Tutorial #2

Creating a Motion Guide
Download the source file

Here are the 7 steps to adding a motion guide to the tweened animation. We'll start with the motion tween created in Tutorial #1:

1. Add a
MOTION GUIDE LAYER to the timeline.
Right click on the exisiting layer in the timeline and select ADD MOTION GUIDE from the menu that appears.

After the motion guide is added your screen should look similar to this one.



2. Selecting the layer and timeline frame to draw within.
   Click the first keyframe of the MOTION GUIDE LAYER with the arrow tool to layer to make it active. It should be the only black frame in the timeline.
   
   
   
3. Drawing the MOTION GUIDE.
   For this exercise we will use the pencil tool. Select the pencil tool from the TOOLS MENU.
   
   
   
4. Selecting the type of path.
   After you select the pencil tool the options menu appears below in the TOOL BAR. Select the SMOOTH option so the path you create will be free of sharp turns.
   
   
   
5. Drawing the guide.
   Start drawing a line from the upper left of the stage to the lower right corner. Create a curved path. Make sure you are drawing in the MOTION GUIDE LAYER otherwise the guide will not work.
   
   
   
6. Selecting the MAGNET TOOL..
   Select the ARROW TOOL (black arrow) from the TOOL BAR. Then select the MAGNET TOOL from the options menu at the bottom of the TOOL BAR. Using the MAGNET TOOL makes it easier to attach the objects to the MOTION GUIDE.
   
   
   
7. Attaching the keyframe objects to the MOTION GUIDE.
   Select the first object in the first keyframe of the objects layer. Drag the object to the beginning of the MOTION PATH so that it snaps to the start of the MOTION PATH. Repeat the process for the last keyframe by attaching the last object to the other end of the MOTION GUIDE.
   

These are all the steps needed to create a motion guide animation.