This tutorial is for people who want to know the basic techniques of layers manipulation and animation creating.

a. Launch Flash MX 2004

b. Create new Flash file. Click File> New...

c. Select Flash Document in a new window

d. Now let's take closer look at the panels you get by default in your Flash program window. The "Timeline" (at the top of the window) and "Properties" (at the bottom) panels are most important in this tutorial.

e. e. Basic operations with layers: add a layer and rename it.
To add a new layer click the "Insert Layer" icon

To rename a layer, double click a default layer name (for example "Layer 1" label) and when it changes to the text input field type in your new name. Name Layer 1 to "Shape" and Layer 2 to "Motion". There are two types of animation available in Macromedia Flash MX 2004: Shape and Motion. Inside the "Shape" layer we will make Shape animation and inside "Motion" layer – Motion animation.
When you use Shape animation you change one shape to another and Motion animation allows you to change the place and size of single object. You will see what I mean after we complete the tutorial.

f. We start with the Motion animation. Select "Motion" layer and draw a simple rectangle shape in it, then count 10 blank frames from the first keyframe and right click on the 10th blank frame. Select "Insert Keyframe" option (picture A). Now you have 2 keyframes and 8 frames in the "Motion" layer (picture B).

Picture A.

Picture B.

g. Click on the shape, drag and drop it on the other place anywhere on the working area.

h. Click on the "Motion" layer in the right "Timeline" panel to select all frames in that layer. Then right click selected frames and press "Create Motion Tween" option (picture C). If everything was done correctly you will see the blue arrow from the first keyframe to the last keyframe, like we have on the picture D.

Picture C.

Picture D.

i. Press "Ctrl + Enter" and enjoy your motion animation. You may observe how your shape travels from first starting point of the first keyframe to the last point, which is the last keyframe.

j. Now select the first frame of "Shape" layer and draw a rectangle shape (note: place the second shape so that it was not hidden under the motion animation)

k. Count 10 blank frames from the first keyframe and right click on the 10th blank frame. Select "Insert Keyframe" option. Just like we did for motion animation.

l. Click on the last keyframe to select rectangle shape, press "Delete" to get rid of the rectangle shape from the last keyframe.

m. Select the last blank keyframe from the "Shape" and draw an oval shape with the "Oval Tool"

n. Click on the "Shape" layer to select the whole objects within the layer. Press "Ctrl+F3" to open "Properties" panel.

o. Click on the selection box called "Tween" and select "Shape" option. The green arrow must appear between the first and last keyframe.

Press "Ctrl+Enter" and enjoy your animation. Congratulations! You have created Shaped and Motion animation.

Click here to download source fla file.

About the Author: Oleg Lazarenko
Production manager of
Metamorphosis Website Design Studio -
Custom design, Website Templates,
Web design Articles and Tutorials.

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