Gifs on Gifs
Like in this amazing set by @thankunnext AKA #userdre, I will explain how to add a shaped color gif with a border over a black and white gif with this as our example:
↓ LEARN HOW TO DO THIS UNDER THE CUT ↓
—
1. THE GIF ON GIF PART
—
[1.1] Create your small gif
Make the gif like you normally would (just the basic brightening/coloring and sharpening) then save. If you don’t know how to make gifs yet, click here for some great tutorials.
We'll leave this for now and move on to the big gif.
[1.2] Create a new document for the big gif
To do this, press command for Mac / Ctrl for Windows + N.
The size is up to you :) Just make sure the width is 540px, the standard Tumblr post width. In the example above, the dimensions are 540px (width) by 615px (height).
[1.3] Click Create Frame Animation
This button can be found in the Timeline window, which is normally found at the bottom portion of Photoshop. If it's not there, go to Windows > ✓ Timeline.
[1.4] Convert to Timeline
To do this, select the button at the bottom left part of the Timeline window, encircled in orange below:
We'll leave this for now and go back to the small gif.
[1.5] Open your saved small gif then turn it into a Smart Object
If you don't know how, here's a quick tutorial on how to do it.
[1.6] Transfer the small gif into the new document
If you don't know how, check out the super easy Duplicate layer method here!
[1.7] Delete the white Background layer after transferring the small gif
[1.8] Drag the playhead to the start of the timeline if it's not at the start of the timeline
Do this before adding text/layers/adjustment layers in order to align them with your gif as demonstrated below:
[1.9] Duplicate the small gif layer
Shortcut keys:
Mac: command + J Windows: Ctrl + J
[1.10] Enlarge the original small gif layer to fill the canvas
This is what it looks like now:
So this is basically how you put a gif over a gif! You can stop here or keep reading to know about the shape, coloring and effects :)
—
2. THE SMALL GIF PART
—
NOTE: Make sure you have the small gif copy layer selected.
[2.1] Add a rounded rectangle shape (or any shape you prefer)
This can be found under the Rectangle Tool (U).
Next, click on the new document/canvas once and this window will pop out:
These are my settings.
NOTE: Make sure the shape's dimensions are the same as the small gif's dimensions or smaller (for step [2.3]). The Radii is for the rounded corners—the bigger the px, the rounder the corner. Feel free to change it :)
[2.2] Align your small gif copy to the shape
My shape and small gif copy are at the center of the big gif. To center your objects perfectly, view step [5B] Move tool here.
[2.3] Clip mask the small gif copy over the shape
To do this:
Make sure the small gif copy layer is above the shape layer
Right click on the small gif copy layer
Select "Create Clipping Mask"
[2.4] Add a stroke to the shape layer
This is for the border around the small gif.
To do this, click the fx button at the bottom of the Layers window. These are my settings:
[2.5] Add a Gradient Map over the small gif copy
This can be found by clicking the circle button at the bottom of the Layers window, as demonstrated here:
Next, clip mask the Gradient Map layer over the small gif layer. To do this, right click on the Gradient Map layer and select Create Clipping Mask.
To edit the Gradient Map colors, double click on the color stop, the one circled in blue below:
TIP: As demonstrated above, drag the color stop near the middle to increase the highlights/brightness of the gif (this would also depend on your chosen color).
—
3. THE BIG GIF PART —
[3.1] Add gaussian blur to the big gif
To do this:
Select the big gif / original small gif layer (the first layer)
Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur
These are my settings:
Enlarged gifs/photos tend to become pixelated as opposed to reducing the size of big gifs/photos. Other than being a creative gifset effect, adding the gaussian blur softens the rough pixels. So feel free to increase the blur to your liking :)
[3.2] Add a gradient map over the big gif layer
To do this, check out step [2.5]. The colors I've chosen for this are grey for the highlights and black for the shadows. (I've reached the ten photo limit so you're only getting a description 😂)
〰️
Please like/reblog if this has helped you and feel free to hit me up for any questions and concerns! ♥︎










