Updated Articles and Resources
- Flash Tip: Add SwatchCreated: 2009-11-30 @ 02:12:21 EST
You can save custom-defined colors from your Flash palette to the Swatches panel… - Flash Tip: Opening Additional Library PanelsCreated: 2009-11-30 @ 01:56:10 EST
Flash library getting a little cluttered? Need too many symbols from too many separate libraries? Just create a new library window… - Flash Tip: Smoothing and StraighteningCreated: 2009-11-30 @ 01:32:04 EST
Flash compensates for clumsy drawers with the Smooth and Straighten functions… - Animation Showcase: "Blink Kitty Love" EpisodeCreated: 2009-11-22 @ 22:40:44 EST
Looking for somewhere to display your animations? Why not submit to the animation showcase?… - Animation Showcase: "The Train"Created: 2009-11-22 @ 22:36:34 EST
Looking for somewhere to display your animations? Why not submit to the animation showcase?… - Animation Software Review: Reallusion's WidgetCastCreated: 2009-11-22 @ 00:36:15 EST
WidgetCast caters to the world of Web 2.0 and constantly-connected social media by providing a tool that allows you to package your content as micro-applications that can easily be shared anywhere … - DVD Review: NFB's Animation ExpressCreated: 2009-11-02 @ 04:38:26 EST Updated: 2009-11-02 @ 10:46:37 EST
Animation Express, a two-disc compilation of animations selected and presented by the National Film Board of Canada, offers a vivid and diverse tapestry of Canadian artistry, humor, sentiment, hist… - Flash Tip: Using MarkersCreated: 2009-10-26 @ 07:54:10 EDT
Markers? If you're thinking sharpies, you're a bit off… - Flash Tip: Accessing Document Properties from the TimelineCreated: 2009-10-26 @ 01:39:31 EDT
FLash is chock full of nifty little shortcuts - including ones that aren't so obvious. Did you know that you could access the document properties window from the timeline?… - Animation Software Review: iClone 4.0 Pro 3D Animation SoftwareCreated: 2009-10-19 @ 05:27:15 EDT Updated: 2009-10-19 @ 05:29:38 EDT
Reallusion's iClone has grown in leaps and bounds from its original incarnation… - What is a Virtual Camera?Created: 2009-10-05 @ 07:46:55 EDT Updated: 2009-10-05 @ 07:51:36 EDT
We hear mention of virtual cameras often in animation...but is there really a miniature photographic / video recording device inside our computer?… - Changing a Flash Symbol Type / Symbol PropertiesCreated: 2009-10-05 @ 07:35:05 EDT
Once you create a Flash symbol, its properties aren't set in stone… - Flash Toolbars: Main, Controller, and Editing ToolbarsCreated: 2009-09-21 @ 02:27:25 EDT
Flash lets you add toolbars other than the defaults to simplify many basic menu functions with one-click buttons… - What is an Instance in Flash?Created: 2009-09-21 @ 02:01:42 EDT Updated: 2009-09-21 @ 02:09:34 EDT
flash instances, symbols, copies, manipulating instances, changing instances, symbol timelines, flash movie clip, flash graphic, flash symbol, flash button, flash library… - Flash Tip: Symbol / Instance Use CountsCreated: 2009-09-21 @ 01:53:17 EDT Updated: 2009-09-21 @ 02:08:25 EDT
Use counts are a tally of the number of times a symbol is used in a Flash movie… - Flash Tip: Changing Default Font MappingCreated: 2009-09-07 @ 06:06:11 EDT
What does it mean to change the default font mapping in Flash?… - Flash Tip: Tabbed Timeline BrowsingCreated: 2009-09-07 @ 04:32:02 EDT
A fun feature of Flash is tabbed timeline browsing… - Flash Tip: Duplicate WindowCreated: 2009-09-07 @ 04:21:41 EDT
In Flash you can create one or more duplicates of the current window / open project, and keep the various duplicates focused on different work areas… - Flash Tip: Floating / Detaching the TimelineCreated: 2009-08-24 @ 06:54:36 EDT
The Flash timeline can be moved to various locations - docked to either side, or floated as a separate window over the general working area… - Flash Tip: Switching Color Modes Between RGB and HSBCreated: 2009-08-24 @ 06:39:53 EDT
Most don't even know the difference between RGB and HSB, let alone that you have an option to switch between the color palettes in Flash… - Animation Software Review: SmithMicro's Poser 8 3D Modeling & Animat…Created: 2009-08-17 @ 08:09:45 EDT
While the results still don't compare to studio animations built from scratch and driven by hours of hard work, Poser 8 has come a long way from its stiff, plastic origins to provide even non-anima… - Do you think Microsoft Silverlight is a Flash Killer?Created: 2009-08-09 @ 22:54:05 EDT Updated: 2009-08-09 @ 23:07:39 EDT
With the release of Silverlight 3.0, many are speculating that Microsoft is angling to beat out Adobe Flash, Flex, and Air as a rich content delivery platform. But can Silverlight really beat out F… - Is Microsoft Silverlight a Flash Killer?Created: 2009-08-09 @ 22:49:43 EDT Updated: 2009-08-09 @ 23:05:20 EDT
Microsoft Silverlight 3.0 takes a huge leap ahead - but is it enough to overtake Adobe?… - What is Silverlight?Created: 2009-08-03 @ 07:37:21 EDT
Silverlight is an application development platform that integrates rich media to further blur the line between development tools and design software… - Animation Software Review: CrazyTalk 6.0 Pro Animation Software Revi…Created: 2009-07-20 @ 08:04:38 EDT
