[GIF] AznMagix's Fireworks Tutorial Collection

Adobe Fireworks is an image editing program, you could say that it is another form of Photoshop, but is simpler in design. It is also known for being a side program alongside Adobe Flash.

In the past, while flash was being used as the main program to animate, a few animators decided to explore and brought Fireworks into the GIF animating community. Fireworks was not the only program affiliated with GIF animating, but GIMP and Photoshop were used as well (we can't forget about Neopaint either. Shoutouts to Twame).

On a side note, GIF animating is a different type of animating style other than Flash.
Here is an example:
[MEDIA=youtube]XAXcCT9mI94[/MEDIA]
This video has a collection of extremely old animations that I have created, but were all created in Fireworks.

Here are some pros and cons:
Pros:
- Smooth and Fluid animations.
- Simple to animate in.
- Immediate image editing within the program.
- Exports as GIF and can be uploaded immediately after production.

Cons:
- Lower image quality as it is a GIF file
- Slower in terms of animating speed.
- More time consuming as you must animate frame by frame.
- Less people animate through GIF.
- Fixed Canvas size and does not use a "V-Cam".

We will be using Adobe Fireworks CS6 for this tutorial. You do not have to worry about using a different version of Fireworks as they are all similar for the most part. If you use a different version, for example: Macromedia 8 Fireworks or CS3, then shoot me a question in private message and I will help you out.


This is what you will see when you open your fireworks up.

Under the "Create New" column, you will be able to create a new Fireworks Document. When opening, it will ask you for your dimensions. Make sure all of the drop menus look the same as in the image above. The dimensions are 320 x 180 because that is half of the Youtube Standard size for animating on Flash (which I will go into more detail about in the near future). Lastly, make sure your canvas color is transparent (preferably), unless you are going to do a no background animation. Click OK and you will have a new document ready.

After making a new document, there are many features that will be available for your use. Don't worry, we will only go through the tools that you need for the first few tutorials. Make sure you follow along and remember most of them as we are going to be using them a LOT.


The Toolbox


Your main pointer. Use this for making movements, rotations, resizing, etc.


This is the subselection pointer. If your image is within a "group" of images, then you can select within the group instead of selecting the group as a whole.


This is where your resizing, skew, and distort tool is located. If you hold down this tool, it will drop a menu with the other tools within it because they are all related. We will go into more detail with this later.


This tool allows you to crop images within the canvas.


This is the Marquee tool. This lets you select multiple pixels within an area that you highlight with this tool.


This is the lasso tool. Just like the marquee tool, but it allows you to move freely rather than restricting to a box.


This is the magic wand. Used in the same way as the Marquee and lets you select pixels. Go on ahead. Use it. It's pretty magical. (If you click it in an area, it will highlight the same color pixels within the area until it is blocked off by other pixels.


All other tools are self explanatory.

Layers

If you don't know what a layer is, let me try to explain this. If you put an image on top of another image, it is two layers. This window allows you to manage between those two images. If you put one image on top of another, it will show a that the specific image is above the other.


Most of these are self-explanatory.
The only one we will use later on is the "Flatten Selection" option. Which allows us to merge images together into one.

States or Frames

These are your frames. Each frame will have an image that will follow in sequence to the previous image. When you bring down the menu, the "duplicate frame" will be the number 1 option we will use. I will go into more detail over the options at the bottom later.

If you look at the "7" that is on the right of the State's name, that is the frame's delay. To better understand that, it is 7/100 of a second. Meaning, it takes 7/100 of delay before it goes to the next frame. For now, you should keep it at 7 as it is the standard and default delay for your animations.

Menu Tools

This is where you make new documents and save your documents as well as exporting your GIF animation.

You can edit most of the stuff within the program through this drop menu. We will go into the preferences in a bit to do some hotkeys.

You can change how the layout looks through here. The rulers tool is very handy. I advise using it.

You can modify images on the canvas through here.

To export your GIF, you want to go to Image Preview in the "File" menu. As shown here,


After click on it, you will get a new window.

Make sure your options look like this. Click export.


Make sure it is an "Image Only" and then export. You will then have your GIF ready to upload.

