STEP 06 designing with GRADIENTS


A gradient is a smooth blend of two or more colors. Flash applies excellent gradients that can be used to give graphics a three- dimensional appearance. The speaker graphic used in the 20k example uses two gradients: one for the inner and one for the outer cones. Flash offers complete gradient editing control and you can use that control to build both concave- and convex-appearing objects.

Before you can apply the gradients, you must first create the speaker outline that will hold the gradients.

  1. Create a new Library symbol called speaker. Select Insert > New Symbol or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-F8 / Cmd-F8.

  2. While in the symbol edit environment, choose the Oval tool, set the line to Gray and the Fill to no color , and drag out a circle. Press Shift while dragging to constrain the oval to a circle.

  3. Use the Object Inspector by selecting Window > Inspectors > Object or using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-I / Cmd-Option-I to set the width and height of the circle to 125 (see figure 03:14).


    Figure 03:14.

    graphics/03fig14.jpg


  4. Select the circle and center align it using the Align command, again making sure to check the Align to Page option in the Align dialog.

  5. Copy the circle and paste it in place using Edit > Paste in Place. This will paste the copied circle exactly on top of the first.

    Paste in Place is a very valuable asset; it basically pastes the object on the stage in the same position (or at the same x,y coordinates) as it was copied from.

  6. Choose Modify > Transform > Scale and Rotate and scale the pasted circle to 40% of the original. You'll need to scale and rotate this newly pasted circle before ever deselecting it, or you'll wipe out the original beneath it.

    The final outline forms a border about the speaker.

  7. Select Paste in Place again.

  8. Scale this third pasted circle to 110%.

The resulting graphic should resemble the speaker outline shown in figure 03:15.


Figure 03:15.

graphics/03fig15.jpg




Flash Web Design The Art Of Motion Graphics
Flash Web Design oder: the art of motion graphics
ISBN: 3827256623
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 192

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