Animated Locket

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To do this tutorial you will also need Photoshop CS or CS2.  You may download a free trial at Adobe.

Remember to save as a .psd file often!

1.  Open a new, transparent image, size = 400 x 400 pixels.

2.  Choose the Custom Shape Tool.  Right-click on the Rectangle Tool if necessary

3.  Choose the heart shape from your list of shapes.  If you do not have a heart shape, download it here.  Then you will need to click on the menu for the shapes (circled) and choose load shapes.  And load the heart shape, then select it.

4.  In the Shape toolbar at the top, make sure that you have the 3rd icon depressed (see arrow).

5.  Draw a heart .  Use the magic wand to select it.

6.  Choose the gradient tool.  Right-click on the paint bucket tool if necessary.

7.   Apply the gradient of your choice.  I used a gold gradient.  Apply the gradient, by left clicking and dragging diagonally (in direction of line or arrow).  When you release the left mouse button, the gradient will fill the selection.

8.  Right-click on the heart layer and click on the WORDS  Bevel and Emboss.  Apply these settings:  Smooth, 100%, Up, 21 px, 2 pix, 120, global light, 30, Gloss Contour = Cove - Deep.

9.  Right-click on heart layer and choose duplicate layer.

10.  HIDE the top heart layer by clicking on the eye, then highlight the bottom layer by clicking on it.

11.  Selection > Modify > Contract.  Contract by 10.

12.  Open the image that you wish to place in your locket.

13.  Image > Size.  Set Width = 350 (height will automatically change)

14.  Select > All

15.  Edit > Copy

16.  Click back on the heart image.  Edit > Paste Into

17.  Right-click on the middle image and choose Merge Visible.

18.  HIDE the bottom layer and UNhide the top heart layer.  Choose the text tool, and type your engraving for the heart.  I typed:  Happy Anniversary.

19.  Right-click on text layer and choose Rasterize Type.

20.  Right-click on the text layer and choose Blending Options.  click on the WORDS Drop Shadow.  Apply these settings:  Normal, black, 100%, 120 degrees, Distance = 0, Spread = 4, Size = 10.

21.  Right-click on the text layer and choose Merge Visible.

22.  Save this as a PSD image.  File > Save As.

23.  Open up Image Ready.

24.  Set up Image Ready for animation.  Follow this tut:  Setting up Image Ready for Animation (BASICS)

25.  Open up the locket PSD image in Image Ready.

26.  Right-click on the top heart layer and Choose Duplicate Layer.

27.  Repeat Step 26 until you have Layer 1 copy 5 (this will make 6 of those hearts)

28.  In the Animation frame box, click on the Duplicate frame icon at the bottom (circled) to duplicate the frame.  Continue to do this until you have 6 frames.

29.  Click on Frame 1.

30.  In the Layer Palette, HIDE  ALL layers BUT the bottom two.

31.  Click on Frame 2.  HIDE  the layer before Layer 1 copy 2 (# here should match frame number you are working on)

32.  At the top, click a check in the Show Transform Box.  You may have to click on the WORDS to get the transform nodes to show.

33.  Hover on the center right node (see arrow)  and drag it to the left.

34.   Now click on Frame 3.  In the Layer Palette, HIDE the Layer 1 copies BEFORE Copy 3 (this # should match the frame #)  See image below:  You should leave the bottom layer (with picture) UNHIDDEN for each frame, and then HIDE the layers between that one and the frame # you are working on.

35.  Click on SHOW TRANSFORM BOX, and drag the center right node to the left.

36.  Repeat Steps 34 & 35 on each frame remaining, until you have the locket open.

If you have too many frames duplicated, just click on the extra frames and then the trash can to delete them.

37.  In EACH frame, click on the tiny arrow next to the 1 sec time display.  Choose 1.0 for the first and last frame, and 0.2 for the frames in between.

38.  File > Save Optimized As to save your animation.