Ranging from $49.99 for the Standard version to $149.99 for the Pro version, Reallusion's CrazyTalk 6.0 is a great facial animation program that provides unique (and quick) storytelling abilities. … - How to Choose an Animation Software PackageCreated: 2009-07-20 @ 07:38:51 EDT Updated: 2009-07-20 @ 08:21:34 EDT
Considering how expensive animation software can be and the difficulty of returning software to many retailers, picking the wrong animation software for your needs can be a costly mistake. What qu… - Animation Showcase: "Carpe Diem" IntroUpdated: 2009-11-22 @ 22:43:57 EST
Looking for somewhere to display your animations? Why not submit to the animation showcase?… - Animated Flash-Only Thumbnail Gallery IUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 15:22:11 EDT
Upgrade your static thumbnail gallery with Flash animations to make your thumbnails interactive, and keep all of your content contained on a single page… - Animating with ActionScriptsUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 15:21:37 EDT
There's more than one way to skin a cat, more than one way to pluck a chicken, and more than one way to animate in Flash. Use ActionScripts to animate changes in size, color, position, and anythin… - Flash Halloween Costume Dress-Up Doll I: Artwork & SetupUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 15:20:12 EDT
Don't feel like getting dolled up for Halloween? Then create a virtual doll to do the trick-or-treating for you. This lesson starts off a two-part look at how to create a Flash version of a paper… - Flash Animation 6: Using Text in Flash to Give Your Character a VoiceUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 15:17:08 EDT
This will be a fairly simple lesson. Before we get into animating the limbs, we're going to add speech bubbles--we'll learn about adding actual audio tracks later--to learn about working with text… - Dynamic eCard with Flash and PHPUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 15:15:50 EDT
Combing Flash animation, ActionScripting, and PHP to create an eCard with user-defined messages taken from input fields, and then dynamically generate a URL that allows users to share their custom … - Flash Frame-By-Frame Animation: Detailed Animation Part VUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 15:13:01 EDT
This lesson is where we really start to see the advantage of using Flash for traditional frame-by-frame animation, because we're going to use symbols and various shortcuts and transforming tools to… - Animating from Pencil to PC: Rough Motion SketchesUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 15:08:15 EDT
The first step in starting off your animation is to get your basic motion down. For that you don't need perfect drawings; you can use stick figures, as long as they capture your basic proportions … - Flash Frame-By-Frame Animation: Detailed Animation Part VIUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 15:07:43 EDT
After animating and detailing a moving human body, let's do something a little different with something less solid: the body's clothing. Animating the clothing simply moving with the body would u… - Flash Animation 4: Animating Your E-cardUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:42:34 EDT
Now that we’ve set the stage for our E-card, let’s go ahead and animate it. For the first part of that, we’re going to use a new kind of symbol called a Movie Clip… - Flash Frame-By-Frame Animation: Detailed Animation Part IIIUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:41:56 EDT
Detail is good--but it's even better when it's been retraced and smoothed out for clean line art. For that, we'll need to use the Pen Tool to retrace our animation… - Flash Animation 15: Starting and Stopping Sound EffectsUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:41:13 EDT
Let's pick up on the last lesson to add a bouncing sound effect to our squash and stretch animation, using Flash audio to bring more life and depth to the animation… - Flash Animation 22: Flash for Web Design: GUI DesignUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:39:44 EDT
The first part of setting up a website in Flash is designing a GUI (graphical user interface) as a "container" for your content, and then making that GUI workable… - Flash MX Effects: Text OutlinesUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:33:37 EDT
You don't need Flash 8 to create effects like drop shadows, outer glows, or stroked text. You can simulate these effects just using a little creative layering and fill effects in Flash MX and earl… - Flash Animation 20: Flash for Web Design: Text LinksUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:32:29 EDT
To start off simply, we're just going to create the foundation for a basic text menu with rollover links… - Flash Animation 14: Gravity, Squash, and StretchUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:31:30 EDT
