Session 2 [Fri 150110] - First Live Session/ The Design Process/ The Rudiments of Flash

Hi Sally! A useful session today I think.

The Creative Process
It's important not to forget the process of designing as you handle what may seem a simple task like the Superbanner brief.

There is still research and brainstorming to be done on a set theme.

Your thinking and initial sketching on the subject should result in a range of ideas. These should be honed to three or four and a final choice made from these.

The final choice may be the first thought you had but it will be enriched by the supporting ideas. This is even more expected of a designer in an advertising context.

A simple search on Google will bring up a respectable list of Green organisations to aim your thinking at, from home composting to off-shore wind farms, and activists fighting for the rights of island dwellers and polar bears everywhere.

I look forward to your boards next week. Remember to prepare a template storyboard sheet with room for description, directions for animation, and timings where you can.

The Rudiments of Flash
We covered quite a lot of ground today. Armed with that insight and with recourse to the recommended books you should be able to pick it up a pace with your understanding of the Flash environment.

It will be interesting to see what you learnt next week in some actual practical examples. Make a note of whatever you wanted to do but weren't able to achieve so we can cover it the next time we meet.

What we covered today -

• The Flash GUI, key panels, and Workspaces
• Setting the Document Properties [Apple-J] including bgd colour, frame rate [18fps for the Banner]
• When to use bitmap, when to use vectors
• Comparing file size for bitmap and vector art
• Symbol Types - Graphic, Button, MovieClip
• Naming Protocols - one rule for the Library items - Symbols - and another for ActionScript-able Instances
• Importing single layer bitmaps to the Stage/ Library
• F8 - Convert To Symbol
• Importing Layered PSD artwork to the Stage
• Introducing Tweening Types - Classic [Frame by Frame/ Shape Tweening], Motion Tweening, and Inverse Kinematics
• Working with a Motion Path in a Motion Tween
• Editing the span and keyframes of the MotionTween Object on the Main Timeline
• Introduction to the Motion Editor

Moving Forward
Three things need to be established alongside the banner project -

• Defining your final assignment
• Starting your analysis of Flash sites
• Reading on ActionScript

So, in addition to your Superbanner work, watch the blog this week for the written/research assignment, start reading the Learning ActionScript for Beginners book, and interview your brains for ideas toward your main project.

I'm getting excited for you already!
See you soon,
James