Creating a Simple Cut-out Animation
Here is how you can create a simple cut-out animation. Follow these steps so you can try the animation tools you'll be learning in the next topics.
How to create a simple cut-out animation
- In the Tools toolbar, select the Transform
tool or press Shift + T.
- In the Tools toolbar, enable the Animate
mode so everything you move will be keyframed automatically.
- From the top menu, select Animation > Stop-Motion Keyframe so the interpolation is not created automatically between keyframes.
- In the Timeline view, collapse your character.
- In the Timeline view, go to the frame where you want to set the first pose.
- To ensure that nothing moves on the new pose, in the Timeline view, select the frame corresponding to the pose, right-click and select Add Keyframe or press F6.
- In the Camera view, select the parts to animate.
- Use the Transform tool to rotate, skew, scale or translate the selection to its new position. To rotate the piece, place your cursor slightly outside of a corner until you see the rotation cursor.
A new keyframe appears in the Timeline view if you did not create one previously. Always create your keyframe first.
- In the Tools toolbar, enable the Onion Skin
feature. - In the Timeline view, go to the frame where you want to set the second keyframe. You will need to expend the exposure to see your drawings further down the Timeline view.
- To ensure that nothing moves on the new pose, in the Timeline view, select the frame corresponding to the pose, right-click and select Add Keyframe or press F6.
- In the Camera view, animate your character.
- Repeat this process for all the poses.