Chapter exercises, due March 20

From either textbook, complete Chapter 6 (Text), and the following five exercises:  

  • CS4 book, Your Turn p. 265-272 (3 exercises) and Your Turn p. 295-298 (2 exercises)
  • CS3 book, Your Turn p. 248-255 (3 exercises) and Your Turn p. 275-280 (2 exercises); see this post for required fixes to the last exercise.

Everyone must also complete Chapter 8 (Animation 2) from the CS4 textbook, and the following five exercises:

  • Built-in eases p. 373, Multiple eases p. 378, Property keyframes p. 378, Manipulating motion paths p. 382, Your turn p. 409
  • NOTE that in Chapter 8 p. 402 step 13 the script is incorrect. The text says, “ik.limitByIteration = false;” when it should read, “ik.limitByIteration = true;” 
  • AND, if you do not have the CS4 textbook, you need to send me an email to get this chapter.

Weekly blogging 5

For this week’s blogging, post links to two sites that have a Flash-based banner. One site should have a banner that works well; the other should have a banner that works poorly.

Provide at least one complete paragraph with your analysis of the examples. In your analysis, be sure to tell us what you define as “works well” and “works poorly”. Make reference to the banner’s design, content, and purpose as well as to the overall site’s design, content, and purpose.  Support your ideas with concrete examples. Correct English grammar, spelling, etc. are required.

Also, choose one other person’s post and leave comments on the sites they’ve chosen. In your comments, provide a complete paragraph with your own ideas and insights about the posted example. Express and support your ideas in your own words, using correct English syntax.

Chapter 7 exercises, due March 13

CS4 book (twelve total): Shape hints p. 310, Easing p. 319-327 (4 exercises), Tween effects p. 340-342 (2 exercises), Motion guides p. 344, Animated button p. 348-350 (2 exercises), Copy Motion as ActionScript p. 351-353, Animated scene p. 356-361.

CS3 book (eleven total): Shape hints p. 293, Easing p. 301-310 (4 exercises), Tween effects p. 323, Motion guides p. 325, Animated button p. 328-331 (2 exercises), Copy Motion as ActionScript p. 331-333, Animated scene (photocopy). For you CS3’ers, the files you’ll need to complete that final exercise are available for download here.

I encourage you to get a head start on on Chapter 5 Chapter 6 (Text) or on CS4 Chapter 8 (Animation 2) as both will be due the following week, March 20.

Weekly Blogging 4, due March 6

The designer Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich created an animated site called Bembo’s Zoo based on an abecedary (alphabet book) that he created for children in print form. In this case, Flash is used to turn typography, motion, and sound into an experience for children and the adults who teach them.

After spending some time with the animation, provide at least one complete paragraph with your analysis of the example. In your analysis, discuss how the design choices (images, typography, color, layout, motion, interaction, sound) communicate the story that’s being told. What differences, if any, do you notice between the way this animation looks/works and the way the other animations you’ve analyzed look/work? Support your ideas with concrete examples. Correct English grammar, spelling, etc. are required. Leave your analysis as a comment on this post.

Weekly Blogging 3, due Feb. 26

The New York Times on-line includes a Flash-based interactive segment called One in Eight Million featuring interviews with and photographs of New Yorkers. A new feature is posted every week. In this case, Flash is used to help tell real people’s stories.

After spending some time with the different stories on this site, provide at least one complete paragraph with your analysis of the example. In your analysis, discuss how the design choices (images, typography, color, layout, motion, interaction, sound) communicate the story that’s being told. What differences, if any, do you notice between the way this animation looks/works and the way the other animations you’ve analyzed look/work? Support your ideas with concrete examples. Correct English grammar, spelling, etc. are required. Leave your analysis as a comment on this post.

Weekly Blogging 2

For your first blog post, many of you chose sites that wanted to sell something (whether it was a product or a brand). This time, post a link to a site that uses Flash to teach something.

Provide one complete paragraph with your analysis of the example. In your analysis, discuss how the design choices (images, typography, color, layout, motion, interaction, sound) affect your ability to learn the subject being taught. What differences, if any, do you notice between the way an educational animation looks/works and the way an animation that’s trying to sell you something looks/works? Support your ideas with concrete examples. Correct English grammar, spelling, etc. are required.

Also, choose one other person’s post and leave comments on the site they’ve chosen. In your comments, provide a complete paragraph with your own ideas and insights about the posted example. Express and support your ideas in your own words, using correct English syntax.

Weekly Blogging 1

Post a link to one interesting example of Flash content that you’ve found on the web. Along with the link, provide at least one complete paragraph detailing your thoughts about the example – what works? what doesn’t work? what does it mean (does it mean anything?) what catches your attention? what bores you? how do you interact with it? why do you care about it?. Support your ideas with concrete examples. Correct English grammar, spelling, etc. are of course required.

Next, choose one other person’s post and leave a comment on the chosen Flash example. When you comment, provide a complete paragraph with your ideas and insights on the example. Do not merely agree with what the other person has written. Express and support your ideas in your own words, again using correct English syntax.

Files used in the textbook exercises

In order to complete the textbook exercises you will need to download the exercise files. Then you work on them to complete them, as instructed in the book. Each chapter has its own exercise files.

The exercise files for the Foundation Flash CS3 for Designers book are found here: http://www.friendsofed.com/download.html?isbn=159059861X

The exercise files for the Foundation Flash CS4 for Designers book are found here: http://www.friendsofed.com/download.html?isbn=1430210931