You can make just about any gif which has a transparent background into a hazy outline gif following these simple steps. I will also explain how to achieve this result with annotation and gifs like my page topper above.
First, find a gif, have a background url saved in your account that you want to use for the 'haze' and take the gif to ImageMagick, Then...
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GIF ONLY HAZE
- 1. enter the url of your gif in ImageMagick, next page click on the _Composite TAB_ and put the url of the background you want to use in the composite url slot, leave the gravity and locations set to _center_ and _+0+0_, scroll down and choose _IN_ in the drop down menu and click on the _Misc box_ check-mark, scroll back up and click the composite grey button.
- 2. Now you will use the _Paint Feature_ to fill in the transparent background with a color, black is what I entered for this gif Poinsettia but you can use any color you want. So, choose _color_ in the first menu, erase the white in the color box and type your choice in it, choose _replace_ in the 2nd menu and put your cursor around the gif and click, put the arrow onto the transparent part of the background and click again. Now you have the background colored.
- 3. now go up and choose the _Resize TAB_ and change the parameters to _110%_ and leave the _zoom light button_ click the resize grey button.
- 4. Now, choose the _Decorate TAB_ and enter _10x10_ in the parameter slot, and type in the color you made your background in the color slot, choose _border_ and click the decorate button. This puts a border around your gif, giving it room for the haze.
- 5. Now choose the _Effects TAB_ and erase the numbers in the parameter slot and put _4x4_ there, choose the _blur_ button and click the effects button.
- 6. Now go back to the _Composite TAB_, erase the background url and enter the original gif url in the slot, scroll down and uncheck the misc box, change the menu drop down to _Over_, leave the center and +0+0 as is, and click the composite button.
- 7. now you can output as usual, but remember if you have used any color other than black or white if you make your graphic a jpg, the background color will change. Leaving it a gif will keep the original color of the background.
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HAZE WITH ANNOTATION
- 1. Enter a transparent gif url in ImageMagick, go to resize and resize the gif big enough for your gif and annotation. Go to the _Annotation TAB_ and type your word(s) in the text box. choose your location (lets just use center for this example) and leave _white_ in the _fill color_ slot, also type _white_ in the _stroke color_ and erase the _1_ that is in the _stroke width_ and enter _5 or 7_ (which ever you prefer) choose your font style and point size, and click the annotate button. Your words are now on the transparent gif.
- 2. Now, choose the _Composite TAB_ and enter your gif url in the slot, decide where you want it on the annotated gif and composite it on with _Over_.
- 3. Choose the _Composite TAB_ again, and erase the gif url, putting in your background url, run the background through your gif and words with the same method above. Color the transparent background as above, DO NOT RESIZE YET
- 4. Go to the _Effects TAB_ and using _4x4_ and _Blur_ as above, click the Effects button.
- 5. Now go to _Annotate TAB_ and change the fill color to the color of your choice, erase the white in the stroke color slot and type _none_, erase the 5 or 7 in the stroke width box and type a _1_ in it, annotate your words over the blurred words.
- 5. Now resize your graphic _110%_ and composite your original graphic over the blurred graphic using _over_ and adjusting the numbers to get your graphic where you want it to be.
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Example of haze effect on white:
Poinsettia on white
Transparentizing after blurring doesn't look too good unless you put it on a white background. Blurring always makes a 'fuzzy halo'
transparentized poinsettia |
