Menorah for Hanukkah

**WolfMoonHP** · 05 December 2006, 12:38 AM

Egg...

I think I figured out why it doesn't tween. I had converted the Live Effects flames to bitmap. Then I tried to change the shape of the bitmaps, completely forgetting that changing the shape of a bitmap makes it a different shape.

Flash doesn't tween bitmaps. (At least I don't think it does!)

So I am now in the process of playing with ways to simulate flame using only vectors, so that the tweening will work. I'm actually making some progress, but nothing good enough to post yet.
---
Will

**Egg Bramhill** · 05 December 2006, 03:30 AM

Heres a quick vector flame, no good for a candle, more like a roaring camp fire.

**WolfMoonHP** · 05 December 2006, 12:11 PM

Yep, Egg...This one makes me want to bring out the marshmallows and hot dogs. Looks downright toasty.
---Will

**Availor** · 05 December 2006, 01:00 PM

All this just for me?!

**WolfMoonHP** · 05 December 2006, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Availor

All this just for me?!

Maybe not JUST for you, but you most definitely were the inspiration. Though I will also be sending it via e-mail to all my Jewish friends here in the US as well.

I had fun making it, and I hope you like it!
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Will

**amoore** · 06 December 2006, 08:45 PM

The menorah animation is a very nice idea, but I think you need to revisit the flames. Candle flames are much simpler. These guys look more like torches.

Makes me want to look for a fire extinguisher.

Try an elongated yellow teardrop shape with a center composed of a much smaller white teardrop and even smaller blue and orange teardrops. I think that's the right direction, but I can't try to poke around right now. There's probably a candle flame in one of Gary's XaraXone tutorials.

**WolfMoonHP** · 06 December 2006, 09:06 PM

Like you, I'm short on time at this time of the year...however I'm making good progress toward getting a real flickering candle effect! The tutorial you may be thinking of generates a lovely candle flame, however it also uses fades and other effects not supported by Flash.

My approach is actually using three separate vector images, superimposed and individually animated. They really do look like small dancing candle flames, however I haven't had time to create 21 separate shapes and change them in multiple frames to get the effect...sigh...

Hopefully I'll get it right before Hanukkah!
---
Will

**joel** · 09 December 2006, 05:57 PM

I originally made this animation as a gif in December 2000. I just exported it as a flash in Xtreme Pro...the file size is a little large, must be the plasma fills. It also wouldn't export my four and three color fills in the flames and candles.

Joel

**WolfMoonHP** · 09 December 2006, 07:38 PM

Very nice Menorah, Joel.

I haven't given up on making better flames for my candles!
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Will

**sallybode** · 09 December 2006, 08:29 PM

Egg and Will, the candle stick works, perhaps could tone down a bit of the brassy tones (I always go too far with it too), but the candles themselves are like little blow torches. The effect would be perfect for a blow torch in fact. I always think I know what something looks like until I draw it, then I realize that I only stored some of the data in my head of what I needed to draw and item and have to go back and look at the real thing. Best way is to get out a real candle and observe and then from the observations of watching it burn and flicker, encorporate that. I am not criticizing, trying to brainstorm it out. There is a way to do it I'm sure. Just a longer learning curve here. This may be a step closer, maybe someone can perfect it a bit more than I did.