Things pronounced dead notoriously live longer, though the hype was never really over. Remember the excessive use on Google+ last year? Since the late 1980s, the Graphic Interchange Format regularly reappears and cannot be suppressed. Hardly any other format polarises so much. Loved by some, hated by others. And now the good news: there has been a professionalisation, and beyond the annoying flickering, there are now some truly great application possibilities that promise another revival.
The History of the Graphic Interchange Format
The Graphics Interchange Format, developed in 1987 by Steve Wilhite and introduced by the US online service CompuServe, replaced its predecessor RLE, which could only display black and white images. – Wikipedia
Even the first format could store multiple images in one file. This capability was used to create True Color GIFs with a colour depth of 24 bits. The logical next step was to place various images with slight changes sequentially in one file, creating the impression of an animation. Voilà, the animated GIF was born!
The Overkill of Animated Images
When Netscape Navigator appeared on the market in the mid-1990s, a new era began. Browsers could henceforth automatically animate these files, and a flood of GIFs inundated the web.
The classics included the American flag, flames, or the "Under Construction Bar." If it was somehow possible, it was animated. Remnants of such websites can still be found on the web today.
Initially, Animated GIFs were primarily used as an eye-catcher. Around the turn of the millennium, people had finally grown tired of them, and they soon became considered outdated. "Animated GIFs, they're really hackneyed and from the last millennium," people groaned from all corners. But as in fashion, it's always worth remembering all trends. Because they come back!
Animated GIFs & Cinemagraphs
With the use of HTML5 and CSS3, completely new possibilities in terms of user interface design have emerged. Animated content can be seen on almost every website, and as a result, Animated GIFs are also experiencing their renaissance. Whether on blogs, in online catalogues, header graphics, or logos, they can be used everywhere. They breathe new life into tried and tested static photos.
1000 Ways to Animated Images
But how does one create these animated graphics? Designers will certainly know enough ways, but what about laypersons? There are countless free "Animated GIF Creators" on the web, but are they any good? To some extent. However, anyone who wants to create great and precise animations should opt for Photoshop CS6 or a similar version that supports video frames on layers.
A much faster option, which also works well on the go, is Cinemagram. With it, you can record short videos and select a sequence from them. Afterwards, the area to be animated is chosen, and it's equipped with filters, similar to Instagram, according to your preference, and the GIF is ready. It can then optionally be saved or published on Facebook as well as Twitter. That would be something new, compared to the already boring Instagram photos. You let your friends participate in this scene, not just through a picture.
I hope this post has inspired you to play around with this format, which was pronounced dead, in the future and integrate it into your work and projects to make things a little more lively. We already have something in mind, but more on that in the new year.
And finally, I have a lovely website with an animated header graphic.
