Monday, November 2, 2009
Week 10: November 2 to November 8
BLOG Topic for Week TEN: In the course packet I have you creating some simple graphics in Flash, plus you get to convert Bitmaps into Vectors. In Exercise 4 you learned how to trace a Bitmap graphic and then turn it into a Vector graphic. After you have worked with these tools you should be able to distinguish the differences between the Fireworks Tools and the Flash Tools. Do you get the connection that exists between the two programs and do you think you can do without using Fireworks of PhotoShop and work directly in Flash?
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7 comments:
No. Did I say that too quickly? …. Ummm. No. (What a difference a week makes. Last week I had absolutely no idea.)
Fireworks and Flash each have their own “cool” tools for working with graphics. From what I’ve seen so far, Flash would be a poor substitute for Fireworks in many respects. I’ve already gone back to Fireworks to do some things that either we haven’t learned yet, are not possible, or are too cumbersome to do in Flash.
Hmmmm. I'm really not sure I 'get' the connection between Flash and Fireworks. I don't think Flash includes the fine control over graphics, but I love its vector drawing tools, which are much easier than Illustrator and seemingly on par with Fireworks.
On our meeting night I would like to have a discussion about how to decide which program to use for any given task. I think that Flash's strength is animation. Fireworks' strength is page production and graphic production geared for the web. Dreamweaver's (what I know so far) is fine control within any given html page via CSS and that you can get at all of the code.
But that said, it seems you can use any of these three programs to do a little of everything. Then, throw in a bit of InDesign for the fantastic ability it has to develop type or print projects than can then be exported as swf files that look and act like real, page-turning critters on an html page. Enough to make my head explode.
Until I get more experience with each program, I can see that my tendency would be to spin wheels trying to figure out which is best for what. But the fog will clear over the next few weeks, I think.
cheerio,
Ruth
I do not believe you could do-away with Fireworks after working in Flash. Flash is basic and vector, and doesn't distinguish all tools needed for a truly "wicked" Flash creation. Importation is needed from other programs! :)
Well, I think I see a bit of a connection between the programs but, they all have their own unique aspects that makes them work together so beautifully. I think for little old newbie me, the Fireworks program is the easiest. I do recognize some of the tools in both programs and that helps me to work in both a little better.
There is absolutely a connection - and I'm so relieved! I was getting a bit panicked thinking I was going to have to be switching back and forth between so many programs to optimize and edit graphics, but there really is soooo much you can do in both Fireworks and Flash, that I don't see the reason to have to use Photoshop or Illustrator much at all anymore! I'm so thrilled with the ability to convert bitmaps into vectors - it solves so many of my design questions. I especially want to use fonts/typography in graphics alot in my sites, as this is my interest and I seem to have a flair for this. Soooo, being able to convert the special font characters I use into vector images is awesome!!!!
The developers at Adobe have created a new monster in the Fireworks CS4 version. I was so worried that Adobe would drop the software in deference to PhotoShop. They took some of the cool tools from PhotoShop, changed the interface to welcome PhotoShop users into the fold and made Fireworks untold percents greater than it was! Color me happy!
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