Flash: Building a portfolio (advice, suggestioned sites, anything) Please.

[BeautyNut]

I'm not familiar with Flash, and I need to create a basic (interactive) portfolio in Flash displaying (incorporating) previous assignments / projects.

If not too much to ask, can someone please suggest any web sites and / or tutorials that would be helpful to me?

Basics would include:
Home page (with links or buttons)
ArtWork / Design Examples
Work History / Resume
Contact Information

Seriously, I just need a little guidance to get started.
Please. Please. Please.

Thank you very much.

(I'm scared to death of Flash.) :(

[morea]

Try here (http://www.w3schools.com/flash/default.asp).

[shapescamron]

I just upgraded to cs5 recently and flash catalyst is an amazing way to make an interactive portfolio if your not keen on coding. It's very user friendly and I think it lets you focus more on the design and visual aspects without having to worry about the background stuff.

But for tutorials if your willing to pitch out the $25. Lynda.com is amazing. They go through step by step instructions sometimes making sessions into an eight hour class. When I need to learn some new software or just freshen up on some skills I always turn to lynda.com I think it is well worth the $25.

Great session for flash catalyst.

[BeautyNut]

morea,
Thank you so much.
Thank you.

shapescamron,
Thank you so much as well.
lynda is definitely something that I want to try when I get the money up.

How is CS5 different from your previous one?

Anyone please feel free to add more if you'd like.
You are greatly appreciated.

[shapescamron]

i skipped the cs4 upgrade for personal.

im still a student so the school was already on cs4, i didnt feel the need to upgrade to cs4 from cs3.

but when cs5 was announced the new features were enough to make me pitch out the money. mostly flash catalyst did it for me. but tons of other features helped the push.

photoshop extended - content aware fill, bristle brushes, etc.

illustrator - perspective tool, varying widths tool, more features for tablet users which i am one

indesign - i read that out of all the new features indesign had more of the most impressive on the cs5 upgrade. theres a lot of small things but they help with your proficiency so much. corner options right on the frames<<love.

the cs live services are awesome. and if anyone else on here has cs5 and would like to try out the cs live services let me know. most of my collaborators haven't upgraded yet so i havent been able to take on the full effect of them but i see its potential.

there is now a scaled down version of bridge called mini-bridge in every program to be able to view within the program itself, in the panels bar.

kuler is a pretty cool extension built in. I used to use the website. http://kuler.adobe.com/#themes/rating?time=30 now its just built in.
and of course flash catalyst is something that i will probably be using a lot.

There is a ton more, i cant really give a huge description but i def. think it is worth the upgrade. if you want to find out more about cs5 here are some videos that can give better descriptions
http://tv.adobe.com/
also has some pretty good free tutorials that might help you out also.

[BeautyNut]

shapescamron,
Thank you so much for your response.

I'm probably not going to upgrade, yet, since I have CS4, but I would love to try it out.
Maybe I'll upgrade next time (money reasons).

I appreciate your reply and time.

[shapescamron]

No problem!

I believe they have trial versions for Flash Catalyst.
I would give it a go.

[BeautyNut]

Thank you.

Please tell me once more -
What exactly is Flash Catalyst?
What does it do differently than the previous Flash?

Thank you.

[garricks]

Here's a link: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashcatalyst/

Beauty, you really need to learn how to use a search engine like Google.

[BeautyNut]

Beauty, you really need to learn how to use a search engine like Google.

LoL :D;)

I appreciate the link very much.

[CkretAjint]

Are you required to use flash? If not I would recommend something else, especailly if you are new to flash.

[shapescamron]

I would love to sit here and explain why I like Flash Catalyst,
but its really gonna be simpler just to watch the video explaining it.

Plus the video will be much more successful in what I would try and explain.
http://tv.adobe.com/watch/flash-catalyst-cs5-feature-tour/flash-catalyst-cs5-feature-tour-/

theres a lot more videos out there. i enjoyed this one. but the 4 1/2 hour session on lynda.com was amazing. once again you would have to pay the $25 for access to it but heres the link anyways.

http://www.lynda.com/home/DisplayCourse.aspx?lpk2=58711&srchtrk=index%3A6%0Alinktypeid%3A2%0Aq%3Aflash%20c atalyst%0Apage%3A1%0As%3Arelevance%0Asa%3Atrue%0Ap roducttypeid%3A4

I believe if you upgrade any program from adobe you get a free 30day trial to lynda.com

[BeautyNut]

Are you required to use flash? If not I would recommend something else, especailly if you are new to flash.

Yes, I have to use Flash, and I'm scared to death (to say the least).
It is only 'basic' things, so a beginner should be ok - nothing too advanced.
At least, I pray so.


shapescamron,
Thank you so much.
I really need to get the money saved for lynda.com.

[BeautyNut]

Brief update:

No, this was NOT easy for a beginner (like myself) and was basically a total disaster to say the least.

Honestly, I didn't have any decent books available, and I felt like I was in a different world.

The teacher made some exceptions and adjusts, so that helped a lot.

However, IF ANYONE CAN PROVIDE any resource materials or books to help me learn Flash, I would greatly appreciate it.

I'd like to learn Flash, but really need something to take me slowly and step-by-step.

Whoa - not easy.