Layers and Frames

Keyframes

You can see that timeline in your previous exercise consists of one long rectangle for all frames where content is drawn. It means that there is no changes in the layer during the lifespan of the layer.

To change visual content from frame to frame you need to insert a Keyframe into the layer. Actually it’s already one Keyframe exists for each layer – it represented with a black circle at the first frame if there is something drawn in the layer and clear circle if there is nothing on the stage.

Create a new file with one layer and extend the timeline for it (remember F5) to 50 frames.

Place a red hairline cursor at the frame #10 and hit F6. You will see that boundary line appears between frame with the rectangle (end of the keyframe inteval) at the left and circle (start of new keyframe at the right). Do the same for every tenths frame. Now you will have 5 equal interval each 10 frame (or slightly less than 1 second) each.

Now enter a drawing in each frame interval. In our example it’s a face with different expressions. Each face is slightly different.

One thing to remember. You may select the drawing which is completed in one keyframe, reposition the cursor to another keyframe and paste the content. However it will be pasted in the approximate center of the visible part of your screen. If you want to put your drawing exactly to the same place use Menu-Edit-Paste In Place.

Save and compile your file – you will see an animation. It is the simples – Frame-to-Frame type of the animation possible in Flash.

You need to adjust to frame manipulation on the timeline. Use Menu-Insert –Frame and –Remove Frame menu items. Clear frame menu item will delete a keyframe borderline. Blank keyframe will delete a content from the keyframe. Through Edit menu you may also copy and paste the whole frame with all their content.

Play a little with those menu item before you become acquainted with all frame manipulations.

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