On this page... Using copy and paste . . Move or reposition images . . How to draw an image you can copy . . Adjust your settings . . Keep from losing your work . . Cheap backups
USE THE COPY AND PASTE FEATURE
You do not have to redraw your subjects in each frame.
You can copy and paste using the mouse buttons. This will save you a lot of work when making your animation.
Here are the steps:
1. Use the dotted box tool (left menu) to put a box around your subject drawing.
Click the dotted box then go to your drawing and left click on the left side of your drawing (holding down on left mouse button).
Bring the box down and around your subject. Now release the mouse button.
You should have a dotted line box surrounding your subject.
If you click outside the dotted box it will disappear and you can start over.
2. Go to the top toolbar and click ...copy.
3. Now go to the next blank frame. You should see the dotted line box on the empty frame. From the top toolbar click ...paste. You will see an exact copy of your drawing appear inside the box. You can do this in as many frames as you like.
4. Leave all the new images inside the little frames. They will all be in the same location from frame to frame. You can use the selector arrow and click inside the dotted line and move them where ever you need to in each frame. If you click outside the dotted line and it disappears, you can still move your copy. Read on to find out how.
HOW TO MOVE OR REPOSITION AN IMAGE
A. If you want to move an existing image, click on the dotted box tool (left menu) to put a box around your subject drawing.
Click the dotted box tool then go to your drawing and left click on the left side of your drawing (holding down on left mouse button).
Bring the box down and around your subject. Now release the mouse button.
The drawing or part of a drawing that you want to move should be surrounded by a dotted line box.
Now click on the arrow selector tool.
Put the little arrow inside the dotted box.
Now click and hold down the left mouse button with the arrow inside the dotted line box.
Move your copy where you need it (within the frame). Release the button when finished.
Turn on the left onion skin layer to see where the original image was (on the previous frame).
The dotted box will stay where it is till you click outside it, then it disappears.
HOW TO DRAW AN IMAGE YOU CAN COPY
Use this tip if you are working on a figure you plan to copy and paste into more than one frame.
Put as much detail into the subject as possible.
This includes colors and any other details that you want to include in additional frames. For smooth lines and solid colors use the vector layer. See our Vector tutorials before using it.
Now when you copy and paste you will have a fairly complete copy that will not require a lot of touchup or detailing.
This saves having to go in and add the missing details to multiple frames.
Remember you can only copy a vector image to a vector layer. The same thing goes for bmp images to bmp layers.
WHY YOU SHOULD ADJUST YOUR SETTINGS BEFORE YOU DRAW ANYTHING
First, the settings I recommend will make it easier and faster to draw and animate.
It is easy to forget to save your work.You can get pretty far in an animation and then if you get a power interruption or the software crashes (which it will) you can lose LOTS of your work.
HOW TO KEEP FROM LOSING YOUR WORK
Go to the top toolbar and hit edit...preferences...files. Now click the Enable autosave box. Put the number of modifications to 5.
Now when you draw you will see the little green box pop up (after you make 5 changes) and your work is saved automatically. Nice.
CHEAP BACKUPS
Get a usb memory stick for about $10. Use it to backup all your saved animations. Put a date on the saved folders and keep several days worth of copies. Make the folder name and date format simple like this:
ANIMATIONSjun10 11 ...and do not forget to date each copy so you know which is most current.
Make it a habit to make these little backups and save them to your USB stick, you will be glad you did.
