Adobe Flash- How to Create a Basic Frame by Frame Animation

By Matt Fussell

Traditionally, frame by frame animation is created by making countless frames, or cells, of drawings.  Each drawing is slightly different than the previous drawing.  When these drawings are viewed at high speed, the illusion of movement is created, resulting in animation.  This effect can easily be duplicated with the creation of a flip book. Frame by frame animation can be very time consuming.  Adobe Flash can save you lots of time when creating a frame by animation.

The following video tutorial shows you how to create a frame by frame animation in Adobe Flash CS4.   It is fairly easy to create a frame by frame animation in Flash.  Unlike a traditional animation, there is no paper, no mess, and no fear of mistakes. If you make a mistake, it is very easy to erase.  The "Onion Skin" tool allows you to see what you've drawn in surrounding frames giving the frame the same effect as using tracing paper.  In this video, you will learn how to use the "Onion Skin" to draw like a traditional animator in the digital environment of Adobe Flash CS4.