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This Photoshop tutorial demonstrates how to create an animated colour changing sphere. To work along exactly, you are welcome to download the Transparent Start Image
I am working with Here. Unzip the file and open the image onto Photoshop’s workspace.
Apply Basic Text
Understanding Layers
Optimise And Save Animations
Understand The Workspace And Palettes
Undo and Navigation Steps
Two ways of undoing steps are from the top menu, Edit then Step Backwards.
Alternatively, click a previous snapshot in the History Palette.
Navigate (zoom in and pan) your image using the Navigator Palette,
or the Zoom Tool. 
Activate The Hand Tool by tapping the Spacebar, keeping the Spacebar pressed, pan your image in the usual way. 
1/
Open your Transparent Start Image onto Photoshop’s workspace, then extend its grey workspace by dragging out one of its corners.
Tip: Snap Your Image To The Top Menu’s Horizontal Bar
Another way of centralising an image is to snap it to the top (horizontal) menu-bar by dragging your image towards it: as soon as you see a blue horizontal bar, your image should automatically snap to it.
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Resize Note
If you want to reduce the transparent orb’s size, using the Free Transform Tool, (Ctrl then T - Edit then Free Transform); then do so now, before moving on to Chapter 2.
After reducing its size, remember to re-centralise your orb using the Move Tool  .
  
Now, using the Crop Tool, crop away the orb’s extraneous transparent background. (Tap your Enter/Return Key to commit the Crop).
  
Text Note
In addition, if you would like to apply Text to your transparent orb, then again, do so now, and then Merge Visible the Text Layer with the Transparent Orb Layer: - top menu, then Layer then Merge Visible. (Apply Basic Text Tutorial Here).
  
2/
Now, right-click over Layer 1, and select Duplicate Layer from the subsequent drop-down list.
And then click OK to the subsequent Duplicate Layer dialogue box.
Your Layers Platte will now display two identical Layers - as illustrated below.
Now, repeat the Duplication a further five times. And you should now have seven identical Layers in the Layers Palette, as demonstrated below.
Save Tip
Now is a good time to save your Layered Image as a PSD (Photoshop) File.
3/
You are looking to alter the seven orbs’ colours. Therefore, activate the Top Layer - as illustrated above. Then from the top menu, choose Image then choose Adjustments and then choose Hue/Saturation - Ctrl then U. And from the subsequent Hue/Saturation dialogue box, create the following Red Colour by moving the Hue slider, and then click OK.
 
4/ Understand Layers
Now, hide the Top Layer’s Visibility by clicking away (toggling) its Eye Icon. And then activate the Second (from top) Layer - as illustrated below.
5/
Then again from the top menu, choose Image then choose Adjustments and then choose Hue/Saturation - Ctrl then U. And from the subsequent Hue/Saturation dialogue box, create the following Orange Colour, and then click OK.
High Colour Saturation Note
Please bear in mind, a richer colour saturation will result in unsightly Gradient Banding, once you have saved your animation as a Gif. Therefore, to minimise Gradient Banding, it’s advisable to retain the Hue and Saturation’s default Saturation, of 0.
 
6/
Now, hide the Second Layer’s Visibility. Then activate the Third Layer. Then Colourise the Third Layer’s Orb. This time, I am choosing Yellow. (Hue minus 41, Saturation +15).
 
7/
Then, in exactly the same way as you did with the First, Second and Third Orb Layers: activate and then change the Fourth, Fifth, Six and Seventh Layer’s Orbs. I changed mine to Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet respectively.
After you have completed this, your Layers Palette will resemble the following.
 
8/ Important
Click back each Layer’s Visibility Eye Icon. Then activate the Top Layer.
Save Tip
Now is a good time to save your Layered Image as a PSD (Photoshop) File.
 
9/
Congratulations, your seven-layered image is ready to save as a Transparent gif, and to animate: therefore please link here, to learn how to animate your layered image using Photoshop CS, CS2, CS3, CS4, CS5, CS6 (Extended). (The animation process differs between versions).
Frame Delay Note
I changed my orb’s Frame Delay to 0.2.
Remember, animations must be saved as a Gif.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page.
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