Effects Based on Mask Techniques

These techniques are the base for the complex and more fancy animations in Flash. You can extend the effects to other objects, you can combine them as you wish and if you got a great effect send it to us and we will be glad to publish it along with your name and your copyright notice.

A mask is an hole thought which the layers under it (masked) can be seen. It doesn't matter its color, only its shape is important. For example if the mask is a square in the middle of the Main Stage, everything that happens under that layer will be seen through that square's area.

• (6) Simple fade: this time we will use a mask technique
• (7) Hiding the text: a simple way to hide and reveal parts of the text area
• (8) Coloring the text: using a mask to color and combine the colors for a text object
• (9) Double mask technique: the effect takes place in front of the text
• (10) Double mask technique: the effect takes place under the text
• (11) Effect inside the text: the effect takes place inside the text

Please take in consideration our next advices:

• follow carefully these examples in order to understand the effects from the last Chapter
• if you don't understand something, go back to the first Chapter, try the Tips page or contact us and we will be glad to assist you
• we recommend you not to use a version of Flash older then Flash MX 2004
• please chose the Default Panel for the Flash environment (in the Flash Menu, please chose Window/Panel Sets)
• download the .fla source files and follow our templates carefully
• ignore the WebArticles layer in the main timeline