Hotkeys will save you so much time while animating. Feel free to make as many hotkeys as you can. I will show you how to get to your hotkeys and make flipping images into hotkeys instead of manually going into modify to do it every time.


Go to Hotkey Shortcuts under the "Edit" drop menu.


Click on this button or else you will not be able to change anything.


Click on the Modify tab.


Click on the Transform tab.
As you can see at the bottom of it, I have already made the two flip options into hotkeys.
Click on the "+" sign and add the keys that you prefer.
Click OK and you'll be done.

It's simple. Just drag and drop.

When you want to move a sprite or image around the canvas, you simply take your pointer and hold onto the sprite and move it around.
If you want to move it around in a more minimal manner, you can select the image and use your arrow keys. When using the arrow keys, it will move ONE pixel per tick in the direction you want to go. If you want a larger quantity, you can hold shift and click the arrow keys to move TEN pixels.

[IMG]http://

Before learning how to make any type of sequence, you must learn where the basis of the sequencing comes from. Duplicating the previous frame and then editing the frame to the next movement is the main reason we are able to animate through Fireworks.

To duplicate a frame, you need to go to the menu in your "States" or "Frames" window and then click on "Duplicate Frame". You will then open a new window that looks like this:

Make sure you check the "After Current State" and it will duplicate the frame to after the current frame/state you are on. Self-explanatory.

In MapleStory, we are given 4 frames of a walk sequence.

The first and third pose are one pixel taller than the other two. You should keep this in mind as we go through this walk sequence.

An animated walk sequence in place should look like this:

Do you see the character sort of "bounce" as it goes through every other pose? That's what I mean by the one pixel that makes a difference.

Now, to make a walk sequence, you should understand that you must stay consistent in how many pixels are in between each pose per frame. Here is an example.

Those two poses are three pixels apart from each other. You will change the sequence of the walk every 3-4 frames. Here is another example:


Here is what it would look like in individual frames:

Each one of these movements are one frame. After going through four poses, you can restart the sequence by using the first pose and then repeat. After reading this, try to make your character go across the screen.

Here's a mini-GIF guide for how to do it:

In this guide, I did 3 frames per pose with 3 pixels between each pose.

Here is a quick GIF on how I do it:

In this GIF, I use 4 frames per pose and space each pose by 3 pixels.


This is a completed walk sequence with 4 frames per pose and 3 pixels apart.

Easing is a term that is used in relevance to gradually going in and gradually going out of a pose.
Here is an example of a pose "easing IN".

Did you see how it gradually when to the right? That is called, "Easing in".
In terms of how many pixels it moves, it went to the right in this order: 1,3,7,20,40,X and so on.
Now, you don't have to EXACTLY do those amount of pixels every time you try to ease in, you can experiment, but it depends on how you want your character to ease in.
That is easing IN.

You can do it with weapons too.
Here is an example:

But... doesn't that look kind of... "choppy"?
Oh right! We forgot to "Ease OUT". To ease out, you are basically slowing down the movement. I will use the same exact sword.

That looks better. (:

Now, of course, it takes a lot more frames to animate this sequence, but that's not too bad because you're sacrificing time for smooth animation.

So, why didn't you make the guy ease out instead of throwing him out of the canvas in the first example earlier?
Well, to ease out of something that involves a character on the ground, we call it "Sliding".

I'll take the same guy and show you slide.

I ended his slide by doing these pixel movements: 30, 15, 5, 3, 2 ,1.
It's EXACTLY what the word means. Sliding. Instead of coming to a complete stop, he slid instead. The reason why you don't come to a complete stop is because that is physically impossible unless there is some sort of object that stops you, but in this case nothing is stopping the character, so he slides instead.

Welcome to physics in Maple animating.

Go to Edit > Preferences. (Ctrl+U)


In Interpolation, you want to select "Soft". This section is the category in which modifies how your images react to your editing. Some animators use Bicubic sometimes, but I do believe Soft gives a better look to your sprites after rotating/resizing/skew.

I'll give you an example.

Soft


Bicubic


Although there is barely a difference, it's mainly a preference. Use whatever you'd like.