It's time to learn how to use Flash with classic animation techniques to portray gravity, weight, and squash and stretch. Just in time for the winter holidays, too--with a snowy scene and a bounci… - Flash Frame-By-Frame Animation: Detailed Animation Part VIIUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:30:30 EDT
Instead of using plain solid color, for this Flash lesson let's start using gradients to add another layer of depth and fullness to our animation, before finishing the cycling motion that we starte… - Flash Cursor Spotlight Revisited II: MaskingUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:28:45 EDT
Learn layer masking to explore yet another way to create a spotlight that follows the mouse around the Flash stage to reveal your movie… - Flash MX Effects: Drop ShadowUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:27:45 EDT
You don't need Flash 8 to create effects like drop shadows, outer glows, or stroked text. You can simulate these effects just using a little creative layering and fill effects in Flash MX and earl… - Flash Digital ClockUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 14:26:12 EDT
Create a digital clock--twenty-four-hour time or twelve-hour time--in Flash, using dynamic text properties and the hour, minute, and second parameters of the basic Date functions… - Easy Flash CrossFade EffectUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:59:24 EDT
Fade between one image and another using layers, alpha controls, and tweens… - Flash Animation 21: Flash for Web Design: getURL CommandUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:58:35 EDT
Flash's getURL command lets you make a hyperlink out of any graphic or symbol… - Flash Animation 9: Adding Interactivity with ButtonsUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:57:44 EDT
For this lesson, we're just going to learn how to create a simple button that doesn't really do anything other than demonstrate a mouse-over effect, just for the sake of learning the steps. We'll … - Flash Tip: Program Tools: Brush ToolUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:56:25 EDT
Using the Brush tool, you can paint in freeform in Flash, fine-tuning the way your fills are applied using various options… - Flash Animation 19: Drag and Drop ActionScripting CommandsUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:53:13 EDT
The startDrag and stopDrag commands help increase user interactivity with our Flash movies by letting them manipulate our movie clips with the click of a mouse… - Flash Frame-By-Frame Animation: Detailed Animation Part IIUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:51:05 EDT
Now that we've used Flash to create a basic rough-sketched animation of our desired motion, it's time to start layering a little detail on top of it to flesh everything out… - Flash MX Effect: Outer GlowUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:45:39 EDT
You don't need Flash 8 to create effects like drop shadows, outer glows, or stroked text. You can simulate these effects just using a little creative layering and fill effects in Flash MX and earl… - Creating Drop Shadow Text in Flash CS3Updated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:44:52 EDT
One great thing about the newest versions of Flash is that many effects that previously had to be constructed manually are now automatic features - including text drop shadows… - 3D Studio Max Lesson 1.4: Animation Tools OverviewUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:43:00 EDT
The last set of tools that we’ll discuss as part of the standard 3D Studio Max interface is located at the bottom of the window, stretching along the width of the working area below the multip… - Flash Animation 26: Flash for Web Design: Video PlaybackUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:39:25 EDT
Since we've started using video in Flash, it stands to reason that we'd need video playback controls, as well. This lesson shows you how to add playback control buttons to turn your video display … - Flash Tip: Motion Tweening Expanded: Motion GuidesUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:38:12 EDT
The shortest distance between two points may be a straight line, but that doesn't mean you have to tween that way. Learn how to assign your Flash Motion Tweens to paths called Motion Guides, so th… - 10 Stupid Flash TricksUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:37:15 EDT
Sometimes there are things that you can do in Flash that in truth, you really shouldn't--not unless you enjoy leaving your viewers in the throes of audiovisual agony… - Flash Animation 18: Controlling Movie Clips With Buttons and ActionS…Updated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:36:04 EDT
This lesson continues what we started in Flash Animation 17, by showing how to "rewind" the movie clips to the beginning to remove the elements we placed on the stage without entirely res… - Flash Tip: Shape HintsUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:27:23 EDT
