[Patrick Neary]

Hi!

This video is a pretty clear explanation of how to set up a timeline for animation in photoshop:

I export my line animation from AP as a PNG still sequence, start a project in Photoshop with a timeline (set to the same frame rate as my animation paper export) then just import the AP PNGs into that PS project.  I then start adding new video layers underneath the line animation and use different brushes and colors to fill in color under the line animation frame by frame. For areas with holds, you can create a new regular layer in the PS project and color once then stretch that layer in the timeline to match the line drawing hold. One other way I’ve done simple stuff is to color (with the existing red green blue colors and a fat brush) directly in AP, then export those color layers separately- you can then import those into after effects and “change color” to the layer to make it any color you want.

It’s all clunky for sure, which is why I can’t wait for AP to offer coloring!!!

[Patrick Neary]

awesome! thanks very much!

[Patrick Neary]

Thanks! I did try “Simple Unbroken Sequence (clone info lost)” but still had some png files with “hold” in their file names, but then found that if I just added a new layer in the X-Sheet (with a blank frame- no drawing) and cloned that one frame all the way to the end, then selected all the clones and made them original, the export (combining all layers) had perfect sequential pngs for opening in photoshop. I also realize once more export options are added, this will all probably be a moot point! 🙂
Thanks once again for a really great effort, even in this early stage this program is the best I’ve ever used for hand-drawn work.

[Patrick Neary]

Hi- You can import the png sequence directly into After Effects as an image sequence, with “force alphabetical order” checked. I tried opening in Photoshop (where I like to do the coloring) but photoshop won’t recognize the image sequence because of hold frames- the files are numbered sequentially, but hold frames have the word “hold” in the file name and that throws photoshop off. I was able to get around that by manually turning all the hold frames into originals before export from AP. It might be a nice feature in AP to have the option to convert all hold frames into originals with one command before exporting. Or maybe there’s another way around this I’m not seeing? At any rate, this program is GREAT and I look forward to more developments!!!