Rotation is what we used for the sword in the easing spoiler earlier.
In order to rotate, you must use the scale or the distort tool shown here:


Here is an example of how to rotate an image:


Do you see that black dot?
That is the rotation point of the image. If you move the rotation point, it will rotate around that point. Here is an example:

It is a good tool to have.

Now to implement easing into a rotation, you must understand how to use the 1-3-7-15 or 15-7-3-2-1 rule into a rotation.
Watch this demonstration, it shows that there are "ticks" within the rotation.


A character going a full rotation easing in and out should look like this:

Resize is one of the least used of all the categories in this post. In terms of animation, resize is used for the sprites that are present.

One of the simpler usages of resize is for landing or a source of impact. For example:
Compare these two animations.


Well, obviously the resizing one, right? (That's the right one by the way.)

You can resize a couple ways.
The Scale Tool



and this,

This is for more precise resizing.

Here are some rules to follow when resizing:
- Do not resize too far or too long. This is because you don't want your characters to look like jello.
- When resizing, you should always try to get your character back into the original proportions. Make sure you're not animating with the resized pose or else it'll look funky.

Skewing is a term that is used for images that are slanted through the Skew Tool.



As you can see, you can only move in the direction associated with the side you try to skew on and uses the parallel side as a lever to skew on. In terms of pose transitioning, we will mostly use the top side to skew our poses.

Skewing helps with a smooth transition from one pose to another.

You can skew your poses in a few ways, here are a few examples:
Stand to Walk:

Punching:

Swings:


In the same way as resizing, you do not want to overdo a skew on an image or else it will look like jello. You want to use subtle skews and gradually increase in the ticks in order to have a smooth transition.

YOU THOUGHT I WAS DONE WITH THIS SECTION?
WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT THE BEST TOOL. DISTORT.



YOU CAN ROTATE, RESIZE, SKEW, AND DID I MENTION ROTATE?

This tool is basically both of the other tools combined. You can do a lot just by experimenting with this tool. Try it for yourself.

Jumping uses: Resize, Ease, and in some cases Skewing.
There are a couple ways to "jump" in maplestory. Jumping in place and jumping with momentum.
[spoiler=Standard Jump]

These are my preferences, but you can do it similarly.

Resize height by 6
Resize height by 2
Change to jump pose, go up from the line around 10-15 pixels.
Up 5
Up 3
Up 2
Up 1
Down 3
Down 7
Land pose, Resize height by 6
Resize height by 2
Original pose

When jumping with momentum, you have to make use of these principles:
- Easing
- Skewing
- Sliding
- Resizing

It may seem like a lot, but let me show you an animation that have all concepts in it.


Step by Step:

When it comes to attacking overall, there are certain methods to do so. Various different styles from many animators have evolved this basic movement over the years of Maple animating.
Here I will present to you two different styles:
- Old School
- Modern

[spoiler=Old School]
When animating first started, many animators stuck to the main scheme of pose transitions by using the main sequence of the actual swing or punch itself. I would also like isolate the fact that old school animators did not use much skewing, as it is one of the newer mechanisms of animation.




The idea here is, the character's momentum is followed through easing and slides. Hence, the character moved towards the direction of where the arm went.

Now, when it comes to swings, it is almost done in the exact same manner. However, there are more swing poses than there are punches.




For these animations, I want you to take a closer look at where the feet align. The character's "left" foot aligns the pose transition. Without the alignment, the animation might have looked a little something like this. Also, I want you to notice that the 2nd pose used was just a transition pose, so anything longer than 1 frame for that pose would cause for a choppier sequence.



Which does not look too bad with all things considered, but looking at his feet, it does not fit as well as the one above.

With modern animating, Skewing was introduced to animation and created an era for smoother animation styles.
One thing to consider here is that skewing caused the exclusion of transition poses. So for swings that have that middle pose, it was completely taken out. Punches, however, were exemplified through skewing.




[spoiler=Side by Side Comparison]

When it comes to animating, one of the main factors to smooth animation is to ensure your transitions between poses or certain movements are logical.

This section is not something that can be explained very thoroughly through animations, but I will do my best to ensure you understand it as we go through with this.

Pose transitions are logical. HUGE amounts of common sense is involved.
For example, lets take a look at this.

