1st Session

The Authoring Environment

What is Flash?

Stage

• Testing/publishing your movie, Format options
• Stage resizing concepts
• Background color
• Rulers, Guides, Layers.
• Layer Types (folders, guides, motion guides)
• Layer Viewing Options

Timeline

• Timeline View Options (Onion Skining, animation previews)
• Controlling the Timeline
• Keyframes, Labels, Shortcuts, Comments

Panels, Windows, Layout Preferences

• Stacking/grouping Panels
• The Property Inspector
• Customizing Layout

Shapes, Drawing Objects, Groups

• Tool Panel
• Drawing in Flash (Shape Tools, Pen/Brush/Eraser, snap-to prefs)
• Grouping, breaking apart

Shapes, Drawing Objects, Groups

• Tool Panel
• Drawing in Flash (Shape Tools, Pen/Brush/Eraser, snap-to prefs)
• Grouping, breaking apart

Importing Artwork

• Accepted file formats (AI, PS, PNG, image formats)
• Import sample files
• Optimizing Vector art
• Behavior in the Library
• Trace bitmap

Masking

• Accepted mask shape

Working With Text

• Format options
• Breaking into shapes for Masking and Animation
• Static versus Dynamic
• Anti-aliasing (Animation vs Readability

Class Project:

Project 1: Creating a Page Layout

1: Create a new Flash document
– File:New…:Flash Document (Actionscript 2.0)

2: Set the Stage size to 300×500, background color to Black (#000000) , and framerate to 24
– Modify:Document…

3: Create a New Layer, name it “Background”
– Insert > Timeline >> Layer
– Double-click on the text “Layer ‘number’” in the Timeline, type “Background”

4: Repeat this process for two more layers above this first layer (closer to the the top of the screen), naming them “Text” and “Photo”.

5: On the “Background” layer, select the Rectangle tool from the toolbar to the left, draw a rectangle shape on the Stage, about 260pixels by 460 pixels, approximately 20 pixels down from the top and 20 pixels in from the left edge of the stage.

6: Select the “Text” layer, then the select the Text tool (”A”)

7: Draw a text box on the stage that fits inside the boundaries of the rectangle, but is somewhat narrow and to the left. Select your desired font and color in the Property Inspector. Enter some text.

8: Select the “Photo” layer, import a small photo.

– File > Import >> Import to Stage

9: Place the photo to the right of the text box, up towards the top of the rectangle in the background, but still within it’s boundaries.

10: Test your movie.

Homework:

follow this tutorial from the Adobe Website.

bring it to our next class