ASM FLASH INTRO FLASH CS3 is a 2D software that is used extensively for Internet animation. Its icon appears as a red square with a stylized Fl on it. It requires patience, because (like most computer programs), if you miss a step, it won t work. After you open up Flash CS3, click on File>New Select Flash File(Actionscript 3.0) and click on OK. GETTING AROUND 1. The Main STAGE: This the viewable part of the screen, which can be adjusted in size. For example, if you want your animation to fit exactly on the imovie screen, adjust the size to 640 x 360 pixels. You can adjust the Size by changing it in the Properties menu which should be at the bottom of the screen. If you can t see that, press apple F3 on your keyboard. Like a stage, you can bring your objects in from the wings. Keep in mind that when exported, we will only see what is in the white portion. Change the frame rate to 30fps. 2. The TIMELI NE: The top band numbers the individual frames,and indicates your layers. You are advised to double click on Layer x and give it a name. One of the most common errors is trying to edit the wrong layer - and in a complex animation you might have a hundred. The eye: Can hide a layer when clicked The lock: Locks the layer The box: Can colour code the layer so similar actions can be grouped. The lower menu: Plus page: add a new layer Red dots: add a Motion Guide layer Folder: add a folder to deposit and group several layers inside. Trash The next group are special Onion Skin effects - more on that later Current frame Frame rate: defaults to 12 fps. Keep in mind that imovie is 30 fps Time clock Black Dot - indicates date is present. Clear Dot - no data! 3. TOOLBOX: Many of these icons function like Photoshop; as you work through, you will discover the diffferences. Notable: You can have a different colour outline from the Fill colour. 4. PROPERTIES: Not always visible; bring it up via the WINDOWS file on the top line. Each icon in the toolbox will show a different properties window. It is here that you can adjust what that icon can do. For example, the black Move arrow gives you the general size of the Stage. You can choose a solid colour for your background and adjust the frame rate.
1) HOW TO... DRAW A ROBOT 1. The Head You are going to get comfortable with some of the tools in Flash. Label Layer 1 as Robot. To do this, you need to double click on Layer 1 and rename it as Robot. Select your pencil tool and near the bottom of your tool bar you will find an icon for the pencil mode. If you click and hold your mouse down, you will see three options. Make sure that the straighten mode is selected. In the properties menu select a stroke colour for your pencil and make the stroke height 3. Now draw a robot rectangular head near the top of the stage. With the pencil tool draw a mouth and some eyes. You can change the mouth by clicking on the black arrow (selection) tool. Bring your mouse close to a corner of the mouth and click and drag. 2. The Body Select the rectangle tool. You will notice that in the properties menu you can change the stroke colour and the fill colour. Pick some colours and draw a body. If you hold down shift you will make a square body. 3. The Arms If you hold down your mouse button on the rectangle tool, you can select the rectangle primitive tool. In the properties menu, you will see this: If you click on the lock, you will get an unlocked symbol. Now change the left column zeroes to 20. Select some colours and draw out the left arm. Click on the selection tool to deselect it. Now make the right arm by making the right column zeroes 20. 4. The Hands Select the oval primitive tool. Pick a colour and draw out some hands. In the properties menu you will notice that you can change the start and angles and the inner radius. This will give you different types of hands. 5. Fill Select the paint bucket tool. Fill in the eyes and the mouth.
6. Layers and background In the timeline at the bottom left, there will be an add a new layer icon that looks like this: Click on it. Rename the layer as background. You are now on a separate sheet than the robot. Select the rectangle tool. Now go up to the top of your menu and click on Window>Colour. You will get this: Changle the Type to Linear. Select a colour and draw a rectangle that covers the entire stage. You will notice that the robot disappears! Don t worry, it is still there. In the timeline, drag your robot layer so that it is above the background layer. Whew! Your timeline should look like this. 7. Polystar tool Add a new layer and name it as Stars. Hold your mouse down on the rectangle tool and select the Polystar tool. In the properties menu, click on Options. You will see this menu pop up: Change the Style to star and click OK. Select a colour for the stroke and fill and star some stars. 8. Pen tool Letter Add a new layer and rename it as Pen. Use the pen tool to draw out a letter on the body of the robot. First, zoom in on the robot body. Click on the zoom tool and drag a rectangle around the body. To make an R letter, you click once at the corner of the R and click again near the top. To make half of the curved part you need to click, hold and drag the mouse. This is quite tricky and needs a bit practice. Save your file as Robot.
2) HOW TO... SCOPE Scoping is a term applied to tracing of film and video. When we scope in Flash, we can create the illusion that a drawing is making itself, or we can scope a complex motion, like walking, that we can include in a production. This will also give us a better understanding of frame by frame animation in Flash. 1. Go online and find an interesting image that you would like to trace. Make sure that the pixel dimensions are around 640 by 480. When you do a Google search find an image that is medium (size). Save the photo to your desktop. Start a new file in Flash. Click on File>Import>Import to Stage. Find your file on the desktop and click OK. Caution! Make sure that your image is on the stage! 2. In the timeline, double click on Layer 1 and rename it as photo. Go to frame 50 and press F5. This will extend your photo for 50 frames. Make sure you lock this layer. 3. Add a new layer by clicking on the add a new layer icon: 4. Rename this layer trace. Select the pencil tool and select a colour. Make sure you are in frame 1 of the trace layer. Trace a small part of your photo. Press F6. This will add a new keyframe in frame 2. Draw a bit more. Keep going until you are content with your tracing. It is a good idea to use the brush tool when filling in skin colour, clothes and hair. You can always check how it is looking by temporarily making your photo disappear. Click on the eyeball icon dot which is in the photo layer. 5. If you need more space to trace you can always drag your photo layer past 50 frames. Go the last frame of the photo layer and click and hold on it. Drag it to the right and let go. When you are happy with your tracing you can delete the photo layer by dragging it to the garbage bin. 6. Save your file as scope.
