Tiling GIF File In Photoshop

[MaxxAmmo]

Hi guys I'm really hopeful someone can help me please?

I have a GIF file that I would like to tile to a 1920x1080 resolution (so there would be like 9 or so of the same gif) so that I can use it as my desktop background using the Dreamscene program that allows animations in GIFs to be used as desktop backgroun. For normal images I would just edit the canvas size in Photoshop and copy and paste the images into a tile formation, but how can I do this for a GIF? I have tried in CS5 but it doesn't keep the animation.

I have attached the gif to this thread in case you wish to try

Thanks again and kind regards all

 

[MrToM]

Your image isn't of the right ratio to 'tile' into those dimensions...




...but still....try this:

Select and GROUP all the layers.
Duplicate the group.
Make sure FRAME 1 is selected.
Move the group where you want it.
Select each FRAME in the new (duplicated) group one by one and make sure the corresponding layer is visible...so...

FRAME 1 --> LAYER 1
FRAME 2 --> LAYER 2
Etc etc.

Repeat for as many 'tiles' as you can fit into that space.

There may be a way to copy the gif in its entirety but I've not found it yet....I've always had to redo the frames and layers.

Luckily there are only nine frames so it doesn't take long.

Here is an example with 4 tiles:



Regards.
MrToM.

 

[MaxxAmmo]

Hi thanks for your advice i'm trying to sort it out now.

Just a bit noobish and confused lol - I have gotten so far as to do this:

1) Converted the gif to a .mov so that I can File>Import Video Frames to layers
2) Imported the .mov and edited canvas size to 1920x1080 (i'm going to edit the size of each layer so that 6 "tiles" can fit so that makes 320x180 for each layer)
3) Duplicated the group

How do I make sure Frame 1 is selected before moving the duplicated gorup Do you mean Layer 1?

And how do I make sure each frame is for each layer?:
"FRAME 1 --> LAYER 1
FRAME 2 --> LAYER 2"

And also how best to export this at the end?

Thanks again, just not done anything with Gifs since like 2002 lol. Much appreciated for your help

 

[MrToM]

No worries.....gif are confusing at the best of times and PS doesn't exactly make it any easier.

Working with what you posted, (the gif file), I opened it in PS and also opened the 'Timeline' window....its probably called the 'Animation' window in CS5.....I cant remember.

Anyway......in there you should then have the 'Frames' that make up the 'gif' animation....not a movie but 'Frames'.

Each 'frame' will have one or more 'Layers' visible.....the gif I worked with was comprised of Layer 1 being visible in the first frame, layer 2 being visible in the 2nd frame, and so on till frame 9 which had layer 9 visible.

As there is no 'transparency' in the layers you can leave the preceding frames layers visible as the next one above it will hide it anyway.

I put all those 9 LAYERS into a GROUP...making sure that FRAME 1 in the 'Animation / Timeline' panel was selected. I'm not sure if CS5 had 'Propagate Layer 1' or not but to be safe have FRAME 1 selected in order for ALL the layers to be moved......that is all the layers of the duplicate GROUP.....but you need to select FRAME 1 first....then duplicate the group....then move the group.

Here is my UI for the example I posted.....sorry it looks a bit 'SHOUTY'......just wanted to make it clear what's going on:



For each duplicate 'Group' I had to go through EACH FRAME, (Select each frame as shown above by clicking it), and making sure that the right LAYER was visible for that frame.

I couldn't, and still haven't, found a way to duplicate the groups with all the right layers intact and visible....so I had to do it manually.......select FRAME 1, make LAYER 1 visible.......select FRAME 2, make LAYER 2 visible......its just fortunate that the layers correspond to the frames.

It may be slightly different for you as you will be working with the original LAYERS and not the resultant 'gif' file as I have to...but the principle is the same.....for EACH frame you need the correct LAYERS visible.....and for each group too!

Bit long winded that but its pretty simple once you get into it.....and its only 9 frames so shouldn't take too long.

Any further questions just shout.

Regards.
MrToM.

 

[MaxxAmmo]

Thanks very much for your explanation dude! I used to do a lot of video editing with Premiere back in the day so this was just frustrating me a bit because it's sooo much simpler yet the UI is a bit misleading at the beginning. I think you've helped me crack what I wanted to do and I am grateful. I really wish there was a copy/paste option for entire gifs, it would save so much time lol. I'll post here my completed work so ya can take a look when it's done. Cheers again

 

[MrToM]

...Thanks very much for your explanation dude!...

No worries.

...I'll post here my completed work so ya can take a look when it's done. Cheers again...

Excellent! Looking forward to it.

Regards.
MrToM.

 

[IamSam]

On another note...............I'm always impressed by these type of animated GIF. I guess technically these are cinemagraphs.
MaxxAmmo Did you make this GIF?

This was the first one I had seen.....


Anyone know of any tutorials for this technique? Not for cinemagraphs but for this rolling/flowing dirt or fur effect.