Flash aaaaaahhhh!!!!

Bunka · 22 Nov 2008 at 01:56

Hey,

Having a bit of trouble trying to make a flash animation for a website. I've got macromedia flash 8 and a trial copy of flash CS4 installed and am having a play trying to work it out, but to be honest i'm not getting too far with it!

This is what I'm trying to do.

I'm trying to get this image:

to essentially grow from nothing, like the animation in the below link. With each vine extending.

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/actions/3026329-floral-scroll-animation.php?id=3026329

Does anyone have any tips as to how I'd go about this? Bearing in mind i'm a complete noob, but prepared to put some effort in, so be nice!

PMWD · 22 Nov 2008 at 02:10

Trace the whole thing out in vectors, frame by frame cut it back until you're left with nothing, reverse the frames, et voila!

Bunka · 22 Nov 2008 at 03:15

Thank you. Ok, well I understand the principle but I'm really stuck on what tools to use within CS4 to implement this? Is there a step by step guide online that you know of? I havent come across anything yet. Do I need to trace each frame out in photoshop or such like before hand?

Bunka · 22 Nov 2008 at 03:19

p.s. how much of the image is it recommended to take off each time? 1mm? 1cm? Obviously I realise the less you do each time the smoother it would be, but what would you recommend?

Thanks!

smogsy · 22 Nov 2008 at 13:07

i would do 10-15px each time otherwise the flash file will grow to big. heck maybe 30

PMWD · 22 Nov 2008 at 15:04

I'd just trace the outline using the line tool then fill it with the colour you want to use. As far as deleting goes it's like you said, the smaller the amount you take away the smoother the final animation will look. The longer bits you could hack away in bigger pieces so it races along those, but the more detailed you could take time over so they grow a lot smoother.

Don't trace out a load of frames, just work backwards adding a frame each time you've removed as much as you think is right from the last one. You can always flick back and forth between the frame you're working on and the last one to see the change.