Flash animation creation. How to create Flash animation Flash animation program

Have you ever wondered what lies behind the beautiful animation of banners on the Internet? Or the newfangled cartoons created with the help of computer technology? Most often they are based on “flesh”, or more precisely, this is how the name of the Flash technology is translated from English. Today we will talk about flash animation for the website:

Flash technology

The multimedia framework was developed by Macromedia. But after its absorption (merger), all rights to the technology were transferred to the new owner - Adobe Systems.

Area of ​​modern application of Adobe Flash:

• Creating web applications is a fairly new direction. Implies full or partial use of Flash to create websites. When partially applied, this technology creates individual design elements: various interactive menus, animated buttons, etc.

Compared to conventional HTML-based resources, Flash sites have some features that limit their use. These include the high cost of development, demands on server resources, long loading times with a slow Internet connection, and some other aspects:

• Implementation of multimedia capabilities - to listen to audio and play video on websites, media players created based on Flash are often used. Their development includes the use of one of the scripting languages ​​(usually JavaScript):

• In online advertising, technology is most often used to create animated banners. They imply not only the playing of multimedia advertising, but also some kind of interaction with the user on a game basis.

Flash Development Basics and Tools

To create flash animation, traditional tools from Adobe are most often used:

• Adobe Flash Professional – a program for creating interactive animation (animator);
• Adobe Flash Builder – an environment for creating web application interfaces;
• Adobe Flash Player is a browser-integrated player for playing Flash.

In addition to it, a number of third-party applications can play multimedia content of this type. The most popular ones are Gnash, QuickTime and some others:

This technology allows you to display any type of graphics ( raster, vector, 3D). It also supports streaming relay of audio and video data. A lightweight version of Flash Lite was developed especially for mobile devices.

The main standard for Flash files is the SWF extension. The abbreviation stands for Small Web Format. Video recorded in Flash has the file extensions FLV, F4V.

The development of interactive animation in Flash is based on vector graphics. It is thanks to this that it was possible to implement support for a multimedia platform and independence of animation quality from screen resolution.

The flash application file size is the same for all users, regardless of screen technical characteristics (resolution).

Interactive animation in Flash is based on morphing (vector type), in which there is a slow flow between key frames. To play back the data, a Flash player is used, the operation of which is in many ways similar to the operation of the JavaScript virtual machine. The software component of the technology is implemented using the ActionScript language.

The disadvantages of the technology include the following points:

• Heavy load on the central processor of the client machine. This is due to the low efficiency of the Flash virtual machine, which is built into the user’s browser along with the player;
• High probability of errors - playing Flash animation may occur with a high probability of errors. Moreover, failures in Flash playback negatively affect the operation of the entire client application (browser). This is due to insufficient control over the fault tolerance of the program code when creating Flash applications;
• Failure to index - All text content displayed in Flash content is not indexed. This limitation is especially problematic for those resources that are created on the basis of this technology.

Review of third-party Flash creation software

Sothink SWF Quicker was taken as a prototype application on which we will demonstrate the basics of creating Flash. According to many professionals, the program is the most understandable and easiest to learn.

In addition to creating and editing, the flash editor “can” work with all other types of web animation (GIF, HTML and other standards):

After installation, go to the user-friendly interface of the program. Unfortunately, after wandering through all the nooks and crannies, we did not find an interface language switch.

In order to understand how to make flash animation in this application, we will use the built-in templates. The “New From Template” dialog box appears immediately after starting the program. In addition, it can be called through the main menu item “File". Among the offered options, we chose to create a banner:

In the next wizard window, from the drop-down list you need to select a template according to which the animation will be created. Below it is a small frame in which the selected template is played:

In the next steps, you need to set the dimensions of the banner and enter 5 phrases of text that will be played in the animation. In addition, you must specify the address of the resource to which the user will be led by clicking on the banner:

After compiling the project and closing the wizard window, you can view the resulting video in the built-in player. To do this, click on the green arrow at the top:

After closing the player, let's take a closer look at the application interface. Please note that it consists of two main windows: the top one is for editing the time period of the video, and the bottom one is a regular graphic editor. Each of the elements is located on a separate layer, which can be modified using standard tools located on the sidebar.