Shape Hints make it easier for Flash to interpret how it's supposed to morph one complex shape into another in a shape tween… - Flash Tip: Program Tools: The Pen ToolUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 13:26:44 EDT
This overview will help you become more comfortable with Flash's pen tool and how to create different types of anchor points in paths… - Flash Tip: Creating the Illusion of PerspectiveUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 12:30:46 EDT
Flash proves that you don't need a 3D program or even a complex 2D program to create easy two-dimensional shapes with the appearance of three-dimensional depth… - Flash Animation 3: Fireworks E-cardUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 12:30:14 EDT
Since the Fourth of July is coming up, let’s make a “Happy 4th” E-card, complete with animated fireworks. This will be a two-part lesson; the first will cover drawing the scene and … - 3D Studio Max Lesson 1.2: Tab Sets OverviewUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 12:29:07 EDT
The second part of our first lesson in 3D Studio Max's tools will cover the bank of tabbed tool sets below the main toolbar. These tool sets allow quick and easy access to a large majority of 3D S… - Flash Falling Snow with Random Functions and Movie ClipsUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 12:26:46 EDT
With Flash ActionScripting and a little math, you can simulate flecks of falling snow moving in a natural, random drift - whether you want slow, lazy snowfall or a swift and rushing blizzard… - Creating a Custom Mouse Cursor in FlashUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 11:49:49 EDT
Whether it bounces, jiggles, squiggles, wiggles, glitters, or just sits there looking pretty, you can turn it into your own custom Flash mouse cursor to replace the default… - ActionScripting Basics: What?s the difference between = and ==?Updated: 2009-09-29 @ 11:48:32 EDT
Read a quick tip on the differences between = and == operators in Flash ActionScripting… - ActionScripting Basics: .textColor with Dynamic Text FieldsUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 11:47:44 EDT
textColor is an ActionScript property that lets you define or change the text color inside of a dynamic text field on a movie clip event… - Flash Tip: Understanding the "Lock Fill" Option with GradientsUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 11:37:23 EDT
To some, the "Lock Fill" option is a real pain in Flash; it's an easily-overlooked little button that changes the way your gradients behave when you fill multiple separate areas… - Basic Flash Password ProtectionUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 11:34:28 EDT
While you don't want to count on this for definite site or application security, you can use this basic password script as part of a game or any other fun animation… - Creating a Complex Character of Moving Parts: Explaining Flash Neste…Updated: 2009-09-29 @ 11:24:59 EDT
Collected here is a gallery of still shots and media files of a few examples of About.com Guide Adrien Sanders' computer animation work… - Animation Character Sheet/Character Breakdown BasicsUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 11:12:36 EDT
Before you start animating, it's a good idea to draw up a character sheet/character breakdown of the subject of your animation, both for reference and to familiarize you with drawing different view… - Ask the Magic 8-Ball: Using Flash to Create a Magic 8-Ball Applicat…Updated: 2009-09-29 @ 11:08:13 EDT
Will you have a merry Christmas? Will 2007 be a good year? Will you get that promotion? Ask the magic 8-ball....or use Flash and Actionscripting to make your own… - Flash Animation 10: Creating a New SceneUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 11:06:52 EDT
Here we explore the concept of individual scenes in Flash, and how to create and manipulate them to make options to associate with our buttons… - Flash Halloween BobbleheadUpdated: 2009-09-29 @ 11:04:25 EDT
flash animation, flash animation tutorials, macromedia flash, flash animation lessons, flash actionscripting lessons, flash bobblehead, bobblehead doll, halloween doll, pumpkin doll, flash hallowee… - Flash Animation 7: Let's Move, Baby.Updated: 2009-09-22 @ 13:41:50 EDT
It's time to get our characters moving, using the movie clip symbols that we set up in previous lessons to control our limbs as a whole, and in sub-parts--and also to animate our facial features an… - Flash Animation 11: ActionScripting to Link Your Buttons And ScenesUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 13:36:25 EDT
It's time to combine the buttons and scenes created in Lessons 9 and 10, using ActionScripting to tell Flash how to behave when our buttons are clicked… - Flash Tip: Expand Your Flash Movie to Fit Any BrowserUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 13:31:27 EDT
You can expand your Flash movies to fit any browser at any side just by changing the measurements in the HTML embedding to fit a percentage instead of a fixed pixel amount… - Flash Tip: Importing a Sequence of ImagesUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 13:30:50 EDT
