Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the frequently asked questions I have received about Brush Ninja. If you have any questions then please check out the help documentation, and if that doesn’t answer your question you can contact me.
Can I change how fast the animation plays?
Yes you can. If you go to the speed properties (the little speed dial next to the play button) then you can change the frames per second. The higher the frame rate the faster the animation plays. The lower the number the slower it plays. 1 frame a second, will show 1 picture every second.
You can also change the duration of individual frames by clicking on the plus or minus buttons above the frame in the timeline. Setting the number to x2 means that frame will be twice the length of a x1 frame.
How do I add my own images?
There are two ways to use your own images in Brush Ninja.
- You upload an image as a background image. Each animation can have 1 background image.
- You can switch to images mode and upload whatever images you like. Please note that this requires a Paid Membership.
Can I get a discount on my membership?
I don’t know. Maybe sign up to the newsletter, or try the coupons page to see if there’s anything available at the moment.
Do I need an account?
If you wish to get access to premium features then you will need to sign up for a premium Brush Ninja account. However if you are happy with the free features then an account is not needed.
Do you have Educational subscriptions?
The yearly subscriptions have been priced to be fair to educators. They give you 5 months for free, which should cover school holidays and a bit more, which I feel is a fair compromise.
How do I erase things?
You can erase lines by selecting Paint mode, and then the Eraser brush. You can then draw whatever you want to remove.
If you want to erase an entire shape/ line you can also switch to Select mode, select the item you want to erase, and delete it.
Can I add or Export Music or Sound from my animation?
You can add audio to your Brush Ninja animations by clicking on the speaker icon on each frame and selecting the sound(s) you want to play on that frame.
Members can export their animations as videos with sound. Unfortunately there’s no way for free users to export their animations with sound.
How did you make Brush Ninja?
I have written some background on Brush Ninja including a bit about how I made it on the About page.
How do I report a problem?
If something seems broken then it would be very helpful if you can send me a message about it. You can do this by clicking the “Contact” link at the bottom of the site.
It would be very helpful if you could include your computer information, and any Javascript errors you are getting.
How do you pronounce Gif?
The creator of the Gif file format says it has a soft G, like Jif, but I always say it with a hard G, like Golf, or Goat. Honestly, it doesn’t matter, just don’t spell the letters out.
How do you spell Brush Ninja?
Well, the clue is in the question - but the reason I am writing this question is that I get a lot of people writing to me asking questions about Brush Ninga. I’m not sure why people spell Ninja with a g, but I wanted to clarify that it is indeed spelt with a j, and if you ever forget, you can check the domain name in the url bar, or the site title.
How much does Brush Ninja cost?
A Brush Ninja Membership costs $7 US a month, or $48 a year. There are no contracts or hidden costs, cancel any time.
What is with the ice cream sticker?
The ice cream sticker is meant to represent the type of ice cream you get from an ice cream van in the UK. We often call this a Mr Whippy, or a 99 (“99 with flake please Mr”), outside the UK I believe it’s referred to as Soft Serve.
Any similarity to anything else is purely coincidental!
Is Brush Ninja good for children?
Brush Ninja is great for children. There is no tracking and children can not communicate with strangers.
Is Brush Ninja for Teachers?
User accounts can be useful for teachers. Paid user accounts give teachers access to additional features that can be saved in .brushninja files. These files can then be shared with students.
For example, one of the premium features that paid users have access to is being able to add your own images to an animation file. Teachers could use this feature to add relevant images for the subject being studied to an empty file. This file can then be saved for the students to load on their individual devices. Once the students load the animation they will be able to freely use the images that are saved in the file.
As such, it is suggested that the only people who need membership accounts (in an educational setting), are the teachers. Please note that Brush Ninja membership accounts should not be shared with students, or others. This is because account users will have access to membership information, be able to change the account password, and cancel the account.
For more information about how Brush Ninja can benefit your students, see our teaching and education page.
How do I add layers?
Unfortunately Brush Ninja does not support layers. However, since it’s a vector app, you can change the order of the shapes you draw. If you switch to the select mode then you can move shapes in front of and behind other shapes.
How do I save and load my animations?
In the top menu there are 3 menu options, New, Open, and Save.
- New creates a new animation.
- Open lets you open an animation you have previously saved.
- Saves lets you save an animation.
Save an animation as a .brushninja file in order for it to be reopened. Save it as a Gif so that you can upload it to social networks.
How do I cancel my premium subscription?
All payments are done using the Stripe service. To amend/ cancel your subscription you should access the Stripe billing page. All you need is access to your payment email address. Your account will remain active until the next billing period. If there’s a problem then contact us through the contact form.
How do I unsubscribe from the newsletter?
The newsletter is managed by ButtonDown. There is a link at the bottom of every email to unsubscribe, you can use this at any time and you will not receive any more emails from the newsletter.
How can I keep up to date with Brush Ninja?
There’s multiple ways to keep up to date with Brush Ninja happenings.
What size are the animations/ what size are the animation background images?
The default size of the animations is 512 x 512 pixels. You can create new animations in different sizes by pressing the “new” button in the top menu. You will then be able to chose the size of the animation file.
What does this thing mean?
Animation has a lot of terms that can be confusing. So, we have made a glossary of animation terms, and a list of acronyms to help you understand what they mean.
I have a problem with my air fryer, what should I do?
I’m afraid you have the wrong site. Brush Ninja is a website with digital creative tools such as an Animated Gif Maker, Emoji Art Maker, and Photo Collage Maker. We don’t sell air fryers, or cleaning equipement. I think you want either Ninja Kitchen or Shark Ninja.
Can I get a refund?
You can request a refund for any reason within 7 days of purchase. Please contact us and we will issue it as soon as possible. Refunds after 7 days will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may be issued adjusted pro-rata based on the subscription used.