3) HOW TO... SHAPE TWEEN 1. Insert a keyframe at the starting point of the timeline and draw an object. A small ball is good. 2. Go to frame 60 and create a BLANK KEYFRAME. You do this by holding your mouse down on frame 60. You will get many options pop up. Draw a second shape in a different colour. I typically draw a rectangle. 3. Click on a frame inbetween the start and end in the timeline. In the properties menu, click on Tween and select shape. A green arrow should appear. Test by pressing apple return on your keyboard. 4) HOW TO... MOTION TWEEN The main difference between a motion tween and a shape tween is a symbol. A motion tween requires you to convert an object that you drew into a symbol. 1. If not in the first keyframe, insert a keyframe and draw an object. Highlight the object you drew with the black arrow and press F8. Select Graphic and hit OK. 2. Insert keyframe at frame 60 in your timeline and drag the object to its destination. 3. Click on a frame inbetween the start and end in the timeline. In the properties menu, click on Tween and select motion. A purple arrow should appear. 5) HOW TO... MOTION GUIDE 1. Name your first layer object. Draw the object to be moved. Highlight the object and press F8. Make sure that graphic is selected and press enter. Insert keyframe at frame 50. Do not move the object to its end position yet. 2. Insert Motion Guide Layer by clicking the icon with the red dots, You know it is connected because your object layer indents under this layer. 3. Go to first frame (which lines up with the starting point of your object layer). Use the pencil tool to draw a path. Insert a key frame at frame 50, again, aligning with end point of object layer. 4. Click back to frame 1 of the object layer. Click on Tween in the properties menu and select motion. Click orient to path and snap. If you wish the object to rotate along the path, click Sync. If object is close enough to the path, it will snap to the end of the path - a good sign! If not, drag object to start, making sure the round registration point (white circle) clicks on the path. 5. Go to frame 50 of the object layer. Drag the object and let it snap to frame 50 of the
path you drew. If object does not follow the pah when you hit return, Clear Keyframe and re-insert keyframe, and reposition object at endpoint. 6. Click dot under Eye icon in layers, to hide the path. Press apple return. 6) HOW TO... COMBINE MOTIONS This a powerful tool that will enable you to make complex motions in a simple manner. This can be used to make it look like someone is walking by only editing a few frames. Some introductory tasks... Do each one of these and save them in a Flash folder on your desktop. Task 1 Make er move Select the Text tool, change the font to at least 24 points and choose a bright colour. Write your name in the lower left corner. Click and hold on frame 35 in the timeline - when the menu pops up, choose insert keyframe. Using the move tool, drag you name to the upper right corner of the stage. Click and hold back on frame one - choose Create Motion Tween from menu. If done correctly, a purple arrow appears in the timeline. Hit enter and watch your name move. Task 2 Morphing Select an oval shape (or hold the Shift key for a perfect circle) Place in top left corner of the stage. Open the Properties window. Select fill with the colour of your choice. Create a BLANK keyframe in frame 15. Choose a rectangular shape in a different colour. Place in lower right corner. Click back on frame one. Go to Properties and select Shape Tween The arrow should be pale green. Hit enter and watch it morph. Task 3 Follow the Path Using the instructions for a Motion Guide, guide a coloured ball around your stage. Task 4 Flower Garden Select a brush size and a brown colour. Draw in the garden by adding to a line, key frame by key frame until across the stage. The, have your flowers grow, frame by frame, by adding a bit more each time. Draw emerging stems, blades of grass, and finally, a bloom or two. Task 5 Bouncing Ball Using a motion tween, have a ball bounce from one side of the stage to the other. Make sure the bounces get smaller and smaller, so it looks real.
OUR FLASH PROJECT! Just like our HANDS project, a good story is critical in animation as well. STEPS: 1. Create a 15 frame storyboard having the following elements: 1) an animated title, where the words enter the stage via Motion Tween 2) a detailed background which stays on screen throughout (put a keyframe at frame 100 to keep it one screen) 3) two characters who engage in some action which will use a Motion Guide (throwing a ball, skateboarding etc.) 4) some surprise occurs as an object morphs - using Shape tween (onion skin optional) 5) a thought bubble appears using real video imported from imovie 6) some sort of resolution 2. Create your animation! Export it back into imovie to insert music and sounds. EVALUATION 70 marks ANIMATION Use of classtime Background 5 elements present Storyline works Soundtrack & sfx WRITTEN : Title page, neatly presented Storyboard (minimum 15 frames) Challenges & Changes Music plan