Before I start, remember to save your progess after EVERY step just in case anything bad happens.

Step 1: Open up Flash and create a new document (nameofdocument.fla). Keep the documents properties and size to the default for now. I'm using Adobe Flash CS3.



Step 2: Find the picture of the gun you wish to use and copy it into the first frame of the first layer. For this tutorial I'm using my favourite sniper: the Barrett .50 Cal.


Step 3: Now click on the timeline and insert a second keyframe. Your timeline should now look something like this...


Step 4: Click on this new frame and choose the 'Onion Skin' button.



You should see an faded picture of the one you pasted in earlier.



Step 5: You can now trace around the picture. I used a mixture of straight lines, bezier curves (pen tool) and ovals.

Tip: If you can't use the bezier curves properly, you should draw an oval of the size and shape you want, move it where you want and then whilst zoomed in with the selection tool delete the 'overhanging' lines. This works as the selection tool picks out not the whole shape but bit by bit.

Depending on what style of gun you want (e.g. realistic, cartoony) depends on how much of the picture you draw. A rough outline for cartoony and you should try to draw all the lines for a realistic outcome.

To see the outcome, click the onion skin button again. Mine didn't turn out that good because I rushed it, but you get the picture.



Step 6: Use the selection tool and highlight all the outline of the gun. Convert it to a 'Graphic' by pressing 'F8' or by clicking 'Modify' --> 'Convert To Symbol'.

Step 7: Now you have your gun outline, it's time to colour it in. Again how you colour will affect the outcome.

Double click the graphic of your gun to bring you to the edit stage. Before you start rendering, make sure your gun is a closed shape and any bits that you wish to colour in seperate are closed off. You can do this by just drawing lines across any open ends (don't worry we will delete these later if needed).

Choose a sample of colours that are close together so you get the look and feel of the light on the gun rather than the gun being multi coloured! I've gone for a cartoony look...



Optional: Once finished rendering, convert the gun graphic to a movie clip. If you draw and render bullets and flash you can add these so that you produce an animation of the gun firing.

#Remember# This tracing method works for any image!

~End of tutorial - Hope you liked!~

Thanks Kingbradley6!! That was awesome! I just finished following your tutorial. I have never used flash before but was inspired by your tutorial. Here is my gun. Pretty good for a guy that can barely draw stick figures.






This post has been edited by wartech: 30 Aug, 2008 - 10:35 AM

I'm glad you liked it and remember this method can be used for not just guns but any image that you have a picture that can be traced.

Good luck using Flash and drawing!