This program came on the scene quietly in the mid-1990's. The Internet was still in a primal form, but was now supporting graphics. Some of us remember when the Internet was text-based and a modem was TRULY a slow device.
Back to the story, Flash was a bit of a novelty. It didn't work like any of the programs we were used to using, and what will you do with animations?
Since that time, it has grown to be a robust application development tool. Not only can you create animations, but Flash web sites. The Flash player has ben distributed freely (like the Acrobat player) and it is expected that people will have it installed in their web browser.
Flash has interactive capabilities, can be database-driven, processes math, works with formulas, and can be used to create chats and video games. Through the use of ActionScript (based on JavaScript) Flash can be made to do whatever the designer desires.
Macromedia had invested a lot into this flagship, and when Adobe purchased the company it appears that their vision is to make this the overarching program for use on the web.
It will be easier to tell you what Flash is not capable of doing, rather than list all of the things it can. At this point, it won't clean my house but let's see what it does in the next version.
Welcome to the workshop, I hope you benefit from this brief introduction to a gigantic program.
Craig Polanowski
graphic communications
program lead
Handout Links
Sound handout
Link to A1 free sound (free stuff at the bottom of their page) and A1 free sound effects
Loading swf into mc handout
Example nested mc buttons Right-click here to download .fla
Easing handout/exercise "The Basketball" Click here to watch the .swf bounce
Preloader handout
Exercises
Cell Animation with Tweens
Create a short movie using cell animation and stick figure characters. This is to be a minimum of 48 frames. You can use tweens for the background but not the stick figure character(s).
You are to include the following features:
1. A background that changes to show the subject moving. (for example, the subject moves to the right hand side of the screen, the background moves to the left)
2. A minimum of three of the following words demonstrated in your movie (noun/verb/adjective/adverb/etcetera) :
create, slow, plant, wish, nose, fire, destruction, happy, friend, tree, cat, automobile
Much of the fun in Flash animation comes from cleverness and simplicity. For an example, visit Newgrounds and look for "Yes & No". This is the current link, but it may be subject to change.
To inspire your thinking about stick figures, visit NewGrounds to see "Animator vs Animation". This is the current link.
After that, try viewing "Animator vs Animation II" at NewGrounds.This is the current link. I can't get over how clever these projects are, and how humorous a stick figure can become.
Buttons and Movie Clips
Flash Button photo album assignment: You are to create a photo album that utilizes a button you create. The album should have an opening page with a button to advance to the next page. Provide a button to return to the beginning of the album, and buttons to the next page and previous page. .
HINT: the code for the button must be on the button...not the frame.
HINT number two: The code can simply tell the playhead to advance to the next frame or previous frame. That way, you don't have to code every button (if you make a keyframe, you are copying the button and the code applied to the button).
on(release) {
prevFrame();
}
on(release) {
nextFrame();
}
Right-click here to download a zipped folder of images. They are already sized to 400ppi wide, 100 ppi. These are .jpg files at quality 80. (appropriate for web delivery)
Note that you must "expand" the zipped folder in order to use the images.
Click here for a very simple example of the finished project.
Web Pages
You are to create a brief Flash web site. Once again, details TBA as the complexity of this project will depend upon the comfort level of the group.
Text
Macromedia Flash 8 Visual Quickstart Guide, Ulrich. 2006 , Peachpit Press.
ISBN:0-321-34963-6
Macromedia Flash 8 Advanced Visual QuickPro Guide, Chun. 2006 , Peachpit Press.
ISBN:0-321-34964-4
Flash CS3 Professional : Visual QuickStart Guide, Ulrich. 2008,Peachpit Press.
ISBN: 0-321-50291-4
How to Wow with Flash. Smith,Gyncild.2007, Peachpit Press.
ISBN: 0-321-42649-5
Web Resources
a Google search found 2,190,000 entries for "Flash tutorials".
Here are a few to get you started:
http://www.flashperfection.com/
http://www.flashkit.com/tutorials/
http://www.adobe.com/support/flash/tutorial_index.html
http://www.smartwebby.com/Flash/default.asp
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