About The Animated Flags The individual flag graphics are created with Adobe Photoshop Ver. 5.0 for PCs. The original flags are each the same size and are based on the template file on the right. The background is made transparent. The DISTORT filter is used to create the waving effect, and the airbrush is used to add shadows. Each flag is composed of four individual files. An example of these is shown below. Each of these files is resizes to create the three different sizes of flags (the files shown above are the smallest size). Photoshop Actions panel-1.psd | panel-2.psd | panel-3.psd | panel-4.psd Create a desktop folder called "flag" Create a folder inside called "shadows" Place these four .psd files in the shadows folder. Add the photoshop actions to Photoshop (I don't know how -- refer to the help files). Use the template file above. Open the template in Photoshop. Change the Image->Mode->RGB Color. Use the select tool to select the red section of the image. Add a layer. Fill the selection on the NEW layer with the color of your choice. Delete the bottom layer. Add your logo. Merge the layers so that you have a single layer with a transparent border. Rotate the entire image 90 degrees clockwise. Save this image. Close all files except the one you just saved. Run action FLAG A. This will prompt you for file names for 3 files (I use "1.gif" "1-m.gif" and "1-sm.gif"). Close all open files. Open the rotated flag file you created and run action FLAG B (I save these files as "2.gif" "2-m.gif" and "2-sm.gif"). Repeat this operation for actions FLAG C and FLAG D. The files are animated with a registered version of Animagic GIF 32-bit. Each frame displays for 200 milliseconds. Creating Your Own Flags Save the images above to your computer. Open each file in the graphic editor of your choice. Use the "flood fill" tool to paint the flag background whatever color you need. Paste your logo onto the center of each image. I would recommend "tweaking" each logo slightly so it will match the waves in the flag. Add shading. Use the "spray paint" tool in your software to shade vertical stripes on the "down" waves (see the samples above). Be sure to save each edited image (if at all possible, save as a transparent gif). You will need an animated GIF creator. I have had success with Alchemy's GIF Constructor Set. Set the time for each image as 20/100ths of a second (or 200 milliseconds). Enable transparency and choose "Reset to Background" If necessary after enabling transparency choose a portion of the space around the OUTSIDE of the flag to become transparent. Save the file as an animated GIF. If you would like to link to the flag website, you are welcome to use the graphic below. The url for the main front page is http://www.ideaspot.net/flags Though you may choose to link to the MLB site or NFL site or a specific conference site as you wish.