Animate a product card with a useful still fallback
Turn an original product illustration into a six-second social clip, keeping the message readable when motion stops.
One 1080 × 1080 product card, a six-second MP4 and a matching still image, with editable source files.
Original FreeStack editorial workflow, checked 11 November 2026. The example below is an illustrative storyboard, not a provider screenshot, rendered video or tested customer result.
About this guide & its examples
Start with your own artwork and a fictional product.
Illustrations are FreeStack concepts, not provider screenshots. Check the free limits below and test your own files before delivery.
Free boundaries before you start
What’s free, whether you need an account, and when we last checked.
Krita · checked 2026-11-11
GPLv3 desktop drawing software, including commercial use. Free official desktop downloads; paid store editions are optional. No provider export credits, watermarks or team-seat quota for core local work. Hardware, disk, assets and fonts remain separate.
No Krita account is required for core local work. Optional download stores and connected services may require accounts.
Shotcut · checked 2026-11-11
GPLv3 desktop video editor, free for commercial use. No provider export-credit, watermark, storage or team-seat allowance meters core local editing. Hardware, disk, codec compatibility and media rights remain separate. Save the project for editing and export a video for playback.
No provider account is required for core local editing. Optional stores, forums and publishing destinations may require accounts.
A small example to aim for
A bright idea for a slow afternoon.
Original artwork → gentle reveal → final hold + still.
Illustrative storyboard only. Not a rendered video, provider screenshot or tested result.
Illustrative example · adapt it to your project.
Jump to a step
Give the card one message
Use the fictional brief “Citrus study: a bright idea for a slow afternoon.” The deliverable is a square social clip with one gentle reveal and a readable final hold. Write the message before choosing software. Do not add prices, availability, claims or a real brand you have no permission to use.
Draw the final frame first
In Krita make a 1080 × 1080 sRGB document. Draw a simple original orange circle, a leaf and the short heading on separate layers. Leave generous space around the message. Save the editable KRA file, then export a flattened PNG. Keep this still as a complete, readable deliverable before adding motion.
Prepare a quiet opening
Duplicate the artwork and hide the heading layer for an opening PNG, leaving the same background and illustration position. Retain exactly the same canvas dimensions. Keep all source layers in the KRA file rather than overwriting it with an export. Two aligned stills are enough for this small exercise.
Assemble one reveal
Create a square 1080 × 1080, 30 fps Shotcut project. Place the opening still for roughly two seconds and the final card for the remaining four. Use a short dissolve between the aligned cards; avoid a flashing cut or rapid zoom. If a version-specific control differs, follow the official transition tutorial. Save the Shotcut project beside its source images.
Review the actual delivery
Export an H.264 MP4 using a profile compatible with the destination. A saved Shotcut project is not a playable video. Open the exported file separately and inspect the first frame, transition and final hold with sound off and at phone size. Check clipping and spelling. Supply the still alongside the video for placements or viewers that do not use motion. No export has been performed for this editorial example.
Save the kit and name the paid requirement
Use Save this toolkit for Krita and Shotcut. Signed-in saves go to your private stack; a guest save stays in that browser. FreeStack editorial upgrade triggers: a required collaborative approval workflow, reusable interactive vector states, or a verified delivery feature this local workflow cannot supply. Pay for that requirement only after checking it against a real brief.
Your workflow, connected.
Follow the steps and carry the output into the next stage. These are suggested handoffs, not automatic integrations.
Provider information
Check current plans and documentation before committing to a workflow.
A couple of useful questions
What stays free?
Krita and Shotcut are GPLv3 desktop applications. Core local work has no provider export-credit, watermark, cloud-storage or team-seat allowance. Hardware, disk, codecs, imported fonts and assets are separate. Krita’s official desktop downloads are free; optional store editions are paid.
Do I need an account?
Core local drawing and editing do not require a provider account. Download stores, optional services and the social platform can have separate sign-in requirements. Saving a private FreeStack account stack requires sign-in.
Can I deliver this as Lottie?
This recipe deliberately delivers PNG and MP4. Do not rename the file or promise editable vectors. If a developer needs interactive Lottie output, agree supported shapes, runtime, file format and reduced-motion behaviour before choosing another tool.
Can this be used for a real client?
Adapt it to approved artwork, fonts, brand rules and claims. Review the exported file and obtain the required approval before publishing. The fictional citrus artwork is an example, not evidence of campaign performance.
What would you try?
Share your result or ask a specific question about this workflow.
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