Learning Adobe Flash CS5 & CS5.5

Prices

Module 1 Summary

Chapter 1: Getting Started With Flash

This chapter introduces:

• the components of the Flash screen including the workspace and the panels.
• using rulers, grids and guides.
• using simple drawings tools - rectangle, oval, line and brush

Back to Flash | Top | Next

Chapter 2: Drawing Tools

This chapter introduces the Flash Drawing Tools in more detail including:

• cookie cutting.
• the Selection tool.
• the Pencil, Brush, Paint Bucket and Ink Bottle tools.
• The Eyedropper and Eraser tools.
• Object Drawing
• the assignment involves the drawing of an alien.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 3: Symbols, Libraries and Layers

This chapter demonstrates how to use symbols, libraries and layers which are an integral part of Flash animations. It includes:

• how to create a symbol and use it from the Library panel.
• how to create layers, change their order, lock them and turn them on or off.
• the assignment involves the creation of a simple web page using layers.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 4: Motion Tween Animations

This chapter demonstrates how to create simple motion tween animations. It includes:

• creating symbols.
• setting a motion tween.
• rotating objects in animations.
• scaling objects.
• adjusting the motion path.
• inserting keyframes.
• adjusting the length of animations.
• clearing keyframes.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 5: Multiple Object Animations

This chapter demonstrates how combine more than one object in an animation. It includes:

• setting fixed objects in layers and locking them.
• inserting frames.
• setting the stage colour
• animating objects in their own layers.
• adjusting the shape of animated objects.
• students create a bouncing ball animation.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 6: The Motion Editor Panel

This chapter demonstrates how to use the Motion Editor panel to edit and fine-tune animations. It includes:

• setting the easing of the animation.
• applying the easing to the animation.
• adjusting the path of the animation.
• adjusting the colour of symbols in the animation.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 7: Other Tweening Types

This chapter demonstrates the two other tweening types that Flash provides, Shape Tweening and Classic Tweening. It includes:

• changing a circle into a rectangle then back to a circle again by reversing frames.
• using shape hints.
• reversing animations.
• copying frames.
• creating classic tweens.
• inserting keyframes.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 8: Fixed Point Animations

This chapter demonstrates how to make objects animate around a fixed point. It involves:

• editing symbols to set the registration (rotation) point.
• setting the rotation.
• animating the hands of a clock.
• animating more that one object.
• the assignment involves students creating a car speedometer.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 9: Circular Animations

This chapter demonstrates how to set objects to animate around an enclosed path. It includes:

• creating symbols.
• adjusting motion paths
• setting beetles to race around a track.
• stopping an animation.
• adding and removing frames.
• the assignment involves students creating a solar system animation.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 10: Frame By Frame Animations

This chapter demonstrates how to set Frame By Frame animations, which mimics how animations were created before the use of computers. It includes:

• drawing an eye, copying the eye then making one eye wink.
• keyframes are duplicated and the contents of the duplicate modified.
• the assignment involves students creating an eclipse of the sun animation.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 11: Creating Movie Clips

This chapter introduces:

• the creation and use of movie clip symbols.
• self-contained animations are created then placed in other animations.
• multiple instances of the movie clips are added to the animation.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 12: Creating Buttons

This chapter demonstrates how to create Flash buttons. It includes:

• setting button symbols.
• setting the up, over and down states.
• setting the hit area
• creating a navigation bar for a web site
• using Flash's prepared buttons.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 13: Publishing Animations

This chapter demonstrates how to publish animations. It includes:

• the difference between .FLA and .SWF files.
• publish settings.
• Document size.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Project 1: iSounds

This project is only available in the multi-user versions. It involves students creating an opening page for the iSounds company which sells music over the internet. Students are required to create a web page that includes at least 2 animations and a navigation bar that has Flash buttons.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous

Module 2 Summary.

Chapter 14: Using Masks

This chapter demonstrates how use masks in animations. It includes:

• creating a mask layer.
• setting the mask effect.
• animating the mask to create a spotlight effect.
• creating masks as movie clips.
• animating the movie clip mask.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 15: Using the 3D Tools

This chapter demonstrates how to use the 3D Rotation and 3D Translation tools to add 3D effects to animations. It includes:

• rotating movie clips over x, y and z axes.
• adjusting the perspective angle.
• adjusting the vanishing point.
• adding the rotations to animations.
• translating movie clips in the x, y and z axes.
• creating movie credits that vanish into the screen.
• applying the 3D tools on imported images.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 16: Using Behaviours

This chapter demonstrates how to make use behaviours to make animations interactive with the screen. A firing a gun animation that could be used in computer games is created. Click on the gun in the sample to see the effect. The chapter involves:

• setting invisible buttons.
• setting and editing behaviours.
• adding sounds to behaviour .
• adding sounds to buttons.
• deleting behaviours.
  

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 17: Animation Still Photos

This chapter demonstrates how to animate sections of a still photo to give the impression that they are a moving object. It includes:

• breaking a photo into pixels.
• erasing the sections to be animated.
• converting the sections to symbols.
• setting the registration point.
• animating the sections.
  

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 18: Using the Bone Tool

This chapter demonstrates how to use the Bone tool to produce arm and leg movements in animations. It includes:

• the bone tool basics.
• adjusting the Bone tool styles.
• selecting Runtime so that the user has control of an object's movement.
• animating imported images.
• animating shapes drawn in Flash.
• applying the spring effect.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 19: Adding Sounds to Animations

This chapter demonstrates how to include and control sounds by adding an engine track to the car speedo animations created in an earlier chapter. The chapter includes:

• Adding sounds to the library.
• synchronizing sounds.
• using fade in effects.
• removing sound effects.
• editing sound effects.
• adding sounds to buttons.
  
  

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

This chapter demonstrates how to add code snippets to movie clips. The chapter includes:

• controlling objects with the keyboard arrows.
• attaching a movie clip to the mouse pointer.
• attaching web links to objects.
• fading a movie clip.
• applying multiple code snippets.
  
  

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 21: Text Formatting

This chapter demonstrates how to format text using the new TLF text engine. The chapter includes:

• Making text selectable, editable or read only.
• linking text to web sites.
• Formatting paragraphs.
• Aligning text.
• Line spacing.
• Setting text into columns.
• Flowing text from one text box to another.
• Animating text messages.
  

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 22: Text Effects

This chapter introduces the use of more detailed text effects including:

• breaking text into layers
• using guide layers.
• animating the letters of a word.
• distorting text
• creating text shape tweens.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 23: Text Effect Movie Clips

This chapter demonstrates how to create text effects as movie clips and include them in animations. It includes:

• breaking text apart
• distributing letters to layers
• animating letters within the movie clip.
• using the movie clip.
• editing the movie clip.
  
  

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 24: Using Scenes

This chapter demonstrates how to use scenes within Flash to build an overall animation. It includes:

• adding and naming scenes.
• adding content to scenes.
• duplicating scenes
• stopping the overall animation.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous | Next

Chapter 25: Useful Tools

This chapter demonstrates how to use some of the extra tools that Flash provides. It includes:

• converting video clips to FLV/F4V format.
• importing FLV/F4V video clips into Flash.
• using the Deco tool.
• using the Spray Brush tool.
• using the Pen tool.
• using motion presets to quickly animate objects.
• creating custom motion presets.

Project 2

This project is only available in the multi-user versions. It involves students creating 4 separate scenes for a used car dealer that could be added to a web site using the skills developed in Module 2.

Back to Flash | Top | Previous

Home | Products | Prices | Ordering | Podcasts | Downloads | Testimonials | Contact