Drawing in Flash

A guide to drawing in Flash by

 Mr. V

Pencil Tool

This is your Pencil Tool. Before we start playing with it I just want to make sure the setting are ok. 

• Click Edit>Preferences 
• When the menu pops up put "Smooth Curves", "Recognize lines", Recognize shapes" all at 'normal' for now (once you understand this process you can choose your own preferences).
• Click OK

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Pencil Tool - Ink

• Once you've clicked on the pencil tool button. Go near the bottom to find the different drawing options. 
• Let's start with 'Ink'
• Try drawing a triangle, square and circle near the left side of the screen. Like this: 

It is supposed to look unaltered. It will probably choppy and inaccurate  No problem! Because that's what the other two are for.

Pencil Tool - Smooth

• Click the Smooth option.
• Draw again a triangle, square and circle.
• You can see that it smooths out the lines but does not try to predict what you are drawing.

Smooth

Pencil Tool - Straighten

• Click the Smooth option.
• Draw again a triangle, square and circle.
• You can see that it smooths out the lines but does not try to predict what you are drawing.

Straighten

Pencil Tool - Marking

You will be marked on: 

1. Creating a triangle, square and circle using the ink tool.
2. Creating a triangle, square and circle using the smooth tool.
3. Creating a triangle, square and circle using the straighten tool.

SAVE!!!! 

• File> Save 
• Save your document as flashdraw_yourlastname and press save.
• Save every 5 minutes

Feel free to go back and try some of the different preferences to see how much more a precise the straight tool can be.

NEXT STEPS:

1. Double click on the layer to rename it "pencil tool 1"
2. Click the eyeball to make that layer invisible.
3. Create a new layer. With this button
4. Call it Pencil Tool 2. 

Pencil Tool - Stokes

1. To access our Stroke menu we need to access our Property Inspector. To access it go to Windows>Properties
2. The Property Inspector changes depending on what tool you are using. 

3. By entering a number or sliding the stroke bar left to right you can see that the pencil's width becomes smaller and larger depending on the value. 

4. You can also choose a colour. 

Pencil Tool - Stokes - Corners

• Click  Cap in the properties menu.
• You can see different options. These are the tips of your lines. None, round and square. 

None

Round

Square

Pencil Tool - Stokes - Joints

• Click Joints
• Try each one of them. 
• Miter = sharp corners
•  Round = A rounded corner
• Bevel = A beveled corner. 
• Try playing with the styles for some cool effects. If you click the pencil tool you can really tailor to your preferences. 

A. You will be marked on:

• Trying all 3 corners
• Trying all 3 joints
• Trying a few different styles. 
• Saving your work properly
• Creating a new layer properly

Line Tool

• Turn off Pencil Tool 2 and create a new layer called Pencil Tool 3.
• Try the line tool. You can alter many of the same things we altered with the pencil tool. 
• Just make a small line somewhere on the page. 

Rectangle Tool (Shapes)

• To use the rectangle tool you simply click once and drag out the shape. 
• You find the rectangle tool under the flyout (the little arrow on the button has more options if you click and hold). 
• You can also choose the stroke styles and sizes in the properties menu. 

'Flyout arrow)

Pencil Tool - Rectangle Tool (Shapes)

• Any tool with a small arrow beside it means it has other similar tools hidden behind it. 
• We are going to start with the Rectangle Tool though.
•  At the bottom we can choose object 

drawing. 

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Pencil Tool - Rectangle Tool (object drawing OFF)

• Object Drawing on allows you to remove parts of shapes with other shapes. While off means that they won't effect each other. Confusing? Let's try it...

Step 1: Draw a square (O.D. off)

Step 2: Draw a square 2nd square over it. 

Step 3: Double Click the 2nd square and move it.

See how it removes a chunk of Square 1? 

Pencil Tool - Rectangle Tool (object drawing ON)

• Object Drawing on allows you to remove parts of shapes with other shapes. While off means that they won't effect each other. Confusing? Let's try it...

