Frame Animation
Build animations frame by frame with full control over every pose.
Frame animation lets you guide the result by placing reference images on specific frames before generating. Instead of describing the whole motion in one prompt, you can show the model what certain frames should look like, and it fills in the rest.
You can find it on the /create page when you switch to Animate mode.
When to use this
Frame animation is useful when you need more control than a single prompt gives you. A few examples:
Complex motions
Attacks, spellcasts, or multi-phase actions where the start and end poses matter.
Specific poses
When you already have reference art for key moments and want the in-betweens generated.
Fixing problem frames
Regenerate specific frames from an existing animation without redoing the whole thing.
Mixing uploaded art
Combine hand-drawn frames with generated ones for a hybrid workflow.
How it works
The basic idea: you set up a timeline of frames, fill in the ones you care about, and let the model handle the rest.
Pick your sprite
Select an existing asset or upload a new one. This becomes Frame 1 of your animation.
Set up your frames
Add frame slots to the timeline. Upload reference images to specific frames, or generate them with a per-frame prompt. You can leave frames empty and the model will fill them in.
Describe the motion
Write a prompt for the overall animation (or use a preset like Idle, Walk, Run, Attack). The model uses your prompt plus any reference frames you placed to build the full sequence.
Generate and refine
Hit Animate and wait for the result. If some frames need work, mark them for regeneration and re-run just those.
Pixel vs Detailed
Frame animation supports both animation modes.
Pixel
Sprites up to 256x256px. Up to 16 frames.
Detailed
Images up to 2048x2048px. Up to 24 frames.
The mode is detected automatically based on your source image size.
Dive deeper
The Frame Editor covers the frame strip in detail: adding frames, uploading references, per-frame prompts, drag-to-reorder, and regeneration.
Framing & Alignment explains canvas settings: margins, positioning, mirroring, power-of-2 snapping, and the onion-skin alignment tool.
Frame animation vs other tools
Use frame animation when:
- • You want control over individual frames
- • You have reference art for key poses
- • You need to fix specific frames in an animation
Use regular animate when:
- • A prompt is enough to describe the motion
- • You want a quick result with minimal setup
- • The animation is simple (idle, walk, sway)