Programs Needed: Paint (which comes already istalled onmost computers) and Jasc Animation Shop 3. If you don't already have Jasc Animation Shop 3, you can download a free 30-day trial version HERE. Just go to the drop-down list and choose Animation Shop, then go from there.
Step one: Choose the image you want to use for your blinkie. Try not to make it too big or too small, because you may run into some problems. Once you have your image, save it to your computer and open up Paint. Open the image that you saved earlier. I am going to use the following image to show example throughout this tutorial. Your picture should look like this, but with a different image:
Step two: Decide what you want your blinkie to say. Try not to make it too long of a saying, because your blinkie will take forever to complete. Now, decided where you want your text. If you want it to the side, add some space to the side of the picture. If you want it to the bottom, add some space to the bottom of the picture. Time to make the boxes your text will be in! Use the square tool to draw a square in the area where your text will be. Make sure it is big enough! Now, you have to seperate this box into smaller pieces so your letters can go in. Figure out how many letters are in your saying, then use the line tool to create that many boxes. Now your image should look something like this, but with however many boxes you need:
Step three: Pick your main color. Use the paint bucket to fill in all your boxes with your main color. Them insert the text that your blinkie is going to say, letter by letter. Have only one letter be in each box. Your image should look something like this, but with your main color and your text:
Step four: Choose your secondary color. Then, fill in your first box (ONLY the first box) with your secondary color. Then, save it as "1". Then, make the SECOND box your secondary color, and all the other boxes (even the first) your main color. Save that as "2". Then, make the THIRD box your secondary color, and all the other boxes your main color. Save that as "3". Go on with this pattern until you finish the boxes. Now, go and fill all of your boxes with your seconday color, and save that as the number of boxes you have plus one. In my case, it would be "5". Then, fill in all the colors with your main color, and save it as the number or boxes you have plus two. In my case, it would be "6". You many now close the paint program, because you won't need it anymore. Below are all the pictures I should have, and this should be similar to what you have.
Step five: Open the the Animation Shop, and click "File" then "Animation Wizard". A little grey screen will pop up. On the first page, click "Same size as the first image frame". Click "Next".
Step six: On the second page, click "Transparent", then click "Next".
Step seven: On the third page, click "Upper left corner of the frame" and "With the canvas color" Make sure that "Scale frames to fit" is NOT CHECKED, then click "Next".
Step eight: On the fourth page, where it asks "Do you want the animation to be looped?" click "Yes, repeat the animation indefinately." Where it says "How long do you want each frame to be displayed (in 1/100th of a second)", decide on your own. I suggest 10, and that is the speed I will be using. The higher you go, the slower the blinkie goes.
Step nine: On the fifth page, click "Add image". Click on the "1" (the first part of the blinkie you saved" then click open. Do this with "2", "3", "4", etc. When you are done, you should have all of the images you saved in ORDER on the list, like below.
Step ten: Go to the next screen and click "Finish". Now, you should be looking at all of your pictures in one frame. Right click on the last image in your frame, and select "Duplicate Selected". If you did it right, you should have all of yur images IN ORDER, with 2 of the last image.
Step eleven: Go to "View" and the top, and select "Animation". You should now be looking at your blinkie in action! Just save it to your computer and upload it on a site like angelfire. See how easy that was? Afer a few tries, you won't need this guide anymore: You'll be able to do it on your own!!!!! Below is my finished blinkie:
If you have coments or questions on the tutorial, contact me!