Flash Tutorial Create Water Wave Effect Animation Using Masking Tween

Huh terrible day, but it’s ok Hopely by writing this article will make me feel better (cheers G’iZ)!

We’re going to make a flash animation water wave effect and we going to move step by step to give you a clean explanation about how to make a water wave effect in flash using masking technique.

1. Prepare an image, we are going to use it as a background of our movie, the dimension of image depend on movie’s dimension that you want to make. Here I used 325 x 130 pixel.

• Open macromedia flash and create new movie (CTRL + N or File –> New -> Flash File)
  
• CTRL + J or Modify –> Document, put in the boxes the dimension of the movie (325 px width and 130 px height).
  
• Rename Layer1 (Double click layer1 in the layer name, type the name eg:image)
  
• Import the image into the stage (click frame 1 of layer image, CTRL + R or File –> import –> import to stage, browse the file, Open).
• Put the image exactly fit the stage (CTRL + K, activate the “align/distribute to stage”, click the alignment icon vertical and horizontal)
  
• Now insert new layer (click icon new layer in the bottom left of the layer window) and name it image_mask.
  
• Copy the image into frame 1 layer image_mask (right click frame 1 layer image –> copy frame –> right click frame 1 of layer image_mask –> paste frame).
• Move the image in layer image_mask up 1 – 2 px (click the image on the stage the use arrow up/down to move it).
• Insert new layer and name it mask_shape (as in step 7).
• Click frame 1 of the new layer and using oval tool (press “O” to activate the tool) draw multi oval shape as in image below.
  
• Convert it to movieclip (select the oval object, press F8), name it wave_mc or whatever you want
  
• Right click frame 20 of layer mask_shape –> insert keyframe.
  
• Click the oval object (in frame 20) then resize it proportionally as needed (represent the distance of the wave).
• Click the frame 1 of layer ,mask_shape, in properties window ( tween dropdown) choose motion.
  
• Finally right click the layer mask_shape in layer name then choose mask.
  
• Test your movie (CTRL + Enter or Control –> Test Movie).

That’s it ) you can add your own effect as a combination effect like the sample flash animation water wave effect, download the fla file of the sample Download Fla File. The menu name or order maybe different since here I am using adobe flash CS3 but it must be there so try to find it or use shortcut instead. Have fun! And be creative.