Rotoscoping techniques: Frame Animation vs Video Timeline

Question

Hi. I am using Photoshop CS6 and CC.
I am looking for an easy workflow for rotoscoping a video (for the purpose of drawing on it to create animated look)
and came across two different techniques for achieving the same purpose:
1. frame animation as explained here
2. Video Timeline as explained here
seems to me the first technique is much more error prone.
I am a bit confused on the proper use of those 2 features - when to use which
as I see it Frame animation is for:
1.making GIF'S from your current layer stack
2.scanning a drawing by hand element that is supposed to appear in a stop motion fashion.
and Video Timeline is for:
1.real editing with layers moving in different points in time (which really can't see why would you do that in photoshop instead of AE or Premiere)
2.cell animation with onion skin
2.making blank video layer over a real one and create a live drawing.
any Insights will be greatly appreciated

Answer 1

thanks for the reply JJ.
I think I have a better idea on what each tool is all about:
allow me to sum it up for anyone who will look at this and for me too.
this is a clarification of these different tools especially related to rotoscoping but not just.
contributions would be appreciated
Frame Animation
useful for controlling each specific frame in a sequence of animated frames.
in rotoscoping this is useful for instances where you want to work with many layers
thus preserving the capability to change your work with different layers containing different data.
for instance: hair, face, legs etc. like the following example here
also efficient in making GIF's like here
Advantages:
1. more layers - more control
2. easy to make GIFS by changing each layers transformations like here
or here and would be cumbersome to do in Video Timeline
Limitations:
1. layout requires a bit of getting used to for instance: seconds for each frame and not overall frame rate - you have to select all of them to change them globally (there is a panel option for that though)
and also each frame contains all of the layers with only the specific ones visible and position differently (like layer comps).
if you are not careful you could make a mess of things by changing visibility of the wrong layers or worse
so - order, color labeling and grouping is paramount. an example of a good workflow is here
2. you have to make your own shortcuts since next frame/previous frame/first frames don't have shortcuts.
3. there is no audio
Video Timeline
useful for  "classic" video editing - you get a timeline with layers
that you can trim and make transitions.
great for drawing on video or classic drawn Cell animation.
you can also insert a blank video layer and draw on it.
as explained here
Advantages:
1. familiar timeline structure - easy to understand and not mess it up. you can change the framerate and work like a real video workflow.
2. great for rotoscoping on video -  you could insert a blank video layer and draw frame by frame on the same layer making it easy.
3. great for cell animation because onion skin features are an option
4. keyboard shortcuts are a click way by changing the panel options to "enable timeline shortcut keys"
5. there is audio
Limitations:
1. not as efficient as Frame Animation  for GIF animations or animation that requires a lot of layers or different kind of layers.