How: Flash Masking Effect?
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How are people doing the masking effect to simulate something growing like on this site?
http://stenkat.kimasa-crew.com/
Does anyone know of a tutorial because I am convinced that there is an easier way to do it than I am doing it.
- mikotondria20
hey :).,,
The masking on there doesnt actually seem that complicated..mostly motion tweens, maybe a few frame by frames for intricate stuff.
Im assuming thats what youre saying is time consuming :)..
Im with you on that one..
If you use After Effects, Ive got some great results thusly:Make your shape in PS, using white-black gradients, embellishments cna be done using the stroke/path with a brush with opacity/step options set to draw shapes with even gradients..
Then, import as png into AE, and key frame the 'threshold' setting from 0 to 255 over some frames, adjust the layer style and voila !!...The shape 'draws' itself in the direction of the gradient..
Export as png sequence to Flash and vectorise.
Hope that made sense :).
I can post some files if you like :).Thanks,
Mike.
- quik0
mikotondria2, that method using PNG's would result in huge nasty flash files. Are you mad?
Don't use motion tweens for the mask layer, use shape tweens, alot faster, cleaner and smaller. (For filesize, processor usage.)
- mikotondria20
lol - Trace bitmap it..I mean for the flat kinda effect on that site it really doesnt work out that bad even with high quality tracing...
- quik0
why EVER use a PNG in flash when you can use vectors? :)
- Jnr_Madison0
Are you serious, you can't use vectors for everything. I use png's 99% of the time in flash.
- Jnr_Madison0
I think I got the wrong end of the stick, you're talking about for a mask right, in which case vectors would be the best idea.
- majman0
that gradient idea is a pretty good one for AE. makes a lot of sense. will have to try that one out. seems like it could save some time if you import the image seq into flash, and then trace the bitmaps...
if it wasn't too complex, the filesize should remain relatively small, but you'd end up w/ a lot of keyframes.
- quik0
lots of keyframes = messy large flash.
- cinder0
if you're talking about all the 'drawing in' on that site with the diagonals and snaking cord things . . .
there doesnt need to be any masking
it's just black vectors over the top . . .