How do they...???

[smithxi]

how do flash artists create such intricate drawings in flash?

are they using anything i'm not?

[nicholaspaul]

They probably aren't using Flash (which drives me nuts by the way. The drawing tools are excruciating!). You can copy/paste vectors from programs like Illustrator or Freehand.

[Quixx]

Like nicholaspaul said, there's a good chance what you saw wasn't done directly in Flash, since Flash can import other vector based files. It could be, that the person also uses a drawing tablet, which would allow for more of a freehand feel to thier work.

[smithxi]

so how can i get that flow. that video look, that professional outlay?

and illistrator is not it.

[nicholaspaul]

Are you sure Illustrator isn't it? At first you don't know, now you know what it isnt? I've seen incredible results from other designers using Illustrator - stuff that you'd swear was bitmaps.
Perhaps if you can post a URL of what you are talking about, we can take a guess as to what someone used.
But really, there are only so many pro apps out there and the choices are not really that mystical.

[smithxi]

dude i'm just talking about drawn out scenes. video that flows, but wasn't done with a camera. it was drawn frame by frame, and i'm saying i doubt they use illustrator. you just referenced it because you can copy and paste images, which you can do from anywhere. and what are you talking about bitmaps for?

[Quixx]

1st post-

how do flash artists create such intricate drawings in flash?
are they using anything i'm not?

last post-

dude i'm just talking about drawn out scenes. video that flows, but wasn't done with a camera. it was drawn frame by frame, and i'm saying i doubt they use illustrator. you just referenced it because you can copy and paste images, which you can do from anywhere. and what are you talking about bitmaps for?

Take a look at your first post... To me that's asking how someone draws a picture in Flash, not how to create a flowing animation sequence. There's no reason for you to start getting hostile with the people trying to help you, because you can't explain your thoughts very well. I mean, "that flow. that video look, that professional outlay" can mean anything. Flow is often used to describe how a painting can force a viewers eye to another area of a canvas using color and paint strokes that convey motion. "video look", is used often in "sig" forums when asking about scan lines (a static effect that, more often then not, has no motion in it). And a layout, when read with the rest or you question, can be easily missunderstood as a layout for a drawing (not a storyboard for a video). You made no reference to animation in any of the posts. If it weren't for you finally saying, "wasn't done with a camera" and "it was drawn frame by frame", I would probably still think you were talking about a still image.

And still... There's a question as to just what you are asking about. Is it a cartoon like animation you wish to learn about, or more of a simple panning effect that displaces menus and text? In short, Where's the example link nicholaspaul asked for?

[nicholaspaul]

how do flash artists create such intricate drawings in flash?

DRAWINGS are not videos. If you don't understand the terminology, I suggest this site : http://www.graphicdesigndictionary.com/b.html

are they using anything i'm not??

Yes. Common sense and manners.

"I've seen incredible results from other designers using Illustrator - stuff that you'd swear was bitmaps. "
This implies that it is possible to achieve non-vector-like graphics from a vector program. That is, they look like bitmaps which are more akin to photographs than hard-edge vectors.
I referenced Illustrator because it is the industry standard ( if you are in the industry) vector based drawing program and there is more of a likelihood that you are using Illustrator than another vector program such as Macromedia Freehand (which happens to be what I use, but thats beside the point). VECTORS is what Flash handles best - not video or bitmaps (the other kind of graphics). See glossary for more details, or the Flash manual.
You are also more than welcome to figure it out yourself.

[smithxi]

i'm talking about a cursive word being drawn out, or written out, without a pen or anything on the stage.

[nicholaspaul]

i'm talking about a cursive word being drawn out, or written out, without a pen or anything on the stage.

Perhaps this should have been your first post.

They use flash. But maybe some of the vectors are done with illustrator. Or Freehand. Or Inkscape.

But it most certainly is done with LAYER MASKS.

[Freakwncy02]

it's always best to post an example of what you're trying to do , but i think you're talking about a text being vectorize and then being mask, to make it look like it's being written out by a pen... one of the early tutorials from Flash 4.0...