How to Use Onion Skin in Photoshop: A Step-by-Step Guide
Written by  Daisie Team
Published on 9 min read

Contents

  1. Open Photoshop and your desired image
  2. Create a new layer
  3. Adjust opacity for onion skin effect
  4. Select brush and start drawing
  5. Create more layers for more frames
  6. Adjust opacity of each layer
  7. Create a layer composition
  8. Export your onion skin animation

Photoshop is a versatile tool with a multitude of features waiting to be discovered. One of these hidden gems is the 'onion skinning' technique—a handy feature for the ones looking to create seamless animations. If you've been curious about using onion skinning in Photoshop but didn't know where to start, you're at the right place. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process, making it as easy as peeling an onion—just without the tears!

Open Photoshop and your desired image

Starting your journey with using onion skinning in Photoshop begins with a straightforward step—opening Photoshop and your chosen image. Here's how:

  1. First, launch Adobe Photoshop on your device. You'll see the familiar welcome screen pop up. If it's been a while since you last used the program, take a moment to get reacquainted.
  2. Next, click on the 'File' menu, located in the top left corner of the screen. A dropdown menu will appear.
  3. Select 'Open' from the dropdown menu. This will prompt a new window to appear.
  4. In this new window, navigate to the location of your chosen image file. Be it a cute picture of your pet, a stunning landscape shot, or a simple doodle—any image can be brought to life with onion skinning.
  5. Click on your desired image file, then hit the 'Open' button. Watch as your image appears on the Photoshop canvas, ready for its transformation.

There you have it! Your image is now up and ready for you to start using onion skinning in Photoshop. Remember that the steps above aren't set in stone—they are flexible, just like Photoshop itself. Feel free to experiment and find a workflow that suits you best. After all, the real fun starts when you begin to play around with all the possibilities!

Create a new layer

Now that your chosen image is open in Photoshop, it's time to create a new layer. This is where the magic of using onion skinning in Photoshop starts to take shape. Creating a new layer is like having a transparent sheet on top of your original image, giving you the freedom to draw, edit, and create without affecting the initial picture. So, how do you add this magical transparent sheet—also known as a layer? Here's how:

  1. Look at the right side of your Photoshop screen. You'll see a panel labeled 'Layers'. If you can't see it, don't panic. Simply go to 'Window' in the top menu and select 'Layers' from the dropdown menu. It's like a game of hide-and-seek, and you're winning.
  2. At the bottom of the 'Layers' panel, you'll see a tiny icon that looks like a turned-over page. That's the 'New Layer' button. Go ahead, give it a click.
  3. And voila! A new layer appears in your 'Layers' panel. Feel free to rename it to keep things organized. Perhaps something descriptive like "Onion Skinning Layer 1" will do the trick.

Creating a new layer is like setting up an invisible canvas for your artwork. It's a small step, but a significant one in using onion skinning in Photoshop. Next, we'll adjust the opacity of this layer to achieve the onion skin effect. But before that, take a moment to pat yourself on the back. You're doing great!

Adjust opacity for onion skin effect

With your new layer ready, it's time to adjust the opacity for that classic onion skin effect. Now, if you're wondering "What on earth is opacity?", don't worry, it's not rocket science. Opacity is just a fancy way of saying how see-through something is. In Photoshop, we can adjust this to make our new layer semi-transparent, similar to the thin, transparent layer of an onion skin—hence the term, onion skinning.

Adjusting the opacity is like turning a dial on a stereo. Too low, and you can't hear your favorite tune. Too high, and you risk annoying your neighbors. The trick is finding the sweet spot. For using onion skinning in Photoshop, that sweet spot allows you to see your original image faintly while you draw on your new layer. Here's how you can find your opacity sweet spot:

  1. Go back to your 'Layers' panel. You'll see your new layer sitting there, waiting for you.
  2. On the right side of the 'Layers' panel, you'll see the word 'Opacity' with a slider next to it. That's your stereo dial, and it's time to find your tune.
  3. Click on the slider and drag it to the left. As you do this, you'll notice your new layer becoming more and more transparent.
  4. Stop when you can just see your original image through the new layer. Typically, an opacity of 50% works well, but feel free to experiment. After all, you're the artist here.

And there you have it! You've successfully adjusted the opacity for the onion skin effect. It's like you've just put on a pair of magical glasses that let you see through layers. Now with your new semi-transparent layer, you're one step closer to mastering the art of using onion skinning in Photoshop. But don't stop now, we're just getting started!

Select brush and start drawing

Now that you've set the stage with your onion skin layer, it's time to grab your digital paintbrush and start creating. Don't worry, you won't need a smock or a beret for this part—just your mouse or stylus. Ready to dive in? Let's do this.

First things first, you'll need to pick your brush. In the world of Photoshop, there are more brushes than stars in the sky—okay, maybe not that many, but there are a lot! You'll find them neatly tucked away in the 'Brush' panel. Here's how to access and select your brush:

  1. Look for the 'Brush' icon in the toolbar—it's the one that looks like, well, a brush. Click on it.
  2. A drop-down menu will appear, showing you all the different brushes you can choose from. There's one for every mood and every style, so go ahead and pick your favorite. Remember, there's no wrong choice here.

With your brush selected, it's time to start drawing on your onion skin layer. This is where the magic of using onion skinning in Photoshop really comes to life. As you start to draw, you'll notice that you can still see your original image underneath—like a faint ghost image guiding your hand. Isn't that cool?

Go ahead, give it a try. Draw a line, a shape, or even a doodle. Notice how the opacity of your onion skin layer allows you to trace over your original image, while also giving you the freedom to add your own artistic flair. Remember, this is your masterpiece, so don't be afraid to get creative!