You can import a series of numbered images to Flash and have the program automatically distribute them in sequential order across keyframes… - Flash Frame-By-Frame Animation: Keyframe and In-Between BasicsUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 13:17:48 EDT
Rather than working with simple shapes and reusable objects, let's work with the techniques used in cinematic animation: hand-drawing each frame using keyframing and in-betweening techniques to de… - Flash Frame-By-Frame Animation: Detailed Animation Part IUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 13:17:06 EDT
Creating a detailed, full-color character animation using traditional frame-by-frame methods is a long and at times difficult process, even in Flash. For this lesson we're going to take the first … - 3D Studio Max Lesson 1.3: Main Tools OverviewUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 13:12:43 EDT
The third part of our first lesson in 3D Studio Max's tools covers the panel of primary tools taking up the right-hand side of the interface. These are the main tools that you will use to create, … - Choosing Between ActionScripting 2.0 and ActionScripting 3.0 in Flas…Updated: 2009-09-22 @ 13:07:55 EDT
With ActionScripting 3.0 taking such a drastic turn away from the old paradigm of ActionScripting 2.0, it helps that Flash CS3 allows you to create a document using the old scripting style; here's … - Flash Animation 13: Creating a Simple PreloaderUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 12:46:57 EDT
A Flash preloader is a short, low-key animation that plays while the rest of your animation is loading, and can either loop or show a growing progress percentage… - Flash Tip: Action Scripting Basics: Inserting a Simple StopUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 12:43:05 EDT
The stop command is most likely the most basic of all of Flash's ActionScript commands, and the most essential. It's also a good place to get started with familiarizing yourself with the concepts … - Flash Tip: Making an Invisible "Hotspot" ButtonUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 12:42:29 EDT
We've covered creating standard Flash buttons, but here's an expansion on that discussing how to make part of your scene clickable as a "hotspot" using invisible buttons… - Flash Animation 2: Shape TweeningUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 12:36:23 EDT
With this lesson, we'll pick up at the end of where we left off in Lesson 1, with a lesson on shape tweening in Flash MX. Shape tweening can take two different shapes at keyframes set any number of… - 3D Studio Max Lesson 1.1: A Basic Overview of 3DSMax's Main Tool BarUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 12:29:51 EDT
In this set of tutorials, we'll just be taking a look at the environment of 3D Studio Max version 4.26, and helping you to get more familiar with the tool panels, how to navigate them, and how to u… - Creating Transparent Flash Movies with WMode and Div LayersUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 12:21:31 EDT
Ever wondered how they make those Flash ads that can be dynamically positioned anywhere on the screen, but that have a transparent background? In just four steps, I'll show you how… - Flash Animation 5: Creating a Complex Character of Movable PartsUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 12:17:38 EDT
In this lesson, we're going to learn how to "cheat' on making detailed animated characters in Flash without actually drawing every frame… - Animated Flash Dropdown MenuUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 12:04:00 EDT
This is a simple, animated Flash menu that drops down/expands when your mouse rolls over the menu header… - Flash Frame-By-Frame Animation: 8-Frame Basic Walk CycleUpdated: 2009-09-22 @ 12:01:17 EDT
The walk cycle is one of the most important animation techniques to master, but you can simplify it a bit in Flash even when drawing each individual frame, whether in whole or in part. This basic … - Flash Animation 8: Adding Simple AudioUpdated: 2009-09-14 @ 16:28:27 EDT
This will be one of the easiest lessons yet; all we're going to do is add a looping audio background to our Flash character animation to complete it… - Flash Animation 17: Controlling Movie Clips With Buttons and ActionS…Updated: 2009-09-14 @ 16:26:16 EDT
It's time to take a bit of a leap in your Flash education by learning how to control movie clip timelines from within the main timeline. To do this we're going to use buttons to tell Flash when to… - Building an Animation-Ready Character from the Ground UpUpdated: 2009-09-14 @ 16:02:08 EDT
Whether you draw your 2D animations traditionally or digitally, there are some skills essential to both incarnations of the craft. One is the ability to draw simple but effective animation charact… - Creating Your First Flash Animation: Opening a New DocumentUpdated: 2009-09-14 @ 13:04:34 EDT
In this lesson we'll cover how to create a new blank movie file in Flash MX, and the tools and steps involved in making your first simple animation using motion tweening…