Animate in Photoshop: Timeline, Video Layers, and Onion Skinning
Photoshop can animate with a timeline, video layers, and onion skinning. You’ll configure the timeline for 24 fps, draw on twos by interpreting footage to 12 fps, manage frames with blank video layers and video groups, create a time-saving Action, and enable onion skins to assist your animation workflow.
Step-by-step instructions
Create an HD document
Go to File → New.
Choose Film & Video → HDTV 1080 (1920×1080); click Create.
Open and configure the Timeline
Go to Window → Timeline.
Click Create Video Timeline.
Open the Timeline panel menu → Set Timeline Frame Rate → 24 fps → OK.
In the same menu, enable Enable Timeline Shortcut Keys.
Go to Panel Options → Display: Frame Number → OK.
Draw in a Blank Video Layer
Go to Layer → Video Layers → New Blank Video Layer.
At frame 0, draw with Brush/Pencil.
Use Right/Left Arrow keys to step one frame forward/back and draw the next frame.
Animate on twos (12 fps exposure)
Select the blank video layer.
Go to Layer → Video Layers → Interpret Footage.
Set Frame Rate: 12 fps → OK.
Zoom in to confirm each drawing now holds for 2 frames.
Manage frames on Blank Video Layers
Click the disclosure arrow on the layer in the Timeline to view frames.
Use Layer → Video Layers → New Blank Frame to insert frames.
Use Layer → Video Layers → Duplicate Frame or Delete Frame (Ripple) as needed.
Use Video Groups for holdable drawings
In the Timeline track menu, choose New Video Group.
Select the video group, then click the plus (+) icon to add a new drawing (default long exposure).
Trim the layer to 1–2 frames by dragging its right edge.
Copy (Ctrl/Cmd+C) and Paste (Ctrl/Cmd+V) drawings to pre-build empty frames on twos.
Reorder drawings by dragging layers along the track.
Create an Action to automate 2‑frame drawings
Go to Window → Actions. Create a set named Animation (optional).
Click New Action → name it New drawing on twos → Record.
In the Timeline, click + to make a new drawing, then trim it to 2 frames.
Click Stop in Actions.
To use: select a drawing, select the action, click Play to insert the next 2‑frame drawing.
Enable onion skinning
Timeline panel menu → Enable Onion Skins.
Timeline panel menu → Onion Skin Settings: set Frames Before/After; set Frame Spacing to 2 if working on twos → OK.
Use the ghosted frames to draw in-betweens accurately.
