How to Use PhotoMirage: A Quick Start Guide for Beginners
1. Open your image
- File > New/Open or drag-and-drop (JPEG, PNG, TIFF, RAW supported).
2. Add motion with Motion Arrows
- Select the Motion Arrow tool.
- Click-and-drag arrows over areas you want to animate, drawing them in the direction of movement.
- Use shorter arrows for finer control; hold Shift to draw continuous connected arrows.
3. Lock still areas with Anchor Points or Mask
- Anchor Points: select Anchor tool and click around areas that must remain static (place a “fence” close to animated regions).
- Mask tool: paint areas to remain motionless; use brush size and Feather for edge softness. Combine mask + anchors to refine edges.
4. Preview and refine
- Use the Play/Stop preview controls.
- Move, resize, rotate, or delete Motion Arrows and Anchor Points as needed.
- Adjust animation Speed with the slider.
5. Crop and visibility
- Use Crop presets to prepare for export.
- Toggle Visibility Layers to show/hide motion arrows, anchors, mask, crop, or image while editing.
6. Export settings
- Click Export, choose a preset (social presets match crop options) or Custom (file type, size, frame rate, codec, quality).
- Recommended loop duration: 6–10 seconds for social/mobile; ensure duration aligns with speed for smooth loops.
Tips for best results
- Start simple: plain backgrounds animate more cleanly.
- Add arrows incrementally—preview often.
- Short arrows and closely placed anchors reduce edge artifacts.
- Use Mask for large static areas and anchors for fine edge control.
(If you want, I can produce a 3-step printable checklist or a short troubleshooting table.)
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