Practice Animation
Create an Animation
Similar to our sticky note flip books, except now you will create your animation in a digital format.
Goal: Create at least 15 frames
Your animation can be about anything school appropriate
"Onion Skinning"
To see your previous frame:
Click the onion icon to turn on “onion skinning”
Choose a Background
Click the image icon next to the speedometer icon.
Click "Select a Color" and choose a color.
Create Your Animation Frames
Draw with the Paintbrush
To draw, select the paintbrush and draw with your mouse on the white square.
To erase with the paintbrush, click "Eraser" at the far right
Create Shapes
Click the icon with the circle/square
Choose a shape name to the right or click "More+" to see lots more shapes
Move Shapes
To move a shape, choose the pointer tool on the left.
If you want to move multiple shapes at once, click and drag with your pointer tool.
If you want to group all the shapes together, select them and choose the word "group" on the left.
Copy Shapes
To copy a shape, click on it with the pointer tool
Click the two-rectangle icon
Click the clipboard icon
Change Color
Click the selection tool then select the thing you want to change the color of
To change the outline color, click the pencil
To change the fill color, click the paint bucket
Duplicate Frames
Copy your frame by clicking the copy icon at the bottom of the frame thumbnail.
Adjust Animation Speed
Below your frame, click the speedometer icon
Adjust the animation speed to be something other than the default (6 fps).
Save Your Work in between class days
Click "Save"
Rename to "Practice Animation Day #"
Click "Save File" (it will download to your "Downloads" folder)
Open Saved Work from Previous Class Day
Using the same computer and internet browser, go back to brush.ninja. It usually saves your work from the previous day
If you animation is not showing up:
Click "Open"
Click "Choose a Brush Ninja File"
Locate your saved ".brushninja" from the previous day
Click "Open"
Once Finished, Export 2 Files
Export GIF
Click "Export"
Click "EXPORT AS GIF"
Click "DOWNLOAD ANIMATED GIF"
Export Frame Sheet (Comic)
Click "Export"
Click "MORE +"
Click "EXPORT A COMIC"
Click "DOWNLOAD IMAGE"
Move Your Files to Your Google Drive
Set Up Finder
Go to your Finder in your dock.
Select the "Columns" icon or choose "as Columns" in the dropdown list.
Select "Kind" the next dropdown to the right.
New Folders
In Finder, navigate to "My Drive" > "Video Production" folder.
Right-click on the blank space on the right and click "New Folder"
Title the new folder "1- History" for this unit.
Again, right-click on the blank space on the right and click "New Folder"
Title the new folder "Formatives"
Move Files
Right-click on "Downloads" and click "Open in New Tab"
Drag your exported gif and exported comic to your "Formatives" tab.
Submit Google Drive Link
Right-click on your "Video Production" folder
Click "Copy link to clipboard"
Paste this link in Canvas to submit.
