Working with Text Effects

In this tutorial we will show you what you can do with text in Giotto. You will see how the text can be animated and you will learn how to do it quickly and easily as you learn how to use filters and apply built-in effects from Giotto’s effects library.

HOW TO ANIMATE TEXT?

Effects

In Giotto text is best animated by using the filters and effects already built in the software. Giotto has large library of highly customizable effects that makes possible to create the text animation you would like within moments. Each effect has a separate set of options for you to customize it according to your needs. You can also save your settings as a unique preset for each effect. Even though all effect options are highly intuitive, for details you can consult Giotto user manual.

Text and drawn objects

Text behaves different than drawn objects but you can always convert text to drawn objects by selecting Convert Text to Curves option.

How to add effects to text?

This tutorial will show you how to apply Giotto built-in effects to your text. You will learn how to go from this (Text effect before.swf) to this (Text effect after.swf).

  • First create a new blank document in which you will make your animation by clicking File from the menu, then New (Ctrl+N).

  • Change the document properties:
    Click Modify from the menu, then Document. This will open a Document Properties dialogue screen (shortcut Ctrl+J).
    Change the color of the background to black.
    Change the value in the Frame rate box to 25 fps.

  • Select Text Tool (T) and type your text on the stage (our text was Vectorian Inc.).
  • Now change the font to some other (we changed it to Helvetica Slim Black Italic YU) and change the font size to 30.

  • Center your text on stage by cutting it (Ctrl+X) and than pasting it (Ctrl+V).
  • Select your text and press F8 to convert the text to symbol (movie clip).
    Convert to Symbol window will appear, type in the name of your movie clip (“My Text” for instance), select Movie clip, then click OK.
    Double-click on your movie clip in the Library to enter its timeline.

  • You don’t need to worry about the color of the text because almost each effect can take control of this aspect of your object/text.
  • Right-click on the text and from the dropdown menu select Effect. A new dropdown submenu will appear, from it select Add.
    A new Effects screen will appear. From here you can select, customize and preview any effect on your object.
    For more information on this screen and options in it, please consult the Giotto user manual.

  • In the Presets box choose Spin in and unspin preset.
    In the Settings box change the following values:
    In Effect sub-box:

    • Color Effect to Change Transparency
    • Set Alpha in Color to 64

  • In Text Color sub-box:
    • Custom brush to Three-color gradient
    • Brush Color 1 to Blue (0,75,196,255)
    • Brush Color 2 to Yellow (255,194,14,255)
    • Brush Color 3 to Red (139, 0, 0, 255)
    • Custom pen to Custom pen
    • Pen color to Black

    Now click OK to apply this effect on your text.
    You now have an independent movie clip that you can put in your main timeline.

  • Try if your animation works by clicking Ctrl+Enter.

This tutorial gives a general idea of how these effects in Giotto work. We encourage yo to experiment with these effects and their options as you like. If some of the options are unclear to you please consult Giotto user manual.