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Intro to Flash MX/8

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a sparkling glass effect in Flash.

Please note: You must have the Flash Player installed to view the Flash animation. Flash MX or Flash 8 must also be installed.

Start the Tutorial

Importing the Background Image

Click on File >New to create a new Flash document. Flash displays the New Document dialog.

Select Flash Document and click OK.

Click on Modify>Document and update the document size to match the imported bitmap.

Click File>Import to Library from the main menu. Flash displays the Import to Library dialog. Navigate to the folder in which you stored the background image and double+click it. Name the imported image glassware.

Creating the "Sparkling" Movie clip

Create a new layer and name it sparkles.

Click Insert>New Symbol. Flash displays the Create New symbol dialog. Name this Movie clip star. Click OK. Select the PolyStar tool (in the Rectangle tool drop-down) from the Flash toolbox.

Click on the Options button in the Properties panel. Flash displays the Tool Settings dialog.

Set the following options:

Style: Star
Number of sides: 4
Star Point Size: 0.10

Click OK.

Now Click+drag on the stage to draw the star element.

Click Ctrl+F8 to convert the star into a Movie clip. Name it star.

Double+click the star Movie clip. Flash highlights the frame.

Click Properties>Tween. Select Motion from the drop-down menu. Name the instance star_in_mc.

Click in frame 10 in the timeline.

Press F6 to insert a new keyframe.

Select the star object and choose Modify>Transform>Rotate CW. Repeat Modify>Transform>Rotate CW three times. The star_mc movie clip is stored in the Library for later use.

Creating a mask for the star object

The mask for the star object is a small, opaque circle that increases in size and becomes almost transparent.

Draw a circle with Oval Tool, choose white as the fill color and set the height and width of the circle at 2px. Select the circle object.

From the main menu, click Modify>Convert to Symbol. Flash displays the Create New Symbol dialog window.

Name the new symbol shade_mc and choose the Movie clip option.

Click OK.

Double+click the symbol. Flash displays the Movie clip editing window.

Click on the keyframe in frame 1 to select it.

Click Modify>Convert to Symbol. Flash displays the Create New Symbol dialog. Type shade_in_mc in the Name text box.

Click frame 5 in the timeline to select it.

Press F6 to insert a keyframe.

Click on Properties>Tween and choose Motion from the drop down menu.

Click on frame 10 in the timeline to select it.

Press F6 to insert another keyframe.

Select frame 5 and click on the Movie clip to select it.

Change the size to 14.3px by 14.3px.

Highlight the keyframe in frame 1

Go to Properties. Select Color as Alpha in the drop down menu and give 100%. Go to Frame 5. Select the dot. Go to Properties. Select Color as Alpha in the drop down menu and give 10%. Go to Frame 10. Select the dot. Go to Properties. Select Color as Alpha in the drop down menu and give 5%. This movie clip shade_mc will not be there in the sparkle layer but stored in the Library, we will use it later.

Create another movie clip with a star which becomes smaller at a slower rate than our 1st star movie clip.
Go to Main Scene. Go to Insert > New Symbol. The Create New symbol screen will appear. We will name your first movie clip as star_mc. You will be directed inside the movie clip. Now go to PolyStar Tool. To go to polystar tool , first go to rectangle tool and select it in the drop down menu. Go to Properties window. Go to Options. A screen called Tool Settings will appear. Select Style, in the drop down menu as Star. Select Number of sides 4. Select Star Point Size as 0.10. Click on OK. Give color as white.
Now draw the Star. Give the size to 23px by 23px. Select the edge and delete them. Choose the star and make it a Movie Clip. Name it star_s_mc. Now double click on it. On frame 1 you will see your star. Go to frame 10. Press F6 to insert a new keyframe. Go to Properties>Tween. Select Motion from the drop down Menu. Go to Frame20. Press F6 to insert keyframe. Go to Properties>Tween. Select Motion from the drop down Menu. Now go to frame 10. Select your movie clip. Go to Properties. Give the size to 9px by 9px. This movie clip star_s_mc will not be there in the sparkle layer but stored in the Library, we will use it later.

Create the sparkle movie clip by combining the movie clips created above and place it where required.
You have already created 6 movie clips. Now we will create the last main movie clip. Go to Insert>New Symbol. The Create New symbol screen will appear. We will name your main movie clip as sparkle_mc. You will be directed inside the movie clip. Drag in here these 3 movie clips : star_mc, shade_mc , star_s_mc because when they are combined they will give the sparkle effect, and adjust them properly in the middle. Now go to your main scene. Go to layer sparkle. Drag the Main movie Clip sparkle_mc wherever you want the Sparkling Glass Effect to be seen. You can use it on a diamond ring, a golden jewelry or on sparkling text also.

Save your file as sparkle.fla. Press on Ctrl+Enter to see the Sparkling Glass Effect. This will create automatically sparkle.swf file.