Here you go Peter 
If you would like to animate your JPEG photos such as what you have seen of mine or something similar to whats in my signature or simply have some fun with Photo Editing, have a read here.................... I hope this really helps someone......
JPEG is the normal format for all photos that we all use everyday, where GIF image format is an animation type format (its not a video format) The GIF format is excellent at compressing areas of images with large areas of the same color, making a great option to make Logo's and animation images (this is how most animated logos are made that you see across the Internet). Along with using the normal photo editing program that you will be use to, you will also be using a program that supports GIF image (PhotoScape is simply excellent for this). Photo Scape is also FREE and its also a photo editing program and simply packed full with features.
http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/screenshot.php
You will simply need to use two photos, one with bonnet open and one with bonnet closed and add them to a GIF image animation program, so the two photos will just flick from one to the other. But with using two photos that have been taken with seconds between them can get light differences and changes to the two photos that may show up in the final image. Its best to use just one photo but cut and copy the engine and open bonnet photo and paste over just the one photo that has bonnet closed. Then you jsut use the one photo but as two separate photos...... Yes I know its confusing...
Basically start with two normal JPEG photos of your car, you can use as many as you like if you want to add more moving parts etc. But for now take two photo's one with Bonnet open and one with bonnet close (camera must be still between pics).
Start with photo of bonnet open and use the cut tool (Polygon) or maybe the lasso tool to cut around the engine bay and up around the bonnet, stay away from the cars body (wings etc), but you can edit any mistakes later. Once you have joined the Polygon tool lines to gether and outlined the engine and open bonnet then select COPY.
Now close the photo and open the closed Bonnet photo that you would of take earlier, now select paste image and you should now see the engine and bonnet that you cut out earlier (the image should now be positioned over the closed bonnet photo), now you have two layers open.
Position the cut out engine and open bonnet over the closed bonnet image and line engine and bonnet up as it would appear normal. Any mistakes you mat be able to use the rubber or the polygon tool to rub or cut them out (if you do this make sure you have the correct layer selected).
If you are not happy as the images don't look right, just simply start all over again and re-cut the first image.
Once happy you save the image to file, so now you have two photos (one with bonnet closed and one with bonnet up) but you have only used the closed bonnet photo as so you don't get any light changes or differences between using two separate photos.
Now you need your GIF image program (PhotoScape or something similar), Open the GIF image part of the software and simply add the closed bonnet image first and then add the open bonnet image.
You can now select the time for each photo to display, you can also select an effect but its better to select NO EFFECT for starters. Other programs you can add text and make it move etc, I have also done this for my Ford Galaxy (I may post this up later).
Once you are happy with both pics looking faultless with the moving parts when you flick between the two photos then simply save to file, the program will show the two photos as the time you have set in the window pain. If you are happy with your results then save as a GIF image......
Thats it all done, you can save the file to anywhere on your PC as a normal photo but as soon as you open it then you will see the animated version that you have created.
Sorry for the long post, I have read it back and it even confuses me so I dont know how you will read and understand it all as I sure don't....
Now as for the colour animation, do the same again but use one photo with bonnet closed and just cut out the bonnet and select copy. Open the same photo again and select paste, you should have one main photo with bonnet closed and a cut out bonnet image over that photo (two layers).
Line the cut out bonnet image up over the original bonnet, but now you will need to play around with the HUE and SATURATION to change the format of the original colour of your car. You must make sure you have selected the layer with the cut out bonnet thats sits over the original bonnet.
Once you play around with the HUE and Saturation and are happy with a certain colour effect change then save to file, make sure the bonnet looks good and that their are no obvious changes to the original part of the vehicle (no blurs or extra colour etc).
Now! you will have to do this several times and save several photos to file but with different colour effects by using the HUE and SATURATION, The photo that I have done is made up from 9 bonnet colour effects, that 9 cut out bonnet colour effects that have been save to file separately.
Once you have the amount of colours that you are happy with, then simply use the GIF image program to ADD each one in turn and then save the whole process to file and then you have your animated photo in GIF format.......
I hope this all helps and hope you have some fun in trying out your ideas, your own mind is your creative world so get creating and enjoy....
