Icon-making

[gothams3rdrobin]

My extra userpics expired last week, but before I consider renewing it I feel like sorting out my icons again.

Unfortunately, my new laptop doesn't have the same facilities as the old one for screen capture and the like. Anyone got any recommendations for some good, free software I can download for this purpose?

Comments

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

Fraps is free, as is VLC player. Both are excellent. VLC is more reliable and multi-function, though. I had trouble using Fraps with Vista.

[gothams3rdrobin.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'd forgotten about VLC - I'd installed it on the old laptop so I could watch some downloaded movie files. I shall have to go dig that one out.

What about graphics software? I usually use Paint Shop Pro, but you are far more skilled at this than I am.

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

Well, I have Photoshop, which is *ahem*. Not purchased, unless you want to torrent a copy. I tried using GIMP, which IS free, but I didn't find it very user-friendly at all.

[gothams3rdrobin.livejournal.com]

Okay, next question; how do you make animated gifs using video files? I had the idea of doing a very short icon based on the cocktail-shaking routine Stephen Fry used to do at the end of 'A Bit Of Fry & Laurie'. If I can find enough footage without end-credits...

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

It's complicated and very time consuming, and I'm not sure I can fit an explanation into a comment. You need to have each individual frame of the sequence as a jpg or gif, put it into its own folder, and then choose Import>Folder as Frames (in Photoshop, I don't know how to do it in another program). Then you can adjust the frame rate interval change when it loads up.