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Developer Connection: Create graphic effects in Flash

Graphic Effects Learning Guide for Flash CS4 Professional

Getting Started

Adobe Flash CS4 Professional provides a number of features for producing impressive graphic effects, enhancing the look and feel of your projects. The Graphic Effects Learning Guide for Flash explains these features, from blend modes and filters to 9-slice scaling and 3D rotation. Explore the sections at right to dive into whatever topic interests you.


Graphic effects articles

Pixel Bender logo

Pixel Bender Technology Center

Learn about processing pixel data in image and video content to create a variety of easy-to-write filters and visual effects across several Adobe products.

Samuel Asher Rivello

Augmented reality using a webcam and Flash


Combine the physical world with an interactive, three-dimensional virtual world as you build this sample application.

Tom Green

Integrating Flash CS4 with After Effects CS4


Harness the power of these two tools to create stunning motion graphics.

Jonathan Duran

Generate complex, geometric patterns using the Deco tool and Spray Brush in Flash


Rapidly generate decorative patterns using the new procedural drawing tools in Flash CS4 Professional.

Charles Ward

Creating blends, filters and fills with Adobe Pixel Bender


Get an overview of the new high-performance graphics programming language, and learn how to apply filters, blends, and area fills to any display object, including images and vector graphics.

Ben Pritchard

Creating movie clips with reflections in ActionScript 3.0


Apply reflections to movie clips in your Flash projects and modify them using a custom ActionScript 3.0 class.

Guy Watson

Introducing the Image API in Flash 8

Learn to use the new BitmapData class in Flash 8 to create and manipulate 32-bit images at runtime with ActionScript.

Grant Skinner

Using Bitwise Operators to Manipulate Bits and Colors

Discover how you can manipulate pixel colors in Flash programmatically by changing their color channels.

Guy Watson

Using Bitmap Caching in Flash


Speed up graphic performance using the bitmap caching capabilities in Flash.


Graphic effects samples

Phil Chung

Using Matrices for Transformations, Color Adjustments, and Convolution Effects in Flash


Learn about the value of matrices and how to use them to control graphic effects at the pixel level.

Grant Skinner

Varicose-g: High-Performance Graphics in Flash 8

Grant Skinner shows you how to use custom bitmap caching and other Flash 8 features to make complex graphics run beautifully.

Guy Watson

Webcam motion detection: Using the BitmapData API in Flash 8

Guy Watson taps into the new features of Flash Player 8 to build a motion detection webcam.

Chris Georgenes

Designing and Animating Characters in Flash

Breathe life into complex characters with these custom techniques and tips.


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