How to create an image for exporting to Spine animator?

[Anonymous]

Hello all.

I have not been active in drawing or painting for a couple of years now.

Recently I have been inspired to get back into drawing and want to learn to create characters with subtle animations.

Simple animations such as eyes opening and closing, or a rat's nose twitching, or fireflies flying around a plant, etc. 

I intend to create my characters in sketchbook and export to the Spine animation app.

I am still very much a beginner with digital drawing and have no experience whatever in animation and could do with some help getting started.

Please bear with me while I ask some questions.

1 Can images created in sketchbook be exported an used in spine?

2 I believe spine uses PNG files, how do I start sketchbook in PNG file mode?

3 How do you create an image for the purpose of later animation? Does the image need to be in multiple parts? Example: Smiley emoji type face with blinking eyes. One layer for face and multiple layers for the moving eyes? 

4 Would anyone be so kind as to point me in the direction of tutorial vids that to help me learn from scratch the process of creating images in sketchbook for the purpose of animation?

Please forgive me if my questions are simplistic, I just need a little help getting started 🙂

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

I have been using Spine and Affinity Photo/Designer and Photoshop. Those program can export a PSD-file with a LUA script for Spine to read and get all layers/parts of the character automaticly in the rigt place.

If you want to use Sketchbook you export a layered PSD file with all parts separeted and named to open up inside Spine. Since the layers/parts are not in the right place without the LUA script (SKB does not write that) you just have to manually place the layers/parts where they should be. It is easy.

If you have Affinity or Photoshop and have made the character in Sketchbook you can open the PSD file and use the LUA export function for Spine. 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

The Spine home site has all the vids and written tutorials on how to make animation in Spine. Just find the home site it and study. 🙂

[Anonymous]

Many thanks,sir.