If you would like to animate your JPEG photos such as what you have seen of mine or something similar to whats in my signature or simply have some fun with Photo Editing, have a read here.................... I hope this really helps someone......
JPEG is the normal format for all photos that we all use everyday, where GIF image format is an animation type format (its not a video format) The GIF format is excellent at compressing areas of images with large areas of the same color, making a great option to make Logo's and animation images (this is how most animated logos are made that you see across the Internet). Along with using the normal photo editing program that you will be use to, you will also be using a program that supports GIF image (PhotoScape is simply excellent for this). Photo Scape is also FREE and its also a photo editing program and simply packed full with features.
http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/screenshot.php
You will simply need to use two photos, one with bonnet open and one with bonnet closed and add them to a GIF image animation program, so the two photos will just flick from one to the other. But with using two photos that have been taken with seconds between them can get light differences and changes to the two photos that may show up in the final image. Its best to use just one photo but cut and copy the engine and open bonnet photo and paste over just the one photo that has bonnet closed. Then you jsut use the one photo but as two separate photos...... Yes I know its confusing...
Basically start with two normal JPEG photos of your car, you can use as many as you like if you want to add more moving parts etc. But for now take two photo's one with Bonnet open and one with bonnet close (camera must be still between pics).
Start with photo of bonnet open and use the cut tool (Polygon) or maybe the lasso tool to cut around the engine bay and up around the bonnet, stay away from the cars body (wings etc), but you can edit any mistakes later. Once you have joined the Polygon tool lines to gether and outlined the engine and open bonnet then select COPY.
Now close the photo and open the closed Bonnet photo that you would of take earlier, now select paste image and you should now see the engine and bonnet that you cut out earlier (the image should now be positioned over the closed bonnet photo), now you have two layers open.
Position the cut out engine and open bonnet over the closed bonnet image and line engine and bonnet up as it would appear normal. Any mistakes you mat be able to use the rubber or the polygon tool to rub or cut them out (if you do this make sure you have the correct layer selected).
If you are not happy as the images don't look right, just simply start all over again and re-cut the first image.
Once happy you save the image to file, so now you have two photos (one with bonnet closed and one with bonnet up) but you have only used the closed bonnet photo as so you don't get any light changes or differences between using two separate photos.
Now you need your GIF image program (PhotoScape or something similar), Open the GIF image part of the software and simply add the closed bonnet image first and then add the open bonnet image.
You can now select the time for each photo to display, you can also select an effect but its better to select NO EFFECT for starters. Other programs you can add text and make it move etc, I have also done this for my Ford Galaxy (I may post this up later).
Once you are happy with both pics looking faultless with the moving parts when you flick between the two photos then simply save to file, the program will show the two photos as the time you have set in the window pain. If you are happy with your results then save as a GIF image......
Thats it all done, you can save the file to anywhere on your PC as a normal photo but as soon as you open it then you will see the animated version that you have created.
Sorry for the long post, I have read it back and it even confuses me so I dont know how you will read and understand it all as I sure don't....
Now as for the colour animation, do the same again but use one photo with bonnet closed and just cut out the bonnet and select copy. Open the same photo again and select paste, you should have one main photo with bonnet closed and a cut out bonnet image over that photo (two layers).
Line the cut out bonnet image up over the original bonnet, but now you will need to play around with the HUE and SATURATION to change the format of the original colour of your car. You must make sure you have selected the layer with the cut out bonnet thats sits over the original bonnet.
Once you play around with the HUE and Saturation and are happy with a certain colour effect change then save to file, make sure the bonnet looks good and that their are no obvious changes to the original part of the vehicle (no blurs or extra colour etc).
Now! you will have to do this several times and save several photos to file but with different colour effects by using the HUE and SATURATION, The photo that I have done is made up from 9 bonnet colour effects, that 9 cut out bonnet colour effects that have been save to file separately.
Once you have the amount of colours that you are happy with, then simply use the GIF image program to ADD each one in turn and then save the whole process to file and then you have your animated photo in GIF format.......
I hope this all helps and hope you have some fun in trying out your ideas, your own mind is your creative world so get creating and enjoy....
zojosc, have a great day.
................. 