diff --git a/animator.cpp b/animator.cpp
index 22e8c4f96..3a4fc0331 100644
--- a/animator.cpp
+++ b/animator.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 #include "animator.h"
 
+#include <QPainter>
+
 namespace Plasma
 {
 
@@ -31,11 +33,40 @@ Animator::~Animator()
 {
 }
 
-int Animator::appearFrames()
+int Animator::frameCount(Plasma::Phase::Animation animation)
 {
+    Q_UNUSED(animation)
     return 0;
 }
 
+int Animator::elementFrameCount(Plasma::Phase::ElementAnimation animation)
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(animation)
+    return 0;
+}
+
+QPixmap Animator::elementAppear(qreal frame, const QPixmap& pixmap)
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(frame)
+    Q_UNUSED(pixmap)
+    return pixmap;
+}
+
+QPixmap Animator::elementDisappear(qreal frame, const QPixmap& pixmap)
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(frame)
+    Q_UNUSED(pixmap)
+    QPixmap alpha(pixmap.size());
+    {
+        QPainter painter(&alpha);
+        painter.fillRect(alpha.rect(), Qt::transparent);
+    }
+    QPixmap pix(pixmap.size());
+    pix.setAlphaChannel(alpha);
+
+    return pix;
+}
+
 void Animator::appear(qreal frame, QGraphicsItem* item)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(frame)
@@ -47,11 +78,6 @@ void Animator::appearCompleted(QGraphicsItem* item)
     Q_UNUSED(item)
 }
 
-int Animator::disappearFrames()
-{
-    return 0;
-}
-
 void Animator::disappear(qreal frame, QGraphicsItem* item)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(frame)
@@ -63,11 +89,6 @@ void Animator::disappearCompleted(QGraphicsItem* item)
     Q_UNUSED(item)
 }
 
-int Animator::activateFrames()
-{
-    return 0;
-}
-
 void Animator::activate(qreal frame, QGraphicsItem* item)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(frame)
@@ -79,11 +100,6 @@ void Animator::activateCompleted(QGraphicsItem* item)
     Q_UNUSED(item)
 }
 
-int Animator::frameAppearFrames()
-{
-    return 0;
-}
-
 void Animator::frameAppear(qreal frame, QGraphicsItem* item, const QRegion& drawable)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(frame)
diff --git a/animator.h b/animator.h
index cda40bda8..0007831da 100644
--- a/animator.h
+++ b/animator.h
@@ -21,10 +21,12 @@
 
 #include <QtCore/QObject>
 #include <QtGui/QRegion>
+#include <QtGui/QPixmap>
 
 #include <kgenericfactory.h>
 
 #include <plasma/plasma_export.h>
+#include <plasma/phase.h>
 
 class QGraphicsItem;
 
@@ -39,19 +41,21 @@ public:
     explicit Animator(QObject *parent = 0, const QStringList& list = QStringList());
     ~Animator();
 
-    virtual int appearFrames();
+    virtual int frameCount(Plasma::Phase::Animation);
+    virtual int elementFrameCount(Plasma::Phase::ElementAnimation);
+
+    virtual QPixmap elementAppear(qreal frame, const QPixmap& pixmap);
+    virtual QPixmap elementDisappear(qreal frame, const QPixmap& pixmap);
+
     virtual void appear(qreal frame, QGraphicsItem* item);
     virtual void appearCompleted(QGraphicsItem* item);
 
-    virtual int disappearFrames();
     virtual void disappear(qreal frame, QGraphicsItem* item);
     virtual void disappearCompleted(QGraphicsItem* item);
 
-    virtual int frameAppearFrames();
     virtual void frameAppear(qreal frame, QGraphicsItem* item, const QRegion& drawable);
     virtual void frameAppearCompleted(QGraphicsItem* item, const QRegion& drawable);
 
-    virtual int activateFrames();
     virtual void activate(qreal frame, QGraphicsItem* item);
     virtual void activateCompleted(QGraphicsItem* item);