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Learn drawing and animation techniques for creating compelling characters and interactive environments in Flash. Students explore techniques for using scenes, movie clips, masks, and compound objects to create animated buttons, graphics, cartoons, and interfaces. The focus of the class is on applying and mastering the principles of traditional animation using the basic Flash toolset (an understanding of ActionScripting is not required).

LESSON 1 Character Design Did you know why Yogi Bear wears a tie? Or why Scooby Doo wears a collar? Lesson One focuses on the art of drawing simple but compelling characters and preparing them for animation. You'll start with an animator's introduction to the many applications and best practices for Flash animation on the Web today. Then you'll explore how Brush, Pen, Shape, and Onion Skin tools, together with symbols, can be used to draw effective characters. Students with digital drawing tablets will learn to use them in conjunction with Flash. Then you'll learn how to clean up your sketches and manage your artwork using timeline and library features. Your first exercise will be to create a Flash character that's primed for animation.

LESSON 2 Character Animation To add life to your characters, you must give them expression. Lesson Two looks at some classic approaches to giving animated characters expression and emotion. The mechanics of eye movements, blinking, talking, and making gestures are explored, together with efficient ways to achieve those effects, such as nested frames. Throughout, the emphasis is on creating a convincing animation by hinging body parts, smooth motion tweening, and easing in and out. In the exercise, you'll make your Flash character come to life with a variety of expressions.

LESSON 3 Characters in Motion Flash provides multiple options for moving your animated character around the stage. Lesson Three explores the critical issue of how and when to tween, and when to animate frame-by-frame. Case studies explore various approaches to the "walk cycle" of a character, breaking down the independent motion of different body parts for a convincing effect. You'll look at how to create the illusion of motion in 3D perspective, and edit frame-by-frame motion using the Onion Skin feature. In the exercise, you'll make your Flash character walk around and appear to move in 3D space.

LESSON 4 Motion Effects In animation, there's always more to motion than meets the eye. Animators use various classic motion effects as a short-hand for acceleration, collision, turning corners, and more. Lesson Four explores how these techniques can be created in Flash, by using motion blurs, selective animation, and speed lines. A case study looks at the challenge of squashing and stretching, a phenomenon long familiar to Roadrunner fans. The exercise will be a series of motion studies that challenge you to apply these techniques.

LESSON 5 Sounds and Storyboards At this point in the course, you're ready to plan and sketch a short animated scene. How does a pro animator prepare a sequence? Lesson Five discusses approaches to writing a story, sketching and animating a storyboard in Flash, and planning your "camera" shots and techniques. You'll also review how a classic Bugs Bunny cartoon approaches storytelling and how to incorporate sound in your movie. In the exercise, you'll create your own animated storyboard based on a soundtrack chock full of fun sound effects.

LESSON 6 Animated Sequences Now you're ready to finalize and launch your 30-second animation in Flash. Pixar, look out! Lesson Six explores turning your animated storyboard into a fully-featured animation. You'll look at different ways of using your animation skills to make your character interact with other characters or objects. Finally, you'll examine some additional Flash character animations for inspiration and a professional perspective. In the final project you'll complete your short animation and publish it for all the world to see.