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Creating a Shape Tween
A shape tween requires at least two keyframes on the same layer. The beginning keyframe contains a shape drawn with Flash’s drawing tools or imported from Illustrator. The ending keyframe also contains a shape. A shape tween interpolates the smooth changes between the beginning keyframe and the end keyframe.
Establish keyframes containing different shapes
In the following steps, you’ll animate the flame that will sit on top of the company name.
- Select frame 40 for all three layers.
- Choose Insert > Timeline > Frame (F5).
- Lock the text layer and the glow layer. This prevents you from accidentally selecting or moving the graphics in those layers.
- Right-click/Ctrl-click on frame 40 in the flame layer and select Insert Keyframe, or choose Insert > Timeline > Keyframe (F6).
- Move the red playhead to frame 40.
- Choose the Selection tool.
- Click off the shape to deselect it. Click and drag the contours of the flame to make the flame skinnier.
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Flash inserts additional frames to all three layers up to frame 40.
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Flash inserts a new keyframe at frame 40, and copies the contents of the previous keyframe into the second keyframe.
You now have two keyframes on the Timeline in the flame layer: a beginning keyframe at frame 1, and an end keyframe at frame 40.
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Next, you’ll change the shape of the flame in the end keyframe.
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The beginning keyframe and the end keyframe now contain different shapes— a fat flame in the beginning keyframe, and a skinny flame in the end keyframe.
Apply the shape tween
Next, you’ll apply a shape tween between the keyframes to create the smooth transitions.
- Click on any frame between the beginning keyframe and the end keyframe in the flame layer.
- Right-click/Ctrl-click and select Create Shape Tween. Or, from the top menu choose Insert > Shape Tween.
- Watch your animation by choosing Control > Play, or by clicking the Play button at the bottom of the Timeline.
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Flash applies a shape tween between the two keyframes, which is indicated by a black forward-pointing arrow.
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Flash creates a smooth animation between the keyframes in the flame layer, morphing the shape of the first flame into the shape of the second flame.
Blend Types
In the Properties inspector, you can modify your shape tween by choosing either the Distributive or the Angular option for Blend. These two options determine how Flash makes the interpolations to change the shapes from one keyframe to the next.
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The Distributive option is the default, and works well for most cases. It creates animations where the intermediate shapes are smoother.
Use the Angular Blend if your shapes have many points and straight lines. Flash attempts to preserve apparent corners and lines in the intermediate shapes.