Two Paths to an Animation

There are essentially two ways to create animations in Zoner GIF Animator 5.

1. Animation Using Independent Frames

This method is especially appropriate for animating moving objects. It is like a film where every frame has the same size as the animation itself and actually draws over the entire previous state. Each frame of the animation should be prepared separately in a graphics editor, and the animation process occurs by the frames drawing over each other in a set order.

2. Animation Based on Previous States

In certain cases, it is best to base each frame on the preceding frame. For this method, the first frame generally forms the size of the animation itself. The frames following it then have only the size of the animation area - the area that changes. This method is especially useful for creating animated banners, and here you can take advantage of Zoner GIF animator's option to display frames in the thumbnail section according to their position in the animation space.

The two methods can also be combined. Your own experience in choosing between frame-refresh methods will strongly determine the way you compose and optimize animated GIFs.

Note: Do you like using simulated controls, like message boxes, in animated GIFs? Only Zoner GIF Animator 5 lets you create them directly, without using other graphics programs. For more information, see our page on trick banners.