1. Create a small frame-by-frame animation within 20 frames.
2. Draw several versions of a stick figure moving. Use 10 variations of the figure's body positions throughout the 20 frame. Use onion-skinning to align the figure throughout the 20 frame.
3. Save your figure.fla movie with onion-skinning on.
In the illustration below I have completed 7 keyframes and I am using the rotation tool to change the rotation of the shoulder, so that the arm position can be modified in this frame.
You can select the top of the arm with the arrow tool. Go to the Modify Menu - Modify>Transform>Edit Center. This will allow you to change the center point of rotation on the limb from the center to the upper left corner which is the natural place for the arm to hinge onto the shoulder.
Modify at least 3 Edit Centers for this assignment. (see illustration below).
Create an image of a stick figure in frame 1 and then insert keyframes in the next 10 frames.
Turn on Onion Skinning to Onion All option.
Move the playback head to frame 2 and use the arrow tool to select the edges of some of the body parts and modify the lines.
Select other areas and use the Modify Menu - Modify>Transform>Flip Horizontal, etc.
Do this for all 10 frames.
Leave onion-skinning on and save as yourname_figure.fla.
Change the rotation of the shoulder hinge by selecting the arm line, using the Free Transform Tool and dragging the small circle registration symbol to the upper left area of the arm where it meets the shoulder. This edits the center of the arm so you can rotate from an end rather than the default middle.
Rotate the arm from the shoulder.
Notice the placement of hair, arms, skirt, legs, etc. on previous frames in dimmer shades of gray.
Be certain to select all the keyframes when using the Edit Multiple Frames Button. Just clicking the button does not automatically select all the keyframes.
You may have to go in and use Shift+Click to select each keyframe and each of the images on each keyframe.
Make the dimensions of your movie as small as possible. When you reduce the stage size, Flash removes from the right and bottom sides.
Illustration of a frame-by-frame animation using Onion Skinning.
The play button will start the animation and the sound. The mute button will stop all sounds. This lesson in Onion Skinning showed you how to manage your content while developing your movie on the stage. Speaking of sounds, let's go and find out how to use sounds in Flash.
This is the end of this lesson. Please proceed to the Assignments area.
