How to Use the Video Timeline in Photoshop

Want to animate just one part of a still image, like a pair of robot eyes glancing back and forth? Learn how Photoshop's video timeline and keyframes can move a layer from one point to another automatically.

Aaron isolates a robot toy's eyes onto their own layer with the Magic Wand tool, removes the originals by sampling and painting over them, then opens the video timeline to set position keyframes that Photoshop uses to animate the eyes moving back and forth, ready for export as a GIF.

CHAPTERS
00:00 How To Use The Video Timeline In Photoshop
01:54 Isolating The Eyes Onto A New Layer
02:40 Removing The Original Eyes By Sampling Color
03:47 Opening The Video Timeline
04:59 Setting Your First Position Keyframe
06:10 Creating A Second Keyframe To Animate Between
06:42 Playing Back Your Animation

THE STEPS
1. Use the Magic Wand tool, holding Shift to add multiple areas, to select the part of the image you want to animate
2. Press Cmd/Ctrl+J to duplicate the selection onto its own layer
3. On a layer below it, hold Alt/Option with the Brush tool to sample nearby color, then paint over the original to hide it, cleaning up with a layer mask if needed
4. Go to Window, then Timeline, and choose Create Video Timeline
5. Expand your layer's keyframe options, move your object to its first position, then click the stopwatch icon to set a position keyframe
6. Move the playhead further along the timeline, reposition your object again to automatically create a second keyframe, then press Play to preview the animation

This episode doesn't have its own dedicated tutorial page on phlearn.com, so browse more free tutorials here: phlearn.com/free/

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#Photoshop #Animation #GIF