Focal Easy Guide to Flash MX 2004: For new users and professionals (The Focal Easy Guide) [Paperback]

Birgitta Hosea (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0240519590 | ISBN-13: 978-0240519593 | Publication Date: October 12, 2004

Confused by ActionScript? Want to get to grips with creating interactive graphics and animation in Flash quickly? Whether you are a new user or a professional illustrator, designer or animator experienced in other animation and effects packages, this highly visual, color book will be all you need to get you up and running with the latest powerful upgrade - Flash MX 2004.

Birgitta Hosea uses tried and tested material based on her teaching, breaking down the software into its main components and providing lots of screenshots and simple step-by-step instructions. This encourages you to get the most out of the programme and fully develop your skills, whilst allowing those with particular needs to 'jump ahead'. The structure and style, influenced by her commercial and creative expertise, allows you either as a student or professional to dip in and out according to the needs of your specific projects, but also allows the exploration of the programmes capability when you have more time.

It is a generalist, accessible, visual and a truly introductory guide, written from the perspective of a designer with a thorough coverage of the basic features of Flash MX 2004, without going too in-depth into coding with ActionScript.

Birgitta Hosea is a motion graphics artist and Course Director of the London Animation Studio at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. Her experience ranges from designing idents and promotional materials to working as an Art Director on pop promos and short films.

· Save time - learn all you need to know to get the most from Flash MX
· Clear and concise, full color coverage, written for Flash MX, but relevant for all versions
· Ideal for professionals new to Flash as well as students wanting to get to grips with this powerful visual effects and motion graphics software.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A useful companion for current Flash MX 2004 users, and particularly worthwhile for those thinking of working with the software and seeking to understand its features." - Game Developers' Association of Australia

"I have found this book by Birgitta Hosea to be an essential reference guide to keep by my computer! As I am currently teaching myself Flash MX 2004, I have found myself constantly leafing through the pages of this book for advice. The many illustrations found amongst the pages and step by step guides have made learning Flash very clear and easy. I would recommend this book to anybody, be they a beginner or an expert! This book works on two levels; as a step by step learning process for beginners or an excellent reference guide for experts. Highly recommended! If you work with Flash, you need this book!" - online reviewer, amazon.co.uk

"...it is very easy to read. It is not buried in jargon, but instead uses real examples in a step by step tutorial like setting, where you play with the program and get comfortable with the environment.
I seriously loved this book...Go to a local book store and thumb through it yourself." - online reviewer, amazon.com

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Get up and running fast with Flash MX 2004 with this introductory guide

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press (October 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240519590
• ISBN-13: 978-0240519593
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,099,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Okay - Now this is a GREAT book!, February 5, 2005

By 

Thor Vader "Herr Director" (Beverly Hills, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Focal Easy Guide to Flash MX 2004: For new users and professionals (The Focal Easy Guide) (Paperback)

After spending literally thousands of dollars on courses, learning cd's, Macromedia Studio, etc... I was in a local book store and started thumbing through it. The simplicity of FLASH flashed through my mind. I finally got it. Everything clicked.

I bought the book, brought it home, read the entire book with lessons over the next three days, and viola- I could do professional design (or at least I feel I could).

Seriously, it is very easy to read. It is not buried in jargon, but instead uses read examples in a step by step tutorial like setting where you play with the program and get comfortable with the environment.

I seriously loved this book, and couldn't recommend and on Flash ahead of it... but don't take my word. Go to a local book store and thumb through it yourself. GOOD LUCK!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A straightforward guide to the Flash MX 2004 upgrade for creating graphics & animation, July 5, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Focal Easy Guide to Flash MX 2004: For new users and professionals (The Focal Easy Guide) (Paperback)

The Focal Easy Guide To Flash MX 2004 is a straightforward guide to the Flash MX 2004 upgrade for creating graphics & animation. Illustrated throughout with computer screenshots in full color, The Focal Easy Guide To Flash MX 2004 combines enumerated instructions with displays of exactly what to click on where to achieve which visual effects. An index for quick reference rounds out this "must-have" starter instructional that will prove as useful to amateurs as it will to professionals who need to swiftly look up a specific tip or feature. Highly recommended.