Learning Flash CS3 from scratch

[jamesjh]

Hi there

I've been learning Flash CS3 and Dreamweaver CS3 and started from scratch a month ago. I've been making progress, and would really appreciate the chance to communicate with someone in a similar position to me, to exchange ideas and resolve problems. We can motivate each other to learn quicker and just provide a bit of support and encouragement.

Am I alone in my quest?

James (UK)

[administrator]

No, you are not.

 

... But you may need to come up with topics of discussion to see any response.

 

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Stefan

[LSW]

Personally I would suggest you check out Adobe TV for product videos tutorials.

[Guest bram]

i am a beginner for learning flash, what must i do????????

[falkencreative]

Take a look here:

http://www.killersites.com/flash/

http://sixrevisions.com/flashactionscript/flash_tutorial_websites/

 

and also consider taking a class at your local community college on flash... you can get the basics that way, and then pursue more advanced knowledge online after you have the basics in place.

[MacRankin]

Personally I would suggest you check out Adobe TV for product videos tutorials.

 

I've come across that link before, but gave it a miss. I'm wishing I didn't now. Don't know the guy's name, but I was so focused when watching one of his CS3 Flash tutorials that it all became very clear to me, that is, the bits that washed over me when viewing another video tutorial. Amazing!

 

You know, I was once very comfortable with Illustrator (8, that is), but because I left an humongous gap between the upgrading (to CS3), I kind of let this comfort slip away, and even though I was only very recently getting to grips with the Pen tool, mostly to create the batman signal, it may yet be that I'll make more of what I've done before, but this time with Flash.

 

...Bouncy ball time...

 

http:// www. macrankin.co.uk/ flash_aha/aha_01/b_ball_01a.swf

[MacRankin]

I'm starting to do some very simple (silly) things with Flash CS3, probably things that are next to useless right now, but that will help me to do things (when I need to do them) more quickly.

 

I don't understand any of that other gobble-de-gook regarding AcionScript, but if I can banish most of my graphics wants by using this program, then of course I'll be interested in wanting to understand some of that other stuff.

 

Having said that, I'm pretty sure, though, that between now and then, I'll be wanting to learn more about jQuery, as that is a more natural and dynamic companion to CSS.

 

The Pen tool is an absolute barsteward to get to grips with, but not so much if you don't need to get something done in a hurry. I, of course, used to work with Illustrator, and did eventually get round to using the Pen tool, but only after wanting to do more than just using shapes against other shapes, in order to manipulate them.

 

You know, I get the feeling, as with CSS, that in-order to get to grips with something you've got to jump in at the deep end without even going through all the beginner's kind of stuff first, like the fundamentals.

 

Saying that, though, I wish I could just pick up a good book on any given subject and learn from that, but that, unfortunately, isn't the way I like to learn. I like to surround myself with a bucket-load of resources, and slowly ease myself into that comfortability zone, so that I can let things seep into my mind.

 

It took me less than 2 minutes to draw the whole image by pencil, but is still taking me all blinking day to work with the Pen tool.

 

http:// www. macrankin.co.uk/ flash_aha/froggy_02/froggy_01.swf (remove spaces)

 

...Erm, when it's finished I'll try and put together some notes about the steps I took, possibly in the same manner as one of my ancient Illustrator tutorials of yore...

 

http:// www. macrankin.co.uk/ illustrator_8.html (remove spaces)