Learning Adobe Flash CS4

By Greg Bowden

Chapter 2

Drawing Tools

Guided Computer Tutorials

www.gct.com.au
PUBLISHED BY

GUIDED COMPUTER TUTORIALS

PO Box 311
Belmont, Victoria, 3216, Australia

www.gct.com.au

© Greg Bowden

This product is available in Single or Multi User versions.

Single-user versions are for single student or teacher use at any

particular time, just as a single text book would be used. If you intend
to use the notes with multiple students the single user version should
be upgraded to the multi-user version.

Multi-user versions allow the school or institution to print as many

copies as required, or to place the PDF files on the school network,
intranet and staff laptops. A certificate of authentication is provided
with multi-user versions. Bookmarks provide links to all headings and
sub-headings, and individual chapters are provided.

First published 2009

ISBN: Module 1 1 921217 67 7

Module 2 1 921217 68 5

PDF document on CD-ROM

Every effort has been made to ensure that images used in this
publication are free of copyright, but there may be instances where
this has not been possible. Guided Computer Tutorials would
welcome any information that would redress this situation.
 Chapter

2
Drawing Tools
Before creating Flash animations you need to be aware of the different Drawing Tools
that Flash provides. You’ve already used the oval, rectangle and line tools. This chapter
will concentrate on some of the other drawing tools and techniques that are available in
Flash.

Cookie Cutting
Cookie Cutting causes one object to replace part or all of another object when it is
placed over the first object. Most vector drawing programs keep each drawn object as a
separate entity, but Flash treats objects differently. The object that is drawn first is at the
back of the stage. The next object that is drawn is stacked above the first and any part of
the first object that is covered by the second is erased. Flash uses Cookie Cutting to help
reduce the size of files.

1 Load Flash and create a new FLASH FILE (ACTIONSCRIPT 3.0) or close the current file
and start a new FLASH FILE.

© Guided Computer Tutorials 2009 2-1

Learning Adobe Flash CS4

NOTE: When you draw an oval or rectangle in Flash the shape has
two parts, a fill and a border.

2-2 © Guided Computer Tutorials 2009
 Drawing Tools 2

NOTE: This is what is meant by COOKIE CUTTING - the red oval cookie
has cut the yellow circle cookie. It is a good way of creating a
half moon shape.

8 The remaining part of the oval border should still be selected, press the DELETE
key to remove it.

Selecting Objects
As you have seen, when you draw circles or rectangles they have both a border and a fill
section. There are a number of ways of selecting each.

© Guided Computer Tutorials 2009 2-3

Learning Adobe Flash CS4

4 Select UNDO by pressing CTRL+Z or COMMAND+Z to return the border to the fill.

7 Try moving the object and both the fill and border should move.

8 Press the DELETE key to delete the half moon shape.

2-4 © Guided Computer Tutorials 2009
 Drawing Tools 2

The Selection Tool

You have used the SELECTION TOOL to select or move shapes. It can also be used to
modify shapes.

© Guided Computer Tutorials 2009 2-5

Learning Adobe Flash CS4

6 You can break lines that intersect at a corner into two. If the line is straight the
two created lines will be straight. If the line is curved the two created lines will be
curved.

9 Double click on the centre of the shape and delete it.

2-6 © Guided Computer Tutorials 2009
 Drawing Tools 2

Flash Exercise 2-1

1 Draw a coloured rectangle on the screen.
2 Click on the SELECTION TOOL and click outside the rectangle to set it.
3 Use the SELECTION TOOL to convert the rectangle into a simple bowl (you can use
the following diagram as a guide). The line thickness of the top and base can be
increased using the STROKE SIZE slider or box in the PROPERTIES panel once the
shape is complete.

Rounded Rectangles
You’ve drawn rectangles and converted them to have curves. Flash also allows you to
draw rounded rectangles directly.
1 Delete any shapes from the screen.

NOTE: You can use the slider bar in the PROPERTIES panel to increase
the radius or enter the value directly in the first RECTANGLE
OPTIONS box.

© Guided Computer Tutorials 2009 2-7

Learning Adobe Flash CS4

NOTE: If you want the rectangle to have different sized corner radius’,
click on the LOCK icon in the PROPERTIES panel and the
required values can be entered in the 4 boxes.

7 Select the SELECTION TOOL, drag a frame around the rectangles and press the
DELETE key to delete them.

2-8 © Guided Computer Tutorials 2009