Onion Skin
Software : Flash 5.0
Level : Intermediate

Concept: The lesson is designed using flash software which is a premium software for web animation. For a creative person, sky is the limit when he uses flash. The software provides lots of option for drawing and filling the colors to create the static object and then add life to it using animation techniques. Its amazing to fill yje life in otherwise still object and move it across the stage. The reusability of flash symbols make the animation light like a feather. Try to use these tips and tricks as a guideline and explore the world of creativity.

1. Onion Skin gives you more control over the animation.

2. Create a new file. Create two layers. Draw the fixed objects on the bottom layer. And hammer which is movable on the top layer.

3. Insert 9 frames on the bottom layer. Convert hammer into symbol using F8. Edit the center of the hammer and bring it at the bottom using

Modify > Transform > Edit Center

4. Select top layer. Insert keyframe at 5. Bring the hammer down. Insert keyframe at 9 and drag the hammer back to original position.

Create motion Tween.

5. You will get the following output.

6. Select all the frames on the top layer and convert it into keyframes using

Modify > frames > Convert to keyframes

7. If you click on the Onion Skin (Red marked) You will get the positions of the frames filled with color

8. If you click on the Onion Skin Outlines(Red marked) You will get the positions of the frames with outlines without color.

9. Select each frame and edit using other frames as reference. In this project we have used Rotate command and changed the position of the frames using Onion Skin property.

10. Using Onion Skin, drag the first 3 frames very near to each other with rotate command. Compare the final output of the animation.

You will find the first animation is smooth one and the second begin slowly and increases the speed.