Adobe Flash CS5 is the animation component of the Adobe Creative Suite and comes with a screen full of tools to create a timeline full of active buttons, clips, motions and text. While these items often fill the keyframes of that timeline, they're not required. To experiment with creativity in Flash, take advantage of some of Flash's more basic tools to draw a character. Add a character to your animation file to greet viewers and lead them through the presentation or just to express yourself and practice digital doodling.
Instructions
1. Open Flash. Click the "Flash Document" link under the "Create New" section of the splash screen. The Flash work area opens with the timeline focused on the first frame. To draw a character in a frame other than the first, right-click that frame on the timeline and select "Insert Blank Keyframe." The stage itself will remain looking the same.
2. Click the "Brush Tool," which looks like a paintbrush. Pull down the second drop-down menu from the bottom of the "Tools" pane and click the smallest brush head size.
3. Click into the "Colors" box on the "Tools" pane and select a skin color for the character. If none of the options appeal, click the small color wheel in the window's top-right corner and choose a color.
4. Position the cursor on the stage and draw the outline of the character's head and body. Click the "Paint Bucket Tool" on the "Tools" pane and click inside the outline to fill the character with the skin color.
5. Select a new color from the "Colors" box. Draw facial features on the character including eyes, nose, mouth and ears, plus accessories such as jewelry, tattoos and headgear, along with the preferred hairstyle where applicable.
6. Switch to a new paint color and the second-smallest brush head from the drop-down menu. Draw the character's clothes such as a t-shirt and jeans or a sundress and flip flops.
7. Add any additional elements to the character as desired. Click the "File" menu. Click "Save As." Type a name for the Flash file and click the "Save" button.