A free program for creating flash videos of almost any degree of complexity! Includes almost all the necessary tools for everyday work with flash and can be used by both beginners and professionals. The main difference and advantage of this program is its support for ActionScript 2.0, without which it is simply impossible to imagine creating professional Flash content.

It seems that Dima Bilan is right when he says that the impossible is possible :). Until recently, web developers had to either pirate or pay quite a lot of money for the opportunity to work with Flash animation. And now, finally, the hour has come when a third full-fledged option has appeared - to use a free flash editor.

Previously, there was already one similar program on our site, but its disadvantage was that it was somewhat outdated, had a limited set of tools, and lacked support for the ActionScript programming language, which is so necessary for creating somewhat functional websites, games, etc.

Today I will introduce you to a completely modern flash editor, which can compete almost on an equal footing with the famous Adobe Flash - Vectorian Giotto.

Comparison of Vectorian Giotto with a paid analogue

As you can see, the developers of Vectorian Giotto did their best and tried to fit into their program the maximum possible set of functions similar to Adobe Flash. In addition, most of the hotkeys are also the same, so those who are used to working with the Adobe editor will not have much difficulty switching to the free Vectorian Giotto platform!

Well, for dessert, the free editor also has something that its “big brother” sometimes lacks - a built-in library of animation effects that will appeal especially to those who create flash banners.

Preparing for work

To start working with Vectorian Giotto, we need to download the archive with the installer, which, by the way, weighs only 8 megabytes! When the archive is downloaded, open it and run the file VectorianGiotto.exe.

Despite the fact that the installation (and the program itself, unfortunately :)) is in English, it should not cause any difficulties, since it is not necessary to change anything in the default settings. Just click the “Next” button several times and wait for the installation process to complete;).

First acquaintance with the interface

Upon completion of the installation, if we did not change anything in the standard settings, the Vectorian Giotto working window will appear in full screen:

As I already said, the program interface is in English, so in order to avoid misunderstandings and misunderstandings when performing further actions described in the article, I would like to introduce some conceptual apparatus :). Let's start, as usual, from top to bottom and left to right.

Menu bar. This is the panel on which all the menus of the Vectorian Giotto program are located. When working with animation, you may need sections such as “File” (for saving and exporting your animation to SWF), “View” (for setting the workspace display parameters), “Modify” (for managing the parameters of the current document and working with the library effects) and “Window” (for customizing the displayed modules and program panels).

Main toolbar. Here are buttons for managing project actions and an animation playback panel.

Drawing panel (occupies the entire left side of the program window). Here you will find all the necessary tools for creating any desired objects of your animation, as well as buttons that allow you to configure the parameters of the necessary tools.

Storyboard (or timeline). Allows you to manage frame cells and created layers.

Color control panel. With its help, you can quickly change the color of previously created shapes. It is also used to select the type of fill for your animation objects (solid, gradient, etc.).

Work area. It is a virtual sheet of “paper” designed for drawing your animations :).

ActionScript editor. If you need to create not simple banners, but something more complex, including buttons and all kinds of interactive objects, then you cannot do without a script editor.

Clip structure panel. Displays all the shapes that are “in the frame” and allows you to quickly switch between them and manage their sequence.

Properties panel. Each object in flash has certain properties. This panel is used to manage them.

Transformation panel. Allows you to quickly change the size and position of the selected animation element.

Library of elements. Represents a list of created or imported objects that can be (and are repeatedly!) inserted into an animation.

On this web page we present to your attention programs for creating and editing flash animation. With their help, you can implement your own ideas into animated videos for your website.

Flash editor is a program for creating flash animation and editing ready-made flash videos.

FLA format is the source document of your clip. By opening it, you are taken to the Macromedia Flash program and can further edit the clip.

SWF format is an executable Flash file; when you click on it, you have the opportunity to view the clip using the Macromedia Flash Player program.

Animation using Adobe Flash Professional

Adobe Flash Professional CS3– the advantages and functionality of this program can be described for a very long time. This program is the undisputed leader in the flash technology environment. Adobe Flash Professional is used by both professional Web site developers and flash designers.

