Explanation and example of flash8.0 mask animation

In Flash8.0 's works, we often see a lot of dazzling magical effect, and many of them are done with the simplest "mask", such as water waves, kaleidoscope, Hundred-page window, magnifying glass, telescope ... Wait a minute.

So how does "mask" produce these effects?

In this section, in addition to introducing the basics of "masking", we also introduce some "mask" techniques with our practical experience, and finally, provide two practical examples to deepen the understanding of the "mask" principle.

There are two ways to implement the "mask" effect in Flash8.0, one is to use motion tween, one is the method of using the actions instruction, in this section, we only introduce the first approach.

1. The concept of mask animation

(1) What is a mask

"Mask", as the name implies is to block the following objects.

In Flash8.0, "Mask animation" is also true through the mask layer to selectively display the contents of the "masked layer" underneath it, in a mask animation, there is only one mask layer, and the masked layer can have any.

(2) What's the use of the mask

In Flash8.0 animation, the mask has 2 main uses, one for the entire scene or a specific area, so that objects outside the scene or a specific area of the object is not visible, another role is to cover a part of a component, so as to achieve some special effects.

2. Ways to create a mask

(1) Create a mask

There is no special button in the Flash8.0 to create the mask layer, which is actually transformed by a normal layer. All you have to do is right-click on a layer and tick "mask" in the pop-up menu, and the layer will generate a mask layer, "layer icon will change from the normal layer icon to the Mask layer icon, the system will automatically associate a layer below the mask layer is" masked layer ", in the same time as the indent icon, if you want to associate more layers of the mask , just drag these layers underneath the mask layer, as shown in Figure 3-5-1.

Figure 3-5-1 multi-layer mask animation

(2) elements that make up the mask and the mask layer

The graphics objects in the mask layer are not visible when they are played, the contents of the mask layer can be buttons, movie clips, graphics, bitmaps, text, and so on, but you cannot use lines, and if you must use lines, you can convert the lines to fill.

Objects in the masked layer can only be seen through objects in the mask layer. In the mask layer, you can use buttons, movie clips, graphics, bitmaps, text, lines.

(3) The animation form that can be used in the mask

You can use animation such as shape tweens, motion tweens, and guide animations in the mask layer, the masked layer, or at the same time, so that the mask animation becomes a creative space that can display unlimited imagination.

3. Tips for applying masks the basic principle of masking layer is: objects in the masked layer can be seen through objects in the layer and their properties, including their effects, but many properties in the objects in the mask layer, such as gradients, transparency, colors, and line styles, are ignored. For example, we cannot achieve the fading change of the mask layer by fading the mask layer. To display a matte effect in a scene, you can lock the mask layer and the masked layer. A mask can be created with an "as" action statement, but in this case there can be only one "masked layer" and the _alpha property cannot be set. You cannot use a mask layer to try to obscure another mask layer. Masks can be applied to GIF animations. In the making process, the mask layer often blocks the lower parts, affect the view, cannot edit, you can press the Mask Layer Timeline panel display Layer Outline button, so that the mask layer to show only the border shape, in the case, you can also drag the border to adjust the shape and position of the mask shape. Dynamic text cannot be placed in the masked layer. Example: Red Star Sparkling

Figure 3-5-2 Red Star sparkle