 Rectangle Tool (Properties)

Stroke        Fill

colour       colour

No colour

Alpha: changes the opacity

Rectangle Tool (Properties)

Try these settings to get the result found below. You can see you can see how we can alter individual corners for cool effects. 

Tool (Properties)

• Clear your stage by selecting your 'Selecting Tool' (the black arrow at the top) and making a box around everything you've put on the stage then press delete. 
• You should now have your pencil tool layer cleared. 
• Rename that layer 'Shapes'
• Don't forget to save because we are going to make a few shapes in the next step. 

Shapes (Properties)

• Choose Polystar Tool from the flyout of the Rectangle Tool

• Under the properties panel click Tools
• Then choose options.
• You can choose a Polygon or a star
• You can Set a number of sides for the star too!

Try it! :)

Shapes (Properties)

You can also choose a Point Size to make different types of stars. 

Try it! :)

• Also you must recreate what we learned in page 18 and create a new box that has an inverted corner and a rounded covner. 

B. You will be marked on:

•  A box with an inverted corner and a rounded corner. 
• Creating two different stars with different point sizes and sides.

Shapes (interacting with each other)

• REMEMBER: Object Drawing on allows you to remove parts of shapes with other shapes. While off means that they won't effect each other. Confusing? Let's try it...

Now here comes a tricky yet fun part. Interacting your shapes together. 

1. Create a new layer
2. Call it "Interacting Shapes"
3.  Make sure the only thing visible (using the eyeball) is the new layer 'Interacting Shapes'.

The tricky part:

• If the two shapes are the same color, they merge into one combined shape.
• If the two shapes are different colors, they remain separate.

Shapes (interacting with each other)

• Be Sure your Object Drawing is light and not darkened (off). 
• Make two different coloured circles (no stroke only fill)  

• Move one of the circles over the other and then deselect it.

• Click the circle and move it to see how it removes a the chunk that was covered.

Shapes (primitive shapes)

 By using the primitive versions of tools like oval and rectangle we can alter shapes in different ways. 

• Draw a circle with your tool.
• Once drawn alter the tools in the 'Oval Options'.

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Here's my example:

Using the Pen Tool to create Curves

The Pen tool allow you to draw curves. Using this tool you can create curved or straight lines...or both!

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TIP! To help you learn this tool go to Edit>Preferences, click the Drawing category and enable 'Show Pen Preview'. This will show you where the curve will show up before you've set it.

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 Here is the simple step of using the Pen Tool:

1. Click the start point and then click the end point you want.
2. Continue to add lines by clicking additional spots on the page. 
3. Double click to complete the process.

Using the Pen Tool to create Curves

Here is a simple way to create a curve.

• To make curves; click, drag in the desired direction, release the mouse button, and move the mouse cursor to wherever you want. 

• See those light blue lines? Use the ALT key held down and the mouse tool clicked to alter the shape. See...

Using the Brush Tool

Delete everything on screen again to start from scratch. Click the Paint Brush Tool.

A. Used when you don't need to worry about other objects.

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B. Fills an empty area of the stage. The pain does not cover the lines. 

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C.Paints behind and around existing objects but only in blank areas of the stage. 

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D. Paints in only the filled in areas that you previously selected. Flash fills in only the selected area.

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E. Paints inside only the fill where you start brushing is painted. Also paints an empty area of the stage if that's where you start brushing. 

A

B

C

D

E

Paint Options: First Draw 5 circles with a stroke around 13 and a different colour fill. 

Paint Normal               Paint Fills                 Paint Behind

Paint Selection                Paint Inside 

Paint Options: Paint Normal

In your first circle use Paint Normal and paint sloppily with a different colour: 

See how it paints over the circle and breaks apart the stroke.

Paint Options: Paint Fills

In your second circle use Paint Fills and paint sloppily with a different colour: 

See how it does not affect the stroke but only paints the 'fill'.

