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project: Animating Text 02
 
   
 

description: In this tutorial you will learn to make an animation like the one at right.

Files: The animating_text_01.fla and animating_text_02.fla files are in the fla_files folder.
   
 
   
  step 1: Use your own file or open animating_text_01.fla and Insert > Keyframes (F6) somewhere down the timeline (placement is not critical). (Figure A)
   
  A
   
  step 2: Select the first keyframes, Control-Click, and Create Motion Tween. (Figure B)
   
  B
   
  step 3: Insert > Keyframes on frames 6 and 12. If you miss, remember that it's easy to reposition them. (Figure C)
   
  C
   
  step 4: This step is for demonstration purposes only. Select keyframes as shown. Window > Transform (Command-T), check Constrain, enter 300 in Width (or Height), and hit Return. Not what we want. Command-Z to undo. (Figure D)
   
  D
   
  step 5: Watch the following movie and repeat as shown. (Figure E) (Remember to hit Return to make the Transform take effect.)
   
  E
   
  step 6: If you don't like clicking and dragging to select a series of frames, click at one end and Shift-Click at the other. All the intervening frames will be selected. Either way, select as shown, click on one of the letters, and set the Alpha to 10% (not shown). (Figure F)
   
  F
   
  step 7: Command-Return to see what we have so far. (Figure G)
   
  G
   
  step 8: Next we'll stagger the frames to give the animation a more dynamic feel. Select then drag the frames as shown. (Figure H)
   
  H
   
  step 9: Duplicate frames by Option-Dragging as shown. (Figure I)
   
  I
   
  step 10: Command-Return to see the results. Getting better. (Figure J)
   
  J
   
  step 11: Watch the movie and repeat the steps to create three new sets of keyframes (F6), changing the color of the last two. (Figure K)
   
  K
   
  step 12: If you need more room (like I do), select the last keyframes and drag them down the timeline. (Figure L)
   
  L
   
  step 13: Select keyframes as shown and Option-Drag to duplicate. Repeat as needed. (Figure M)
   
  M
   
  step 14: Select the last keyframes and set the Alpha to 0% (not shown). (Figure N)
   
  N
   
  step 15: If you want to open up a little time between your flashing letters, select and drag as shown. Continue until finished (not shown). (Figure O)
   
  O
   
  step 16: Drag the last keyframes out further if you need more time for the final fade .(Figure P)
   
  P
   
  step 17: Command-Return to Test Movie. (Figure Q)
   
  Q
   
  step 18: Of course this example is nothing special. Take some time and see what you can come up with. And remember to add Easing!
   
   
   
   
 
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