October 2014 Tips and Tricks - Big GIFs, Tiny Animations

[Rik]

Thanks so much, Gare and Stygg! Your help, really everyone's efforts here, really inspires. These gif animations are lots of fun (Gare I like the new lightning strike avatar)!
I tried to create a hummingbird flying by this time...

Don't know how I missed it?!
That's a cool hummingbird, Maya.

It flies in and out, quite fast. Are they really that fast?
I don't know. I'm not an expert on hummingbirds!
But, I like the idea though.

[Crow Haven]

Don't know how I missed it?!
That's a cool hummingbird, Maya.

It flies in and out, quite fast. Are they really that fast?
I don't know. I'm not an expert on hummingbirds!
But, I like the idea though.

Hi Rik!
Thanks! These little hummers here have wing beats faster than the eye can see, and they often zip into view and out of view in just a blur, wings almost invisible. In order to keep the number of frames small I had to compromise and still try to give the "zippy" impression. A smoother transition would need more frames and larger file size so I settled on getting an overall effect of what I've observed them do at my feeder (this is created from a photo I took of an actual hummer at my feeder).

[Gare]

Hey, Rik—

Maya gave us a hummingbird feeder as a gift about four years ago, and I can personally attest to their speed and sudden change indirection, sort of like a helicopter on amphetamines.

Two misconceptions about hummingbirds: First, a feeder is not their primary source of food. It attracts them, but we people are attracted to McDonald's for not such good reasons, too. Feeders are a good place to rest their feet if the feeder is built intelligently, too. Lots of feeders are designed to appeal to human tastes in art and not what the bird will seek! Like birdhouses frequently have openings that are too large. Cavity-dwelling birds want a real small opening so predators can't come in.

Also, the crap that comes with many feeders (not yours, Maya!) you mix with water and it's called nectar.

B.S.! You can mix Domino granulated sugar with water and attract the same number of hummingbirds.

And those little son of a guns are almost impossible to photograph. In fact, their wings are a total blur when flying, about 50 times per second.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

By the way, Maya has a wonderful GIF animation done with characters from a special font called Zootype.



She thought it was off-topic, but I don't. It uses a saying "It's a jungle out there" and animates it against pure white and the effect is wonderful and small considering the length of the message and the "story" of the animation. Go on and take a bow and blush, Maya!



My Best,

Gary

[Crow Haven]

Oh gees, where's that blush emoti!
Thanks, Gare. That's a fun font to experiment with!

I enjoy watching hummers. The tiny elfin birds get into arial dogfights over their territory, even taking on battle with bumblebees. They have personality! They also eat tiny gnats and spiders, besides flower nectar, and use spider web to fasten together their little nests (just 2 pea-sized eggs are produced) composed of lichen and moss.

[stygg2003]

Don't worry about the blushing Maya, you are very talented and it's always a pleasure to view your work and pick up a few tips and tricks.

Stygg

[Crow Haven]

Many thanks Stygg. Likewise, I enjoy your work, and others works here. There's such a lot of creativity and new solutions, I'm learning from all of you! If anything I've done helps someone else that makes me happy also.

[Gare]

I'm learning from all of you! If anything I've done helps someone else that makes me happy also.

That could be the seminal definition of the term "community", Maya. Whenever I think I'm at my best as "The Moderator" (and I'm sure Rik, too, will agree), is when we are smart enough to let the chemistry mix, the personalities help each other, and build together without constant comments from the Ever-Wiser-With-Age Moderators!

All of you are doing great with experimenting with GIFs, and the results go from excellent to "you should sell this to a future client."

Seriously, for a change,

Gary

[Rik]

Yeah, I agree, Gary.
We all had a go, looked at each others' animations, learned from them, and then had another go with another.
By posting our tries, and asking others' what they did, is what a community does.

to all.

[stygg2003]

I agree with you both Rik and Gary and a thank you to Maya for the Crow ani. and Gary for that splendid but.ani.background, it reminded me of that old movie Shangri-la.

Stygg

[Crow Haven]

I agree with you both Rik and Gary and a thank you to Maya for the Crow ani. and Gary for that splendid but.ani.background, it reminded me of that old movie Shangri-la.

Stygg

Love it!