frame).
    
    
45. Highlight/select frame 5 (F:5).
    
    
46. Shift+Ctrl+L (or right-click > Paste After Frame).
    
    
47. Hold down the ctrl key and select both frame 2 (F:2) and frame 5 (F:5). They should both be highlighted. (Be sure you don't have any other frames selected!)
    
    
48. Alt+Enter to open the Frame Properties window. Set it to 200.
    
    
    
    
49. If you like, you can now Preview your animation! Go to the Toolbar and press the View Animation button.
    
    
    

OPTIONAL


• But before you save, you could optionally make any additions you wanted at this time! If you wanted put a border/frame around the edge of your icon -- or add your username (etc.) -- this is the time.
  
  
• Return to PSP9 to create anything additional you want to add.
  
  Making a border/frame:
  Make sure the Copy of Text 2 layer is selected/highlighted. Add a New Raster Layer. Select the Flood Fill tool (Tool palette) and right-click to use the color you previously have selected for your text. Go to Selections > Select All. Return to Selections > Modify > Contract. You can now select 1-3 (or more). Hit the Delete key on your keyboard. Go to your Layers palette and X-out all the other layers (including the Background) -- except for this new/top layer. Copy Merged.
  
  
• Go to AS3.
  
  
• We want to create an entirely new animation, even though we won't be saving it! So Ctrl+V (or right-click > Paste As New Animation).
  
  
• Now go to Edit > Duplicate Selected (or right-click > Duplicate Selected).
  
  Do this until you have six frames -- to match your original animation.
  
  
• Go to Edit > Select all.
  
  
• Right-click the animation and select Copy.
  
  
• Go to frame 1 (F:1) of the border/frame animation. Use your cursor to 'grab' the solid edge. Note: You can't 'grab' any transparent portion of an animation, so be sure you're clicking on something that's not transparent.
  
  
  
  
• Holding your mouse button down, drag this into frame 1 (F:1) of the text blur animation. Carefully position it so it's even all the way around before you release the mouse button and 'drop' it.
  
  
  
  If you've done this correctly, your border/frame will now appear in all six frames! If it's crooked, just hit the Undo button on your Toolbar. Then select/highlight the border/frame animation (which is currently empty) and click on the Undo button again to bring it back. You can now repeat the process. Keep going until you get it right and remember that practice does make perfect with AS3. (smile)
  
  You'll end up with something like this:
  
  
  Note: This is also how I add my LJ username to all of my animated icons, just for the record. (grin)

Hint: Did you know that you can DUPLICATE all of the frames of an animation? You can! With an animation open and selected, go to Window > Duplicate Animation (or Shift+D). This can be handy if you want to apply one or more different effects to a give animation you're working on.




1. Time to Save! Press the F12 function key on your keyboard. This will open the Save As window. Select the location on your hard drive where you want to save and then name your animation. Click the Save button.
   
   
2. This will open the Optimization window (the Animation Quality Versus Output Size window). Leave the Quality vs. Size slider bar at the top and press the Next key.
   
   
   
   
3. You'll go to Optimization Progress. Press the Next key.
   
   
   
   
4. You'll go to Optimization Preview. Press the Next key.
   
   
   
   
5. You'll end up at Optimization Results. Press Finish.
   
   
   
   That's it -- you're done.
   
   Of course, if you want more text (additional frames) I'm sure you can see how easy it would be to add more text and blur frames, following the same format.
   
   I also found it easy to add this effect to a background/base that wasn't simply one solid color -- like this one:
   
   

I'd really love to see what you come up with, as always! And I hope you have fun creating blurred text icons of your own.

==CharlieMC, assistant moderator