How to Cheat in Flash CS3: The art of design and animation in Adobe Flash CS3 [Paperback]

Chris Georgenes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0240520580 | ISBN-13: 978-0240520582

Frustrated by the overwhelming nature of Flash?

Want to get up to speed with the program fast so you can concentrate on your animation?

Need to solve problems quickly to get work done to time and to budget?

Then 'How to Cheat in Flash' is for you!

This book is different from the rest because it shows you, step by step, how to work from the problem to the solution when creating Flash animations, from the viewpoint of an animator who has been commissioned to create a job and is working to a deadline.

It is task orientated; every example shows real life commercial work. So, it's not so much a case of 'what does this filter/tool/option do?', as 'this is the task I've been set - how do I achieve it?' The solution may involve a variety of tools and techniques; it may take many steps to complete, or only a few. The free CD-Rom includes all the files you need to put your skills into practice as you read, and much more!

It's an accessible (conversational in style), practical book and CD package which also provides artistic inspiration, a goldmine of timesaving practical tips, tricks and step-by-step workthroughs. You will wonder how you survived without it.

* Successful, bestselling How to Cheat coverage now available for Flash
* Learn a myriad of tips and tricks based on real life working methods to help you work faster and more efficiently with Flash
* Work from the problem to the solution, gaining the best possible results from Flash

Editorial Reviews

Review

If you have ever stared at a blank stage wondering how to make your ideas into reality, this is how it's done. I consider each example a best practice of how to use Flash CS Professional.
Justin Everett-Church, Sr. Product Manager Flash Player, Adobe Systems

Chris Georgenes' gorgeously designed book contains many short, practical tutorials that both Flash animators and web designers will want to thumb through to learn the tricks of the trade, so they can really impress their clients."
Stefan Gruenwedel, Sr. Editor, Developer Center, Adobe Systems

This is a not-to-be-missed chance to get secrets from one of the foremost authorities on Flash animation. His techniques for animating characters are essential for anyone dreaming of creating a cartoon or animated feature.
Craig Goodman, Executive Editor, Developer Center, Adobe Systems

This is a must-have Flash book. Whether you consider yourself more a Flash designer or developer, you'll want to run home and try out the concepts and techniques in this beautifully presented book.
Tim Statler, Flash developer, Adobe Systems

A valuable resource loaded with helpful tips and hints for Flash users at all skill levels. It is filled with practical how-to examples for artists and animators, presented in a clear step-by-step manner with illustrations documenting each step along the way.
Jim Ver Hague, Professor Emeritus, Computer Graphics Design, Rochester Institute of Technology

..a must have book if you are a Flash designer/animator.
flashculture.com

About the Author

Chris Georgenes is a full-time freelance artist, animator, and all-around designer for the web, CD-ROM, and television. His clients include Macromedia, LucasArts, Universal Records, Hasbro, Ogilvy, Yahoo! and AOL, to name a few. He maintains www.mudbubble.com as his online portfolio and www.keyframer.com as his Flash tutorial website. He is also a course author and instructor for sessions.edu.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press (August 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240520580
• ISBN-13: 978-0240520582
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #425,662 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #80 in Books > Computers & Technology > Graphic Design > Web Design > Flash

More About the Author

Chris Georgenes is a full-time freelance designer and animator for the web, games, and television. His clients include Adobe, Microsoft, Ogilvy, Yahoo! and AOL, to name a few. He maintains www.mudbubble.com as his online portfolio and www.keyframer.com as his Flash tutorial website. He is also a course author and instructor for sessions.edu.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for beginners. A great resource for professional Flash users, as well!, August 28, 2007

By 

Jackie Watson "Animator's Workshop" (Marblehead, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Cheat in Flash CS3: The art of design and animation in Adobe Flash CS3 (Paperback)

I don't care how many years anyone works in digital art, there are always new things to learn. This book is like looking over Chris' shoulder and having a peek at how he streamlines his work flow. I've been using Flash for about 10 years and I was surprised to find many tricks I've never known about. Usually experts never share too many of their secrets and I can't believe how much Chris gives away! And he writes so clearly, explaining each step, why and how, all along the way. I'm also enjoying the interludes... parts of the book where Chris shares some life-changing moments from his professional and personal life as an artist. Not too often do you find a "How To" book that almost feels like having a mentor take you by the hand and walk you through the steps. I sure wish I had this book when I first started flash...

I'm going to keep an eye out for other titles from this author in the future! He has already saved me tons of time.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best flash book for creating your own cartoons!, August 23, 2007

By 

G.G. - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Cheat in Flash CS3: The art of design and animation in Adobe Flash CS3 (Paperback)

This book has everything, I mean everything about drawing and animating cartoons. It covers walk cycles, lip sync, bitmap animation, you name it, it's in this book. This book has just the right number of pages and is a great bargain! Much cheaper than going to animation school, flash cartoon workshops, buying flash cartoon tutorials online or buying flash cartoon tutorials on cdrom. Best investment I've made for learning about cartoons. I have other how to flash cartooning books and this one is the best!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Use Flash as a drawing program too, December 6, 2007

By 

kermit4 "kermie" (N. California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Cheat in Flash CS3: The art of design and animation in Adobe Flash CS3 (Paperback)

I love this book. I bought it mainly because I loved the style of art on the author's website www.mudbubble.com, and I was glad to see the book is full of the same clean, shape-based illustrations. The author discusses how to draw using Flash's (which is also a very popular drawing tool, as well as a 2d animation tool) Select tool, the Brush, the Pen and also how to construct characters using basic shapes like rectangles and ovals.

The tips are organized well, one per 1-2 pages, and the book seems to flow logically from beginning to end. I feel I got a lot out of it.

It's not really an art book, but I would characterize it as one more than I would call it a Flash animation book. If you're looking for in-depth coverage, this is not the book for you, but if you're looking for ways to take your Flash drawings and animations to the next level, this is the best book for that I've ever seen.