Zekke

Hi All,

can somebody help me to explain about this??

I create animated banner using IR. First, I have 190 frames which really increase the file size (its about 1.600 kb!!) Now, I work on it again, reducing many frames and colors, and...holaa..the file size now is 137 kb, but it looks terrible.

Any idea, how to really compress the file size until less than 100 kb but still 'good-looking' on the browser.

Plz help ...

thanks a lot

Diella

retired_paddza

Short answer: Learn flash

Long answer:

It depends on your particular animation. The thing with gif animation is that you can only have a few frames if you have lots of colors because it really makes the file size balloon. If you reduce the colors to only a couple, then you can jump to many more frames, but you still have many limitations. The problem has to do with the format of the file. (I almost spit my coffee when you said you had 190 frames [bustagut] )

The good news: Post an example and maybe we can give you some tips to make it smoother and prettier.

The bad news: It really is mostly dependant on your particular animation and it just takes experience and learning some tricks to get it to work well.

Zekke

Thanks for short and long answer

I am happy that you are not spit your coffee

Silly me... ;\ this is first time for me to create animation and I am compliment myself with a cup of starbuck coffee before somebody starts complaining "What happen with file size??" and how to upload this giant size??. Oopsss...allright, keep the starbuck and I work on it again.

Anyway, I am still on progress fix and repairing animation. I will post it here after I finish

But I am sure its not as pretty as I wish

Anyway.......


Thanks

Diella

PS: I hope I can post my 190 frames here )

retired_paddza

Well, if you do, post it in a link... I think my dialup would puke on a 1.6mb animated .gif haha.

Some things to keep in mind:

- Reduce number of colors.

- Reduce number of frames.

- Reduce actual pixel dimensions (this may not be possible with certain types, like linke exchange banners which are a set size).

- Only do animation in a small section of the graphic so that only certain portions are animating.

- Use animation tricks like using motion blurs to simulate motion instead of actually moving objects

- Be careful using things like fades and translucency as it tends to create more color data.

- If there isn't a reason to change colors, don't. Often people change color of text or images for no reason. Generally sticking with one or two colors of text is not only a good idea for file size, but it's a good design priciple as well.

- Do you need photo graphics or will line art work? The more colors the more you up the file size.

- .gifs freak out when you use horizantal gradients because it's considered a color change to the compression engine. Vertical gradients are not considered a drastic color change.

Just a few things... again, it really has to do with your specific project, but hopefully that will help a little.

markzebra

All good tips.

Its usually easily possible to get to under 100k - the secret can be keeping the image either black & white or nearly monochromatic - but being VERY selective about which colors you choose. Also play with "dither" - and the selective or adaptive palettes to begin with.

Also click "transparency" checkbox even if you have no transparency That will carve a good few K off your image. Why this isn't the default setting I'll never know!

If you look at my avatar, thats under 10k - so it is possible

Zekke

Thanks Guys!!

Sorry for late respond. But, it works!!!
This morning, I do it again, with many reduce of frames. Below is the data:

Format: GIF
Dimensions: 794w x 45h
Size: 84.66K
Settings: Selective, 64 Colors, 88% Diffusion Dither, 19 frames, Transparency on, No Transparency Dither, Interlaced, 0% Web Snap

I am little bit hesitate to reduce color, first I used 32 colors, which I think it still looks better in the browser. Soon as I realize that when I add layer blue on top of the filtered layer, the file size is reduced. I changed the image to the 64 colors, instead of 32. But, again it is really far from the result I expected. I re-do it and forget about all photographs and smooth animation. Now is much more simple and straight forward.

Please let me know what you think. But, again Thanks for the suggestion :}

Diella


PS: I like your Avatar Mindbender and Markzebra. But for me, I your Avatar looks a bit more "snake" than Zebra, Markzebra [oops]

gymmie

First, get rid of the interlaced. That can slow down an animation dramatically.

And please, either post or link the file It's impossible to tell whether or not 19 frames is too much without seeing it. (190 frames is definitely too much for any animated gif to be posted on the web!) And I know, animation can be a tricky thing. Good for you for keeping at it!

markzebra

Yeah - its the new species of genetically engineered "Sneebra" [righton]

markzebra

Actually 64 colors is sometimes more than you need - the most important thing is a smooth transition of tones. Color is an added luxury.

Heres another tip ??
? Show your color table,
??Choose Sort By Popularity from the drop down menu for this pallet
??Hold down your SHIFT key and click over the least popular colors first (at the end of the palette)
??In your image window you will see these colors become highlighted and you will then be able to decide which colors in your GIF are the most redundant, and you can delete them.

(PSD) Sergiy

Hey! Why couldn`t you just use a Macromedia Flash banner?. Like for me, its taknig realy small amount of Space + higher quiality animation.

Example: This animation below has a size of 75 pixels square, and contain about a 100 frames [:I I did everething to reduce the colors and number of frames and ... 100 frames 54kb for a 75*75pixels? Man its radiculus...(<---wrong spelling? sorry i`m Ukranian) :B
Hey Zebra its a cool animation [:I