With the help of this program you can realize even the sickest fantasy in flash. In general, if you decide to create professional animated Flash files, then Adobe Flash Professional is exactly the program that you cannot do without.

The volume depends on the version from 500 Mb.

At the moment, Adobe Flash Professional CS5 is a new version of the program for working with animation and multimedia.

OS: Windows XP/Vista/7

Screenshot of the program:

Perhaps for a novice web master, creating flash animation using the Adobe Flash Professional program will seem somewhat complicated and out of reach.

In this case, you shouldn’t despair and quit what you started. Try your flash ideas with the Swishmax program.

Swishmax – flash editor

SwishMAX is an alternative program with a friendly and simple interface for creating flash animation, which is less functional than the previous one, but still allows you to get a good quality result. The main advantage of the bottom flash editor is its ease of use. Even a novice user, having video lessons at hand, will be able to create professional flash videos with its help in a short time.

Volume: 9.27 MB.

The interface language is Russian.

Operating system: Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP

Screenshot of the program:

Alligator Flash Designer

The following flash program is even simpler, both in functionality and in interface content. The capabilities of this flash editor make it easy to create a flash banner for a website in a matter of minutes.

There are more than 130 effects: disappearing, zooming, rotating. Animated pictures, shapes or text, and even sound can be easily added to your Flash animation.

Here you can also specify OnClick or OnOver.

Volume: 5.3 MB.

The interface language is Russian.

OS: Windows XP/Vista/7

Screenshot of the program:

Another program that is not a flash animation editor, but its capabilities are necessary for a novice web designer.

Flash Decompiler Trillix

Flash Decompiler Trillix - the main purpose of this program is to export SWF files back to FLA format with one click. Extracts all Flash objects from a SWF file and saves them into a FLA file, which can later be edited in Flash.

The advantage of Flash Decompiler is that it edits sounds, images, colors, gradients, lines, dynamic texts and links without converting to FLA.

Volume: 7.27 MB.

The interface language is Russian.

OS: Windows XP/Vista/7

Screenshot of the program:

October 13, 2014

We constantly come across flash animation – on the Internet and in television broadcasts. Creating a simple Flash animation using Flash technology is quite an easy task as Flash offers many useful tools that make the whole process easier. If you want to create a flash animation or cartoon, you can sketch it in just a couple of hours.

Steps

Part 1

Stop-motion animation basics. This method is considered the main method for creating "traditional" animation, in which each subsequent frame includes the same, but slightly modified image. When all frames are played back, the image “comes to life”. This is the same method used by hand-drawn cartoon animators and is more time consuming than twinning (see next section).

• By default, Flash plays at 24 frames per second (FPS). This means that 24 frames will be shown in one second, but not all of them need to be different. You can change this setting (if you want) to 12 frames per second, but at 24 frames per second the animation will play more smoothly.

1. Install Flash Professional. There are many programs for creating Flash animation, but the most powerful is Adobe Flash Professional CC. You can try this program for free or use another product (if you don't want to sign up for Adobe Creative Cloud). The rest of this article describes how to use Flash Professional.

   Since frame-by-frame animation requires multiple images (which are slightly different from each other), you need to create these images manually. To do this, use Adobe Flash Professional or draw images in any graphics editor.

   • If you want your images to be easily resized without losing quality, create your images in vector graphics rather than raster graphics. Vector images will redraw themselves as they are resized (meaning you will avoid pixilation or anti-aliasing). Raster images are traditional images, such as photographs, drawn pictures, and so on. If you try to enlarge such images, you will end up with a highly distorted image.

2. Create the first frame. When you launch Adobe Flash Professional for the first time, you will see a blank canvas (layer) and a blank timeline. As frames are added, the timeline will fill in automatically. You can work with layers just like you do in Photoshop.

   • Before you add an image, create a basic background for your animation. Rename "Layer 1" to "Background" and then pin it. Create a second layer and name it whatever you like. This will be the layer on which you will create the animation.
   • Add a drawing to the first frame canvas. You can import the drawing from your computer, or you can use the drawing tools to create the drawing directly in the program.
   • The first frame is the “key” frame. A key frame is a frame that contains an image and forms the backbone of an animation. You will create a new keyframe every time you change the image.
   • Keyframes in the timeline are indicated by a black dot.
   • You don't need a keyframe on every subsequent frame. Create a keyframe every four to five frames to make a good animation.

