Flash Web Design: The v5 Remix

by Hillman Curtis

In Flash Web The v5 Remix, Hillman Curtis places the emphasis firmly on design while he demonstrates the range of techniques that have enabled him to create some of the most compelling Flash movies on the Web. Curtis is chief creative officer and founder of hillmancurtis, inc., a New York City design firm that has produced stunning Flash work for clients like 3Com, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and even Macromedia itself.The book deconstructs nine high-profile Flash projects created for real-life clients. Curtis takes time both in the introductions and throughout the project deconstructions, to emphasise the importance of thinking about and applying design-led principals to the job at hand.One of the things that makes Curtis successful is his approach to motion, and it's here that the book has the most to offer. Curtis defines what he calls a Global Visual Language "comprised of simple symbology and motion," which makes it possible to communicate a powerful message across cultural barriers.Projects include designing a $20,000 ad, animating a 3D wireframe and converting video to vectors in order to overcome bandwidth constraints. In the penultimate chapter, Todd Purgason provides an indispensible guide to producing print-based client presentations using FreeHand.As a tutorial, the book is less successful. The project deconstructions take the form of numbered walk-throughs with accompanying illustrations and screen shots. The design is busy, and the lack of a CD showing finished projects makes it difficult to know what you're working towards.But, for an insight into what makes Flash motion work and how you can put it to good use, this is a book from which you can learn a great deal. --Ken McMahon, Amazon.co.uk

256 pages, Paperback

First published February 9, 2001