September, 2006
This tutorial will teach you how to create a block of text, through which you can place anything you wish,
even a moving effect.
Start by adding your text, for example "HELLO", you can use any font, size, width, height you want. But make sure your text is Static (Not Dynamic/Input). The color doesn't matter at this point.
Now, right click on your block of text and select 'Grouping' then 'Group As Shape' from the menu. Swishmax will now ask you if you would like to 'Make the overlapped regions of the objects with the same fill style empty. There you have to click Yes.
Now you need to make three copies of your Shape. Use Copy/Paste in Place to ensure they are all on equal coordinates. After that rename your Shapes in the following order:
1. Outline
2. Mask
3. Color
Select outline from the Outline panel, this will be the outline of the text. It will display in front of the mask.
Double clicking on Outline will take you to the 'Shape' Panel, from there you want to remove the Fill, then add an Outline. I recommend you to use a solid, bold outline for this effect.
Now we will customize the color.
I suggest you set Mask to invisible (Click the little eye next to it), or you will not be able to see the color while editing. Once again get yourself to the Shape panel, but this time instead of removing the Fill and adding an Outline, simply edit the Fill color to whatever variation you like.
In this example I chose a gradient fill.
Now lets work with the Mask.
You can keep the Mask invisible as you do not need to see it when editing. Right click on the Mask and select 'Grouping' then 'Group as Sprite' from the menu. Rename the new Sprite to 'Mask'. Now double click on your Sprite and look at the Sprite Panel. There you will find an option labeled 'Use bottom object as mask'. Make sure you check this.
The content you want to Mask, you place in the Mask sprite. Always make sure the content you do place in the sprite is above the Mask shape. You can also add sprites within this sprite, and you can use script and effect just like normal.
For example I created a violet rectangle inside the sprite but above the mask shape.
And finally, I add an effect to the rectangle called: 3D Corkscrew
Copyright (c) 2006, Beatriz Mariniello, All Rights Reserved
