Motion Graphics tutorial -part 2

24. Now, to put a picture underneath, we will create a new layer, which we will name to avoid any confusion in the future. (You will be amazed how often you will wish that you had named your layers in your future flash and photoshop projects if you forgot to at the beginning.

If you work with others, make sure they are as tidy as you in the flash projects.

i. Create a new layer by pushing the button under the existing layers to the left of the timeline.

fig.10

ii. Name your new layer by double-clicking where it says i.e Layer 2. The name should then become editable and you can type in picture, or background, whatever you like really, it is for your reference.

fig.11

iii. Now rename the original layer with the tween on it.

So now you should have two layers, one called e.g.TWEEN, and one called e.g.PICTURE. If you drag the top layer (the PICTURE layer) down under the TWEEN layer, you will change the order of the layers. Now, the PICTURE layer should be underneath the TWEEN layer.

25. Download this image by right-clicking and choosing 'Save Picture As' (i am using internet explorer; other browsers may use slightly different terminology i.e. Mozilla Firefox uses 'Save Image As').

fig.12

26. Select the first frame in the picture layer and choose File>Import>Import to Stage (or press Ctrl + R after selecting the first frame in the picture layer) .

Browse to the image you downloaded and import it.

26. Now, in the ' Library Panel' on the bottom right of your screen (in default layout: If it's not there press Ctrl+ L and it will appear, hopefully) , change the name of your graphic by double clicking on it like you did when you renamed the layers.

Call it myShape or something like that.

fig.13

27. Now double-click on the graphic in the library panel. You will enter the graphic, and the shape will now be on the stage.

Click on the body of the shape you made. (Mine is a green square.)

Change the colour to white by changing the colour palette in the tools to white.

fig.16

Now exit the graphic by clicking on the top left of the timeline where it says 'Scene 1'.

28. Export your movie again (<Ctrl> + <Enter>) and you should see this.

fig.17

You have learned how to create a basic motion tween. Now go to the next part of the tutorial where you will learn the 'Shape tween' .

Go to next part of flash motion graphics tutorial.

Go back to previous page of the motion graphics tutorial