How to Create Motion Graphics Video Using Photoshop
Creating motion graphics doesn’t always require advanced software like After Effects. With Adobe Photoshop’s Timeline feature, you can animate text, images, and graphics to produce basic motion graphics. In this blog post, I’ll guide you through creating simple animations in Photoshop.
Why Photoshop?
Photoshop is great for beginners or anyone looking to create simple motion graphics. It offers an intuitive interface for frame-by-frame animation or keyframing, and it’s ideal if you’re already familiar with the software.
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Steps to Create Motion Graphics in Photoshop
1. Set Up the Document
Open Adobe Photoshop and create a new document.
For video, use a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (Full HD) and a frame rate of 30 FPS (frames per second).
Ensure the RGB Color mode is selected since it’s for screen output.
2. Enable the Timeline Panel
Go to Window > Timeline to open the Timeline panel.
In the panel, select Create Frame Animation from the dropdown. If you don’t see this option, click the arrow and switch from Create Video Timeline.
3. Design Your Layers
Add text, logos, or images as separate layers. You need each moving part of your animation on its own layer so you can control them independently.
If you’re animating text, add it using the Text tool.
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4. Create Keyframes
With your layer selected, click the arrow next to the layer name in the Timeline panel.
Set your starting position by moving your object/text where you want it to begin. Click the stopwatch icon next to the property you wish to animate (Position, Opacity, etc.).
Move the playhead forward in time, and adjust the object’s position. Photoshop will automatically create a new keyframe and generate the animation between the two keyframes.
5. Preview the Animation
Press the play button in the timeline to preview your animation.
Adjust the timing of keyframes by dragging them on the timeline to change the speed or duration of the motion.
6. Add Effects
Use Photoshop’s layer styles (like shadows, glows, and strokes) to enhance your design.
You can animate these effects as well, such as making an object fade in by animating its opacity.
7. Export the Animation
Go to File > Export > Render Video to export the motion graphic as a video file (MP4 or MOV).
For GIFs, use File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy) and select GIF format.
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Photoshop is a great tool for creating basic motion graphics, especially if you’re already familiar with its tools. With its timeline animation feature, you can bring still images and text to life. For more complex animations, transitioning to software like After Effects might be necessary, but Photoshop is a great starting point. Start experimenting.
