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Using Flash

Last month (see it@tt, 30 January 2001), we featured an introduction to Flash. This week let's dive in and begin splashing around...

Now that you are familiar about the much sought after splashy-flashy Macromedia Flash animation software why not get your (virtual) drawing boards and crayons out! Not that you really need them because Flash provides an amazing drawing space and an easy-to-use drawing and painting tool bar. This toolbar also has modifying palettes (panels) for each tool.

To draw a shape or use a tool, select it from the toolbar then click and hold down the mouse button. Now drag the mouse pointer onto the Stage. Release to see the masterpiece you have created.

Flash uses and creates vector graphics for animation and web graphics. But before I continue let me give you a quick primer on digital images, including commonly used Web formats. However raster (bitmap) images too can be imported into Flash. There are two types of digital images: raster and vector. Raster is a map of pixels that defines an image. Vector is a mathematical calculation forming lines. And is much sharper allowing you to make and save crisp, clear images. On the other hand, raster images lose their clarity when expanded. while vector retains sharpness. The two most commonly used formats for saving images on the Web are JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) which is a standardized image compression standard for raster or bit mapped (.BMP) images. And GIF (Graphic Interface Format) for vector graphics.

Getting back to Flash. All shapes are referred to as objects. A shape can be further divided into two elements, namely stroke and fill. And you can select both of them separately.

To begin your flashy journey, lets look at the Flash Tool Bar and its components.

Arrow tool (V)
Used for selecting objects and readjusting the shapes.

Sub-selection tool (A)
Used to display points on lines and shape outlines. Also to modify the lines and outlines by adjusting the points.

Line Tool (N)
Used to create straight lines (strokes). You can select the Stroke Colour from the "Colours" section of the Toolbox or the Stroke Panel. To select alternative stroke styles, use the Stroke Style drop-down menu and select from seven preset styles. You can also customise your own style.

Lasso Tool (L)
To select objects by drawing either a freehand or a straight-edged selection area, you can use the Lasso tool and its Polygon Mode modifier.

Pen Tool (P)
Used to create precise curved or straight lines. This tool draws lines that include editable points. These editable points allow you to change the properties of the line after you’ve drawn it. To draw is as easy as click from one point to another.

Oval Tool (O)
Used to create circular shapes. To constrain the circular shape to a perfect circle (or a rectangle to a perfect square), press and hold the [SHIFT] button as you draw.

Rectangle Tool (R)
Used to create rectangular shapes.

Pencil Tool (Y)
Used to draw freehand outlines (lines that aren't necessarily straight). You can also set the stroke colour, style, and thickness with the standard controls detailed in the Line Tool. There are three modes to draw lines: straighten, smooth, and ink.

Brush Tool (B)
Used to draw or paint fills. You should select a fill colour, or gradient fill before you use it from the either the Colours Panel, the Fill Panel, or the Swatches Panel. In addition, the Brush Tool has a number of options.

Ink Bottle Tool (S)
Used to modify existing lines or adds (new) lines to shapes without lines. To modify an existing line, or to add a line to an existing shape, select a stroke colour, thickness, and style, and then click on an existing line or the fill of shape with a line.

Paint Bucket Tool (K)
Used to modify existing fills or add new fills to shapes without fills. To modify an existing fill, select a fill colour (solid or gradient) and click on the fill. To add a fill to an existing shape that is just an outline, select a fill colour (solid or gradient) and click inside the outline of the shape. The Paint Bucket Tool options include Gap Size, Lock Fill, and Transform Fill.

Dropper Tool (I)
Used to sample colours from existing shapes by clicking on a fill or outline.

Eraser Tool (E)
Used to erase shapes or parts of shapes on the Stage. To erase a shape (or part of a shape), click, hold, and drag the mouse pointer over the shape. The Eraser Tool options include Eraser Mode which lets you erase normal, erase fills, erase lines, erase selected fills, and erase inside. The Faucet acts as a quick eraser. And with a single click, an entire fill or outline can be instantly erased. Eraser shapes consist of different sizes of circles and squares.

Zoom Tool (M, Z)
Used to zoom into, and out of, areas on the Stage.

Hand Tool (H, SPACEBAR)
Used to move the Stage around within the Flash environment.

Vaishali Singh is Chief Designer of CareermosiacIndia.com.
You can contact her at [email protected]

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