And just like that, you're not only using onion skinning in Photoshop, but you're also creating art. Picasso, eat your heart out!

Create more layers for more frames

Great job with the drawing! Now, let's add some dimension to your work. In Photoshop, as well as in life, there's always room for more. More depth, more detail, more animation. And how do we achieve this? By creating more layers for more frames, of course!

Think of each layer as a new frame in a film reel. Just like how a movie is a series of images played rapidly to create the illusion of movement, your onion skin animation will be a series of layers stacked together. Here's how you can create more layers to achieve this:

  1. Go to 'Layer' in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
  2. Select 'New' from the drop-down menu, then click 'Layer' to create a new layer.
  3. You'll see a new layer appear in the 'Layers' panel on the right side of the screen. You can rename it to keep things organized if you want—maybe something fun like "Layer Cake" or "Super Layer" to keep things interesting.

Now, with your new layer selected, you can start drawing again. Remember how we talked about using onion skinning in Photoshop as if tracing over a faint ghost image? With each new layer you create, you'll be able to trace over the previous layers, giving you a clear guide for your next drawing. It's like having a roadmap for your creativity!

So, continue creating new layers and drawing on each one. Before you know it, you'll have a stack of frames ready to be animated. Keep going, you're doing great!

Adjust opacity of each layer

Alright! Now that you've got a stack of layers, let's make some adjustments to create that classic onion skin effect. The key to using onion skinning in Photoshop effectively is in the opacity settings of each layer. Let's dive right in, shall we?

Opacity is just a fancy way of saying how see-through something is. In Photoshop, you can adjust the opacity of each layer to make it more or less transparent. For onion skinning, we want to make each layer slightly transparent so we can see the layers underneath it. Here's how you do it:

  1. Select a layer in the 'Layers' panel on the right side of the screen. It's important to remember that the layer you select is the one you'll be adjusting.
  2. At the top of the 'Layers' panel, you'll see a slider labeled 'Opacity'. This is where the magic happens. Slide it left to decrease opacity, making the layer more transparent, or right to increase opacity, making it less transparent.
  3. Tweak the opacity of each layer until you can see the layers underneath it, but your current layer still stands out. Usually, something around 50% works well, but feel free to experiment to find what works best for your art.

It's a bit like adjusting the volume on your favorite song. You want it loud enough to enjoy, but not so loud it drowns out everything else. In our case, you want your current layer visible enough to work on, but not so opaque it hides your previous layers.

Take a moment to admire your work so far. It's starting to take shape, isn't it? But we're not done yet. Next, we'll be putting all these layers together to create your animation. Stay tuned!

Create a layer composition

Can you see it? The masterpiece that's taking shape because of your hard work and creativity? I bet it's starting to look pretty cool. But here's where things get even more exciting. Now it's time to create a layer composition. Think of this as your final dress rehearsal before the big show. So, let's get to it.

Layer compositions in Photoshop are like snapshots of your layers. They let you save and recall specific layer visibility, position, and appearance. It's a super handy feature when you're using onion skinning in Photoshop. Here's how you do it:

  1. Go to the 'Window' menu at the top of your screen and choose 'Layer Comps'.
  2. In the 'Layer Comps' panel, click on the 'Create new layer comp' button. It's the little square icon with the plus sign.
  3. Name your layer comp in the 'Name' field. Something like "Frame 1" or "First pose" would work just fine.
  4. Check 'Visibility', 'Position', and 'Appearance' to make sure all aspects of your layer are saved in the comp.
  5. Click 'OK' to save your layer comp. And just like that, you've got your first layer composition!

Remember, you'll need to create a new layer comp for each frame of your animation. So keep repeating these steps until you've got a layer comp for each layer.

It's like taking a photo of each stage of your work. This allows you to flip through your frames, just like you would with a flip book. Isn't that cool?

Alright, moving on to the next step. Let's see how to bring your creation to life by exporting your onion skin animation. Ready? Let's go!

Export your onion skin animation

Here we are, the final stretch. You've been using onion skinning in Photoshop, creating layers, adjusting opacity, and even making layer compositions. Now comes the moment of truth: exporting your onion skin animation. It's like the final curtain call of your performance. Ready? Let's do this!

  1. Head over to 'Window' and select 'Timeline'. This will open the timeline panel at the bottom of your screen.
  2. Click 'Create Frame Animation'. If it says 'Create Video Timeline', click on the little arrow next to it and switch to 'Create Frame Animation'.
  3. Now, every layer comp you created will become a frame. To load them, click on the little menu icon in the top right corner of the 'Timeline' panel and choose 'Make Frames From Layers'.
  4. Each frame will have a delay time. This is how long the frame will be displayed. You can adjust this to your liking. Just click on the time below each frame and select a new duration.
  5. Once you're happy with the timing, it's time to export. Go to 'File', then 'Export', and choose 'Save for Web (Legacy)'.
  6. In the new window, select 'GIF' as the file format. Make sure 'Animation' is checked and hit 'Save'.

And there you have it! Your onion skin masterpiece is ready to be shared with the world. So, how does it feel to have created your very own animation using onion skinning in Photoshop? Pretty amazing, right? Just remember, every great artist started somewhere, and you've just taken a big step on your creative journey. So keep experimenting, keep learning, and most importantly, keep creating!

If you enjoyed learning about onion skin in Photoshop and want to further enhance your digital art skills, check out our 'Daisie Original Animation Course' with none another than Alex Jenkins who will you take you through his complete animation process. Dive in and take your animation skills to the next level!