Onion Skin

Onion Skins are useful in Frame by Frame animation

Timeline Onion Skin Icons

• Onion Skin
• Onion Skin Outlines
• Edit Multiple Frames
• Modify Onion Markers

                                  

                             

Onion Skin: Shows object in several frames at once.

Onion Skin Outline: Shows object as an outline in several frames at once.

Edit Multiply Frames: Shows objects as Fill and Stroke

Modify Onion Markers: Defines what frames have onion skins visible.

Markers move with Playhead

• Always Show Markers: Markers move with Playhead
• Anchor Onion:  Markers don’t move with Playhead
• Onion 2: Markers span is 5. Two to left and right of the selected frame
• Onion 5:  Marker span is 11. Five to the left and right of the selected frame
• Onion All: Markers at first and last frame. All onion skins are visible
• Markers can be dragged to desired placement

                               

Open a New Document

Layer 1

• Name ‘Stage’
• Lock layer

Layer 2

• Click Insert Layer
• Name ‘Circle’
• Right click frame 40
• Insert Frame
• Click Fill Color to Red
• Click Oval (O)
• Draw a circle in the Work Area to the left of the Stage
• Click Selection (V)
• Click frame 1
• Press/hold Shift
• Click frame 40
• Right click inside selected Keyframe Span
• Convert to Keyframes

All frames are Keyframes

                                             

• Open Timeline Menu
• Select Medium
• Click frame 10
• Move selected circle to bottom of left side of Stage
• Click frame 20
• Move selected circle to middle center of Stage
• Click frame 30
• Move selected circle to bottom of right side of Stage
• Click frame 40
• Move selected circle to Work Area on the right of the Stage

Layer 3

• Insert Layer
• Name ‘Guide’
• Click Stroke Color to Green
• Click Pencil (Y)
• Draw a line from starting position of circle to each position across Stage to ending position.
• Lock layer

Line is an up and down wave

                                              

Layer 2

• Click Selection (V)
• Click frame 10
• Move circle to line up with bottom of wavy line
• Click frame20
• Move circle to line up with top of wavy line
• Click frame 30
• Move circle to line up with bottom of wavy line
• Click frame 1 and 40 to move circle to start and ending position
• Move Playhead

Circle appears in each location

Frame by Frame Animation

• Click frame 5
• Move circle on line half way between frame 1 and frame 10
• Click frame 3
• Move circle on line half way between frame 1 and frame 5
• Click frame 2
• Move circle on line half way between frame 1 and frame 3
• Click frame 4
• Move circle on line half way between frame 3 and frame 5
• Click frame 7
• Move circle on line half way between frame 5 and frame 10
• Click frame 6
• Move circle on line half way between frame 5 and frame 7
• Click frame 8
• Move circle on line half way between frame 7 and frame 10
• Click frame 9
• Move circle on line half way between frame 7 and frame 10

Onion Skin

• Click frame 5
• Click Onion Skin icon
• Hold/drag onion skin markers to frame 1 and 10 to expand view of onion skin

Circles are semi transparent

                                                                                

• Click frame 10
• Move each circle in every frame to space evenly between frame 10 and frame 1
• Move Playhead

Repeat Frame by Frame Animation between frame 10 and 20 and between frame 20 and 30 and between 30 and 40.

Layer 3

• Click Show/Hide layer circle

Green guide line is hidden on the Stage

Layer 2

• Deselect Onion Skin
• Move Playhead to frame 1
• Press Enter

Circle animates up and down across the Stage

Onion Skin Outlines

Layer 3

• Click Show/Hide layer circle to reveal green guide line

Layer 2

• Click frame 20
• Click Onion Skin Outline
• Click in Work Area for Properties>Document
• Change Stage Background to Black

Green guide and onion skin outlines are very visible for working with.

                                             

• Make any adjustment to circle animation

Edit Multiple Frames

• Deselect Onion Skin Outlines
• Click Edit Multiple Frames

Circle is visible as Fill and Stroke in each frame for editing

                                                          

Modify Onion Markers

• Click frame 20
• Click Modify Onion Markers
• Click Anchor Outline
• Move Playhead

Markers do not move with Playhead

• Click frame 1
• Press Enter
• Click frame 20
• Click Modify Onion Markers
• Uncheck Anchor Outline
• Click Onion 2
• Move Playhead

Markers move with Playhead.

• Click Modify Onion Markers
• Click Onion All
• Move Playhead

Show all onion skins depending on where Playhead is moved.

                                          

                                                

“Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.”

Plato