3. Convert the image to a symbol. In this case, you can add the image to the frame several times. This is especially useful if you need to quickly add several similar images into one frame (for example, fish in an aquarium).

   • Select the drawing. Right-click on the picture and select "Convert to Symbol". The image will be added to the library, making it easier to use in the future.
   • Delete the drawing. Don't worry - you can add it to your frame by simply dragging it from the library. This way you can add the same drawing to a frame several times.

4. Add empty frames. Once your first keyframe is ready, insert blank frames and then start creating your second keyframe. Press F5 (four or five times) to add blank frames after the first keyframe.

   Create a second keyframe (after you've added some empty frames). There are two different ways to do this: you can copy an existing keyframe and make small changes to it, or you can create an empty keyframe and add a new image to it. If you are using a drawing created in another program, use the second method. If you are inserting an image created using Adobe Flash Professional drawing tools, use the first method.

   • To create a keyframe using the contents of the previous keyframe, press F6. To create a blank keyframe, right-click the last frame in the timeline and select Insert Blank Keyframe.
   • Once you've created the second keyframe, you need to make changes to its image to make the animation come to life. If you used Adobe Flash Professional drawing tools, select the Transform tool to select an element of your drawing (such as a character's hand) and change it.
   • If you insert a new image at each keyframe, make sure it is in the right place (according to the logical sequence of frames).

5. Repeat the process. After creating two keyframes, repeat the process - add a few blank frames between each keyframe and make sure that the animation plays smoothly.

   • Make small changes. The smaller (more subtle) the changes, the smoother the animation will be. For example, if you want a character to raise their hand, the second keyframe should not include a drawing of the character with their hand already raised. Instead, use multiple keyframes to transition from hand down to hand up. In this case, the animation will be smoother.

6. Transform the drawing. If you have created keyframes and a path, you can transform the image so that it changes smoothly as you move along the tween's path. You can change the shape, color, tilt, size and any other aspect of the image.

   • Select a frame in which the drawing will be transformed.
   • Open the drawing properties panel. To do this, press F3.
   • Change the settings in the drawing properties window. For example, you can change the shade or color, add filters, change the size.
   • You can also use the Free Transform tool to change the drawing however you like.

7. Add the finishing touches. Test the created animation by pressing Ctrl + Enter. Make sure that the drawing (character) changes correctly and that the animation plays at the correct speed. If the animation plays too fast, reduce the FPS value or increase the duration of the tween.

   • The default FPS is 24, so try reducing this value to 12. Change the FPS value in the properties panel. However, at FPS = 12, the animation may not play smoothly enough.
   • To change the duration of a tween, select the layer containing the tween and use the slider to change the duration of the tween. If you want to double the duration of the twin, move the slider to 48 frames. Remember to insert the background into the empty frames so that the background doesn't disappear in the middle of the animation. To do this, select the background layer, click on the last frame of the animation (on the timeline), and then press F5.

Part 3

1. Record or download sound effects and music. You can add sound effects to your animation to make it more impactful. Music makes animation more exciting and can turn a good animation into a great one. Flash supports a variety of audio file formats, including AAC, MP3, WAV, and AU. Choose a format that guarantees high quality sound in a minimum file size.

   • The MP3 format guarantees high sound quality with a minimum file size. WAV files are large in size.

2. Import audio files into the library to quickly add sounds and music to your animations. Click "File" - "Import" - "Import to Library". Locate the audio file on your computer. Make sure the audio file has an easy-to-remember name so you can find it quickly.

   Create a new layer for each audio file. This is not necessary and you can add audio to existing layers, but pasting the audio file onto a separate layer will give you more control over the animation's audio track.

   Create a keyframe that will start the audio playing. On the sound layer, select the animation frame from which the sound will begin to play. Press F7 to insert an empty keyframe. For example, if you want to insert an audio file that will play throughout the animation, select the first frame on the audio file layer. If you're adding a character's voice, choose a shot where the character begins to speak.