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Importing Clip Art, Bitmap & Vector Images
For Shape Tweens & Other Uses

Free Flash Tutorial

Step Two: Understanding Vector Images

Vector: A vector image is a computer image that uses a Wire Frame or Outlines to define a shapes area. This is made up of mathematical descriptions of paths and fills to define the graphic. A Vector image is drawn in shapes and lines called paths:

This is a Shape drawn in Flash with the Paintbrush Tool:



Standard shape created in Flash.

If you switch on the Show Layer as Outlines: View > Preview Mode > Outlines (Ctrl Alt Shift O)


Outline or Vector of the Shape.

Note: The Outline shape can be edited with the Sub Selection Tool:


Editing a Shape with the Sub Selection Tool.

Tip: Don't forget to turn Outline Mode off: View > Preview Mode > Anti-Alias (Ctrl Alt Shift A)

There are several distinct parts to a Vector shape:

Stroke or Outline
A the visible outline that goes right around the shape. This maybe different colours, have different line widths or even be patterns such as dashes:

Same Shape different Stroke.

Fill
A colour or pattern that fills a shape:

Same Shape different Fills.

Path
This is the mathematical Shape that makes up the Vector Shape. This can be viewed by going into outline mode. If you switch on the Show Layer as Outlines: View > Preview Mode > Outlines (Ctrl Alt Shift O)

Path or Vector of the Shape.

Anchor Points
The small green squares that are become visible when you click on a shape with the Sub Selection Tool:

You can change the shape by dragging the Anchor points with the Sub Selection Too:

Tangent Handles
This is tangent line that becomes visible when you click on a Anchor Point with the Sub Selection Tool. The Tangent Handles are the green dots at the end of the Tangent lines:

By dragging the Tangent Handles you can change the way the Path moves trough the Anchor Point.

This changes the objects shape:

File Size

Vector Images tend to have a small electronic file size (KB or MB). Flash uses vectors because of the files sizes are small so the files download quickly. Because the image is stored mathematically the width and height size of an image is not important. You can enlarge a vector image and there is no loss of image quality. Even though an image may look bigger in width and height the electronic file size (in KB) remains unchanged!!

Vector Images are commonly used in:

Clip Art is usually made of Vector type images.

Fonts are sets of electronic letters and each letter has a shape. Fonts are normally vector images.

Flash stores images as vector shapes. So when you draw or paint shapes in Flash they are made up of vectors.

Logos are usually made of Vector files and can be enlarged to any size without loss of image quality.

3D Rendering programs use Wire Frame or Vector type of images.

Note: The above are examples only. There will always be exceptions such as Clip Art libraries that contain Bitmap images.

Shapes that you draw or paint in Flash will be Vector. Graphics programs are specifically designed to so create and edit Vector images. You can use any Graphics program like Adobe Freehand, Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. Most 3D programs also use Vectors.

Cross Ref: For more information about using images on the internet: Tutorial - Pictures for the web