The Animation effect is comprised of a series of sequential image frames which convey subject movement.
There are two types of Animation:
- Cyclical Animation: has no start or end point
- Terminal Animation: has a clearly defined start and end point
Animation footage may contain as few as 4 frames. The more frames, the more fluid the motion.
Cyclical Animation
- A spinning propellar
- Skipping on the spot
Terminal Animation
- Striking a match
- Hitting a ball
Design tips
4+ images
- Left/Right: Faster
- Top/Bot: Slower
The Animating subject should:
- be set against a static background
- have a simple uni-directional path
- make small incremental movements
- be confined to the middle 2/3's of the print (particularly for posters)
- not track excessively in a horizontal direction
- definitely not have a complex path
- definitely not be positioned over a white, a pastel or plain colour background
- not appear over a very dark background
For best results:
- hand-held pieces should preferentially animate top/bottom
- use "busy" detailed, colourful or patterned backgrounds
- consign copious text & information to the regular backside print
- avoid white as it will be contaminated by colour in the other image/s
- avoid white due to ghosting through it from the other image/s
- avoid white as it can be contaminated by slight colour misregistration
- avoid small italic text and diagonal lines due to "staircasing" by the lens
- avoid small, fine text and lines as parts can break up under the lens
- avoid Serif font styles as the narrow strokes and ticks can disappear
Note:
- Fewer frames may have a more stuttered movement, but each frame will be seen with greater clarity.
- More frames will lend themselves to smoother movement. In terminal animation, the bookend frames are assigned a longer dwell time, whilst the in between frames will have a motion blur.
- Not all sequences are candidates for animation.
Artwork setup
Litho Offset Printing
Inkjet Poster
File colour mode:
CMYK
RGB
File colour profile:
U.S Web Coated (SWOP) v2
Adobe RGB (1998)
File colour channels:
CMYK only
RGB only
File resolution:
300 ppi
200-300 ppi
File type:
Photoshop
Photoshop
Image safe area:
3 mm inside trims
10 mm inside trims
Document bleed:
3 mm beyond trims
10 mm beyond trims
Custom shape:
Knife layer or file
Knife layer or file
Rich black (small area):
C 40 M 0 Y 0 K 100
Rich black (large area):
C 60 M 40 Y 40 K 100
Max. total ink coverage
300%
Fonts:
Outlined or embedded
Min. size 12 pt (75 LPI)
Min. size 10 pt (100 LPI)
Outlined or embedded
Photoshop File
- Order frame layers in their correct sequence.
- Number layers.
- Rasterize text or include fonts.
- Backside print design (if applicable) to be supplied as a separate high resolution PDF, Indesign, or Illustrator file.
- Supply Zipped.
