Blur to Blob Animation Issue

[awolf]

I am not remarkable at doing animations,  but I have not seen this problem in other years.

I am making a neon light sign, and just wanting the blur layers to go on and off.  Seems simple?  The problem is that the blur layer
   


 turns into a filled in blob 

   

I tried saving as a Gif, but even the gif when opened shows the blob.

(Windows 10 GIMP 2.10.22)

Now it has been many many many versions since I last animated, so maybe I am missing a few steps? 

Can someone assist me?


I will edit and update as I learn about the issue for any future readers.

[rich2005]

The problem is the gif transparency is binary - either on or off.

What you need to do is first convert to indexed mode Image -> Mode -> Indexed and apply dithering. That breaks the semi transparency up into dots according to the degree of transparency.

Then since you have updated to Gimp 2.10, consider using the drop shadow tool rather than a gaussian blur. It really is a versatile tool and maybe more than one glow layer in incremental stages, up-to-you. Export as a gif using the replace layer option.

Might have gone OTT here https://i.imgur.com/4RKCV2X.gif

Some screenshots that might help: https://i.imgur.com/5jtdnBk.jpg and https://i.imgur.com/dhsYKkz.jpg

[awolf]

(03-06-2021, 05:45 PM)rich2005 Wrote: The problem is the gif transparency is binary - either on or off.

What you need to do is first convert to indexed mode Image -> Mode -> Indexed and apply dithering. That breaks the semi transparency up into dots according to the degree of transparency.

Then since you have updated to Gimp 2.10, consider using the drop shadow tool rather than a gaussian blur. It really is a versatile tool and maybe more than one glow layer in incremental stages, up-to-you. Export as a gif using the replace layer option.

Might have gone OTT here  https://i.imgur.com/4RKCV2X.gif

Some screenshots that might help: https://i.imgur.com/5jtdnBk.jpg  and https://i.imgur.com/dhsYKkz.jpg

@rich2005 I will try out what you are mentioning.  Thank you for going the extra step with pics.

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BTW  @rich2005 why Image>Mode>Index.  Guess a better question might be, is there a tutorial with the explanation to read up?

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@rich2005 got to this point here,     

and YEP I am lost

[rich2005]

Quote:why Image>Mode>Index. Guess a better question might be, is there a tutorial with the explanation to read up?

The Gimp docs are as good as anything https://docs.gimp.org/2.10/en/gimp-image...dexed.html

It is back to gif transparency either 100% transparency = no colour or zero transparency = solid colour there is no in-between. The bulk of your blur ended up as solid with the outer sections = no colour.