Online Flash Tutorial - Drawing Geometrical shapes Part 1

Geometrical shapes such as rectangles, squares, circles or ovals are drawn using the Oval Tool and the Rectangular Tool . Evidently, the oval tool is employed for making ovals and circles while the rectangular tool makes squares and rectangles.

Drawing an oval or a rectangle shape is very simple. Just select the appropriate tool and then left click on the stage. Keeping the mouse button depressed, drag to another location. There... you have your shape.
(Tip: Perfect circles and squares can be drawn by holding the SHIFT key when using the oval and rectangular tools, respectively.)

When the oval or rectangular tool is activated its corresponding modifiers are displayed below the toolbar. These modifiers let you control the various properties of the shape you are about to draw. Remember, each shape consists of an outline and a fill. Outline color, outline style, outline thickness and the fill color (or gradient) can be set using these modifiers.

The modifiers for the oval and rectangular tools are similar except for one addition to the rectangular tool modifier palette. Let's take it step by step.

The Oval tool modifiers


The fill modifier lets you specify the fill color from the color palette.
Color gradients (discussed later) can also be used as fills. Flash comes with a set of basic gradients. Using these as foundations, you can create your own.
The other icons in the modifier palette control the outline style and thickness, and have been explained in the previous session, Using the Line Tool.

The Rectangular tool modifiers

Except for the last modifier (Round Rectangle Radius), the rest are identical to those found in the oval tool modifier palette.
The Round Rectangle Radius is employed to make rounded rectangles. Clicking on the modifier opens a pop-up window through which you can specify the radius in pixels.

In the next session we learn how to draw shapes using these tools.