Instead of building the characters out of various primitive objects, this style focuses more on using interesting shapes that define the character’s outline (Figure 2.16). The outlines are created using thick, bold strokes with thinner lines used for detail. Detail is optimized to keep only what is necessary to identify the character.
Figure 2.16: Focus on using interesting shapes that define your character.
Even though these thick outlines create rather flat imagery, attention is given to contrasting straight and curved lines. This gives the character a more dynamic look. Flash designers have adopted this graphic style because its simplicity in design lends itself well to Flash’s built in tools and animating capabilities.
Assembling the Cast in Flash From your various sketches, model sheets, and turnarounds, it is time to assemble the character in Flash. There are many ways to do this. The following exercises provide some tips and techniques in building your characters to use in animation, interactive projects, or as mascots for branding design. As mentioned in the introduction, this book assumes that you have a working knowledge of Flash, its workspace and drawing tools. Feel free to substitute your own artwork in place of what is provided on the CD-ROM. Let’s get started.
32
Chapter 2: Get into Character