Before you open the spoiler, I want you to imagine what you would do.
Make this pose go into a walking sequence.


[spoiler=How I would do it]
Here is an example of how I would make him start walking.

This tab will be used to explain how to use various filters that are commonly used within animations made in fireworks.

[spoiler=Big Images Incoming]

The filters section is located AFTER you select a bitmap on the stage. Anything that is selected is about to have some sort of filter to it.

The first drop down menu at the top allows for the certain bitmap of choice to be altered in terms of color or visualization. For example, when using the same image, we will put a black bitmap over it, as seen below.


While ensuring the black bitmap is selected. Using the filters menu, you can use a various amount of items from the drop down menu. You can twiddle with the transparency to mess with the variety of items you can choose from.

Here is an example:
[spoiler=comparison]


An "overlay" filter at 75% transparency gives you this kind of texture.


An "hue" filter at 50% transparency gives you this kind of texture.

In the filters section, when you select a bitmap, you'll get a "+" button. This will allow for you to select a variety of filters that alter that actual bitmap itself, not just the color.
[spoiler=Blurs]
For Blurs, they are generally used to smoothen out bitmaps or create images that display the objective of the action.



For example, Motion Blur. If an individual is going fast, the naked eye in the real world would not see a clear image of the individual, but a blur.

[spoiler=example]


or



Which one looks better? You decided. (:

For Radial Blur, you ALWAYS want your quality to be 100%. ALWAYS.

Pretty simple. It creates noise. Not the sound, but the image effect. Equivalent to the effect the TV makes when it cannot find a channel.

For example:

These two are very self-explanatory. You can twiddle around and see what fits best. We don't generally use these too much, but you can use what you desire!

After Effects. Probably the blessing that MapleStory sprites received from the Gods of Animation. This is because, it hides a LOT of the choppiness of animations and allows for animators to create a more fluid animation.

Normally, there's only one type of After Effect that Maple Animators use. HOWEVER, Fireworks are allowed to take it one step further and use an incredible feature called Smudging.

This section will have two parts to it. Regular After Effects and Smudged After Effects.
[spoiler=Regular After Effects]
Here, I have a link where you can download these after effects.
http://maplemation.com/threads/the-new-maplestorys-after-effects.28761/
(It may be private for people who have not acquired the resource section yet.)

These after effects can also be called, "After Images". When anything is swung or stabbed, there can be an effect that covers the attack and shows direction and impact.
In the next example, I show an quick animation with a sword swing and a stab without after effects.


Next, I will add the after effects.


The gist is to resize the swing effects to fit the path of the sword's swing. Afterwards, fade out the effects.

In honor of the Smudging God, Ozone, I have to distribute the knowledge of smudging to new fireworks animators of the future.
Ever written an essay in pencil and your hands were sweaty to the point where you swiped your pencil marks and it left a nasty lead smudge? This is exactly what the smudge tool does to your images.

You can find the Smudge tool in the Bitmap section.

Hold the Waterdrop icon and there will be a menu of tools you can pick from it. Click the one with a finger pointing downwards.


The idea with smudging for after effects is to imitate the pathing of the swings or stabs.
Here is a still image example:


Now, one thing that is different is that you can erase the pathing of the after effect and then make it END at the sword itself. You can also save smudging until you are done animating and then make the smudge effect after. Here is a slow motion example of the after effect animation from the previous section, but with smudging.


-notice me senpai-

-coming soon-

-coming soon-

To import your PNGs, you will need to go to File > Import > Import to Stage.


After that, find the folder that holds all of the PNGs and then only select the very first frame of the sequence. You will then get a window that allows you to import the whole sequence. Allow it and you will get all of the frames separated by frames in Flash.



Now, you should realize that the frames are located inside of the graphic. Set your frame rate to 28FPS, which is the closest to standard GIF speed. Then, double-frame each frame of the animation.


Also, you should change all of the frames' properties in the library to Lossless PNG and do not allow smoothening. This will retain a nice, smooth, and pixelized animation.
(highlight all of the bitmaps to make the process quicker)


After that, place your graphic onto your main stage and give it the appropriate amount of frames.
Then you are finished with the transfer!