Defringing Animations. How is it done?

[Cloak amp; Dagger]

I have noticed that when I create animations in Photoshop/ImageReady they have this tattered white fringe around them. It shows up really bad when I display them against a white background. :{

Is there any way that I can defringe my animations? I know this can be done in Photoshop, however, in ImageReady there is no defringe feature. More accurately quoted, "If there is one it is not in the same location as Photoshop's." [confused]

Does anyone have a solution to this problem. 8))

 

[theKeeper]

mmm... well technically... a white fringe shouldn't even be visible against a white background. Perhaps re-explain that part ok?

There is no way to completely "defringe" an animation -- not a Gif anywho. But generally you're supposed to select a "Matte" colour for the image that will make it blend into a specific bg colour.
In PS you'd choose a Matte colour using the "Save for Web" function... but in IR you need to open the "Output Settings" under the FILE menu and choose "Background". In there, setup your prefs, then save the animation out.

That help? :B

 

[Cloak amp; Dagger]

Sorry, that was suppose to say dark background. The darker the background the more vivid fringe. :{

Well, I didn't even know about the having to use a Matte color. I haven't really explored animation very much, so there is a lot I don't know about the subject, and for that matter ImageReady itself. However, this information will help in solving other animation issues infolving that fringe problem.

You say that I can't completely defringe my animations. What about partially defringing my animations. Is that possible? \:]

 

[Tron]

Any time you are creating a transpaent gif for use on a web page, you will want add this matte that Mark spoke about , to it, use the exact same colour as your web page and the image will blend in without the white jaggies.

 

[theKeeper]

The best way to completely defringe your animation is to simply use a bg colour behind it and don't use transparency -- unless you absolutely have to -- because you're using a textured/photo bg on your page.

What i meant in my previous reply was that there's no way to defringe a Gif animation -- and have it look good too. Gifs just don't have enough colours in their palette to make that possible.

You CAN however use "no matte" in IR (under the "Transparency" tab, within the "Optimize" settings palette [Window menu]) if you like, but generally this will yield very gross jagged edges on your image (just like it does in PS too). In order to get the smoothest edges, you absolutely need to use a Matte colour. This allows the program to blend the animation image's edges into the bg colour, which in turn produces a smoothed edges effect.

Is there any specific reason why you wish not to have a bg colour within your animation?

 

[Cloak amp; Dagger]

Is there any specific reason why you wish not to have a bg color within your animation?

Well, I just started to work with animations, and I thought it would me interesting to add them to my IncrediMail program. That way when I e-mailed people I could place them on my letters that I e-mailed.

I have already done this, however, I have noticed that if the background is real dark then the fringe shows up real bad. The Matte idea is fine for websites, however, I have many IncrediMail backgrounds. However, I do have some animations that IncrediMail has provided that don't have the fringe around them; however, they are not all like that. Some of there animations are done in Flash, maybe that is why some of them didn't have fringe. I just asked the question that I did to make sure that it could or could not be defringed in ImageReady. \:]

 

[Josh]

That fringe that you're seeing is done by some anti-alias algorithm.
Remove it and all objects look the same on all kind an any textured, non-textured, dark or light background, but I agree, it's doesn't look that great.

I'm sorry, you can't have it all if you design in 72 ppi :\