June 25, 2003
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* Updated
While I’ve been unsuccessfully trying to convert a Flash file (text, vector art, bitmaps) to PDF format, and searching the Flash boards for help, I came across this tutorial on Flash Drawing.
It’s a very basic tute, and the drawing style is somewhat irrelevant for animation, but there are some neat (trad. animation-influenced) tips. e.g.,
- Changing the colour of your rough sketches to BLUE (like using a blue pencil)
- Flipping your drawing horizontally to check that is still looks good (like turning your sheet of paper over on the lightbox to doublecheck)
More at: Flashkit Tutorials
* Lili’s Flash Drawing Tips Part 1 Here it is at last (draft); to be submitted to the next issue of OzAnimation Magazine.
From the studiowhiz.com forum – Lots of links for Cartoon Character Animation.
Comments (4)
Hi Lili
Here’s how I did it for the article (from OzAnimation post http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ozanimation/message/467
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Techie StuffI learnt over the last 2 days that you can take a SWF file (this one was a multipage text and image document created in Flash and exported as a SWF file) and import it into FlashMX.It comes up as a series of keyframes – one for each page.Export it from Flash as a WMF sequence.(WMF = windows metafile whatever that is).Open each file in the sequence in CorelDraw9, get rid of the repeat images – some of the images quadrupled themselves for some reason.Create a multipage file in Corel and paste the grouped text and images one page at a time.Then export it as a PDF using one of 4 options – god only knows what the diff is. PDF for editing. PDF for prepress. PDF for Web. PDF for Document Distribution. And even a CUSTOM PDF.Anyway love it when you figure something new out, don’t you!?
Sparx
Sparx… Why would I need to import it into Flash MX? My original file is Flash MX. I just found out I need a program like Adobe Distiller for this. Not something I planned on buying…
Hi Lili
You wouldn’t because as you say, you have the Flash file. I only had the SWF file to work with.
Was going to ask you to send the Flash file but thought it might be a bit big for emailing.
Re buying Distiller (not familiar with that), I used CorelDraw9 – bought for me by a client so I could do their work at home. We split the cost.
I guess any program that can handle the formats that Flash exports Image to and can create pdfs would work. In Flash have you noticed you can export images as AI, EPS, EMF, WMF etc sequences? Wonder how others use that.
The SWF file didn’t open in FlashMX with the right sized file window, had to reset it in the Properties bar to Match Printer. And the actual page contents had to be tweaked a bit to align with the background.
But once that was done it was ok – ready for exporting.
I have to say that I tried exporting the Flash files as EPS (lost formatting and fonts when opened in CorelDraw9), EMF (ok but not as good as) … WMF (gave the best results, but quadrupled the bitmaps – there were four of them mostly in a neat little box formation around the original. Vectors were ok.)
When I opened each page in CorelDraw9, the contents were all there but floating up off the page – up in the top rhs of the screen. Had to lasso it all and bring it down onto page. Used two guidelines for top and lhs alignment and used the Snap to Guidelines option to help align it more easily. Was not exact alignment for each page, but pretty close.
Have you been getting my emails? I sent the PDFs to you yesterday. Can you let me know if they work?Suggested you send that cute Pussycat font along as well when you send the PDFs to Neil.
S.
WMF (gave the best results, but quadrupled the bitmaps – there were four of them mostly in a neat little box formation around the original. Vectors were ok.)
Hi Lorraine, you musn’t be receiving my emails!
I replied to your emails yesterday. I noticed in the pdf you sent,some of the bitmaps were getting doubled… Also, the vector artwork had been screwed up. The line weights went superthick & distorted. Some colors were even missing. Text was perfect though. Do you think Neil would accept html/swf?