LightSpeed Basic Animation for Beginners in Flash 8 | Part-2

Basics in Animation for Beginners in Flash 8

Now that you know about the basics of Flash 8 and the two basic types of tweening, get to know about the few basic tools that you will need to make a basic Flash 8 movie. If you're new around here, check out the Part-1 of the Basics in Animation for Beginners in Flash 8.  Check out our blog LightSpeedAC for more amazing content. 

Before we get started, even if you're not new around here, I would recommend you to revisit the Part-1 to revise the basic constituents of Flash 8. 

Let Us Get Started

This blog post will focus on the main basic tools that you need to use to make a simple, yet good Flash movie/animation. 

1. Pen Tool- The Pen Tool is used to draw precise paths, like straight lines and smooth curves. You can draw straight lines or curves with this tool, and later adjust the angle and length of straight-line segments and the slope of curves. 

The steps to use the Pen Tool are:

1. Select the Pen tool.

2. Click on the Stage to set the first point.

3. Click again to set the second point and keep clicking to set more points. Flash automatically connects the points as you set them.

4. You can leave the path open or create a closed shape.

• To complete an open path, double-click the last point or click the Pen Tool. 
• To close a path, position the pointer over the first point. A small circle will appear next to the pen tip. Click to close the path. Flash automatically fills the closed path with color.

2. Eyedropper Tool- The Eyedropper Tool is used to pick up colors and style from existing lines, brush strokes, and fills. You then apply these colors and styles to other objects. The Eyedropper Tool is linked with the Paint Bucket Tool. You pick a color or a gradient from one object with the Eyedropper Tool and fill the same color or gradient in another object using the Paint Bucket Tool. The steps for using the Eyedropper Tool are-

• Select the Eyedropper Tool. You will notice that the pointer changes to an eyedropper.
• Click the line or fill from where you wish to copy the formatting.
• You will notice that the pointer changes to an inkbottle.
• Click the line or fill to which you want to apply the copied formatting.

3. Free Transform Tool- The Free Transform Tool is used to move, rotate or scale an object. To scale an object means to increase or decrease the object's size. Let us consider an example to understand how this tool works and how to use it.

1. Draw a figure on the Stage or import a picture. 
2. Select the object using the Selection Tool and click the Free Transform Tool. 
3. As you move the pointer over different parts of the selection, it changes to indicate which transformation function is available.

Moving an Object

To move the selected object, position the pointer over the selected object so that the pointer changes into a cross. Drag the object to a new position with the left-mouse-button presses. 

Rotating an Object

To rotate the selected object, position the pointer over one of the four corner handles. When the pointer changes to a curved arrow, click and drag to rotate the object. 

Scaling an Object

To scale the selected object in two dimensions, drag a corner handle diagonally. To scale the object in a single direction, drag one of the side handles in the desired direction.

4. Gradient Transform Tool- After you have applied a gradient to an object, you can transform the gradient by adjusting its size, direction, or center. To modify the gradient fill of an object, first select the Gradient Transform Tool. Then, click in the object that is filled with a gradient.

Linear Gradient

You can change the gradient fill of an object with a linear gradient applied in any of the following ways:

• To reposition the center point of the gradient fill, click and drag the center point. You will be able to drag the point only after the cursor changes to a four-arrow cursor pointing left and right, up and down. Bring the cursor to the circular handle at the center point for this to happen. 
• To change the width of the gradient fill, drag the width adjustment handle to the left or right. (Pro-Tip-Note that only the gradient is resized, not the object.) 
• To rotate the gradient fill, drag the circular rotation handle clockwise or anticlockwise.

Radial Gradient

When you select an object with a Radial Gradient applied with the Gradient Transform Tool, the object will have an eclipse around it.  

• You can now drag the center point to adjust the center of the object. 
• You can also drag the adjustment handles to change the size or radius of the gradient. 

DONE!!

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