It is a relatively simple animation, but it is the little details that make it better.
See how I adjust the timing and movements of the animation.
See the finished Flash animation: click here.
C ) Making the Animation in Flash
1. Open up new Flash document: File > New
2. Open up LIBRARY: Window > Library
The Library is one of the most important components in making a Flash animation.
This is where you will store all your graphics, text, and sounds. Flash refers to all the items in the Library as "Symbols".
From the Library you will access and re-use the items.
3. As you can see in Graphic 3 (right), I have imported all the various pieces of Butthead into the Library as graphic symbols: There is the head, foot, upper leg, lower leg, shadow and ground.
| Flash Animation Lesson Contents You are Here, Part 1 -The Idea -The Drawing -Making the Animation Part 2: -Making the Animation (continued) Animating The Jumping Leg Animating the Shadow |
I was doodling up some ideas for some new cartoon characters and came up with this person or thing that after I finished drawing it, looked kind of like a butt and a head....butthead.
Here is a sketch of the first butthead I did in my sketchpad. This is original size, about 1 x 1.5 inches:
One can draw their cartoon characters in Flash, but I don't really care for the Flash drawing tools. I cannot get the style or design that I want, so I draw in the vector drawing program Adobe Illustrator and then export/import the drawings into Flash.
What software do I use to draw my characters?
In Adobe Illustrator I open up a new file and draw each element of the cartoon character on a separate layer.
For the Butthead animation I knew that he would be repeatedly jumping in the air. I wanted his legs and feet to move independently of the body. Plus there would be a shadow and the ground.
In Graphic 2, right are shown the indivdual parts I drew and exported as .swf files:
- green ground,
- the darker green shadow ,
- one foot,
- the body,
- one lower leg part
- and one upper leg part.
In Graphic 2, why only one leg and foot parts since their are two legs and feet in the final animation?
I re-use the one set of leg & feet parts. This lowers the end Flash file's size.
I then exported each of the separate pieces (right) as separate .swf files from Illustrator into my main "Butthead" file folder on my computer to be imported into Flash.
character.
NOTE: As you can see graphics above there are Buttons included (start and stop), but not discussed in this lesson. Buttons will be a different lesson.
Go to Part 2 of the Making of
the Jumping Butthead Animation:
Click Here
Lesson 3. Making A Simple Animated Movement.
Suggest this Flash Animation Web Site
to a Friend!
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