Paint Options: Paint Behind

In your third circle use Paint Behind and paint sloppily with a different colour: 

See how it paints behind both the fill and the stroke.

Paint Options: Paint Selection

In your 4th circle use your selection tool and make a box around your circle thus selecting a section of the circle.  Now use Paint Selection and paint sloppily with a different colour: 

See how it paints in the area that you selected only. 

Paint Options: Paint Inside

Choose Paint Inside, choose an area and paint sloppily. 

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See how it paints in the area that you selected only but at times might break your stroke. 

You will be marked on:

•  Having created all 5 circles and using all of the 5 brush types listed in the previous few slides.

NEXT: Using a Drawing Tablet! 

Using a Drawing Tablet

Here are a few tips:

• Changing your Brush size: Choose a different width that will help you.
• Changing your Brush shape: Flash offers several brush shapes you can choose from. Click the Brush shape drop down list and select one of the shapes. Each shape produces a different effect, especially when you paint at an angle - you just need to try them out to see what works best. 
•  Pressure & Tilt: These two are meant specifically for your Drawing Tablet. The Tilt modifier varies the angle of your brush stroke when you vary the angle of the stylus on the tablet. EX: Holding the stylus straight up and down produces a different shape of brush stroke than the one you get if you hold the stylus at a 45 degree angle to the tablet. 

Brush Smoothing

Smoothing brush strokes is similar to smoothing pencil strokes. You can finely adjust how much your brush strokes are smoothed after you finish drawing them. You can set smoothing anywhere from 0-100.

To set brush smoothing, follow these steps:

1. Click the Brush tool

2. Open the Property inspector if it's not open

3. In the Smoothing section, enter a new Smoothing value or drag upward or downward to set a new value.

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The lower values change your strokes less. Therefore, if you set Smoothing to 0, the brush stroke is closest to what you actually drew. Lower values create more vectors, resulting in a larger file size for your movie. The higher values smooth and simplify your strokes more. 

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The Spray Brush

• Create a new layer and call it 'Paint Time'
•  Turn the eye off on all layers but the new layer.
• Under the brush tool flyout click the 'Spray Brush Tool'. 
• You can click to see the small dots that are added to your stage.

Setting Symbol Properties

1. Let's create a symbol. Draw something with your normal paint brush. I drew a green leaf: 

The Spray Brush

• Right click the image you just made and convert it to a symbol. 

The Spray Brush

• This window will pop up. Name your image and choose Type>Graphic.
• Press OK.
• Then delete the image you just made. 

The Spray Brush

• Change to the Spray Brush. 
•  Click Edit under the Properties menu.
• Click your new image and press OK.

The Spray Brush

• You can alter the Scale Width & Height to make your image smaller (I chose 10 for both)
•  You can also choose how far apart they spray with Brush width & height (I chose width 225 px & height 113 px)

Using the Paint Bucket Tool

First draw something where you didn't paint (delete an area if you need to). I drew the picture below.

Use your Fill Tool to fill in the gaps. And try some of the extra functions for more or less fill!

Next we're going to try shading our drawings using what we've already learned!

Using the Paint Bucket Tool with the Brush Tool!

Using the brush tool & fill tool I changed my brush options and brush sizes to finally get the results below. 

To get the off colours I wanted I used the tool below to select more variations of colour.

Ink Tool: This adds a line to any shape you click. It can be found under the Paint Bucket Flyout.

Rulers

• View> Rulers
•  Click on the horizontal ruler and pull down to set markers.
• Click on the vertical ruler and pull left to get vertical markers.

Selecting areas

Use this tool to select areas you want. You can draw the area out before changing by clicking and circling an area you want. 

If you want more precise lines for selecting click this button.

D. You will be marked on:

•  Creating a symbol
• Using that symbol in your airbrush. 
• Altering the sizing and spacing of the brush.
• Drawing an image and filling it with a variety of colour.
• Using brush tools to shade the image.