Summary

Now that you understand shape tweens, you know both ways Flash can do tweening for you (shape and motion). You learned this hour that a shape tween is fundamentally unique in that it allows you to morph shapes. The only rules with shape tweens are that you can't have grouped shapes and you can't have symbols. This makes shape tweens easy to create, but some techniques are necessary to ensure that the results come out as expected.

You can use shape hints to help Flash figure out what you have in mind. Adding shape hints is a little touchy, but you just need to be very specific.

I have two parting tips as you create more and more animations on your own:

• Although shape and motion tweens can help you create an animation, sometimes the most effective animation is the most subtle. That means sometimes the best solution is frame-by-frame animation, such as what you did in Hour 7.

• Don't be satisfied with serendipitous results. Sometimes mistakes are cool looking, but try to persist in making Flash do exactly what you have in mind. Resist the temptation to accept something that's only close to what you want. If you take the time, you can create anything.