3D Text Animation

Creating the Text:

• Type out some text that will be used for the text ring that rotates around the sphere.

Attaching the Text to the Path:

• Using the Ellipse Tool, create a circle on your document.
  
• Don't worry about setting stroke/fill, either one will work. Actually, you don't need to have either. The path will still be there.
  
• Select both the text and the circle by clicking Control-A to Select All or click both objects holding down the shift key.
  
• Go up to Text > Attach to Path
  

Spacing the Text Evenly Around the Path:

• Make any adjustments to the text as needed by using the following options:
  • Adjust the Font Size
  • Adjust Kerning
    
  • Adjust Horizontal Scale

  

Creating the Text Animation:

Group the text by selecting it and clicking Control-G.
With the text still selected, click Modify > Animate > Animate Selection.
Change the number of Frames from 5 to 10.
Change Direction to 0.
Set the Rotation to 360°.
Click OK.

After you click OK, Fireworks will give you a popup window. Click OK to add the Frames.

Creating the Sphere:

• Select the Ellipse Tool
  
• Hold down the Shift Key and click and drag to draw out a circle.
  
• Apply the gradient by changing the Solid Fill to Radial Fill on the Fill Panel
  
• Select the color swatches shown below to create the effect
  
• Adjust the gradient by clicking on the circle and adjusting the Gradient Handles also shown in the example below:

• At this point, you will have your sphere and the text animation. In the next section, you'll create the 3D effect by masking the text and the sphere. You can test it by selecting File > Export Preview. Make sure you set your Optimize to Animated Gif. When you preview it, you'll notice the sphere disappears after the first frame and the text is spinning madly. Hang in there, we'll take care of that soon:-)

Scaling the Text Animation:

• Select the Scale Tool (Q)
  
• Drag the bottom-middle and top-middle selection handle up and down to re-size the text as shown below:

Organizing your Layers

• Create a New Layer
  
• Rename the New Layer to Sphere and drag the Sphere object up to the Sphere Layer
  
• Rename Layer 1 to Text Animation. This layer will already have Animation Symbol on it.
  
• Duplicate the Text Animation Layer by clicking the arrow at the top of the layers dialog box and choose duplicate layer or by dragging the layer on top of the New/Duplicate Layer button. Move this layer (Text Animation 1 ) to the top of the layers.

• Move this layer (Text Animation 1) to the top of the layers by selecting the At the Top radio button.

The layers panel should look like the picture below:

• Copy the Sphere by selecting it and clicking Control-C.
  
• Click on the Text Animation 1 (top layer) to select it and Paste the copied Sphere on that layer. Make sure it's on top of the Animation Symbol.

Creating the Shape Mask

• Select the sphere on Text Animation 1 layer by clicking once on it.
• If you have an extra logo on the circle, get rid of it.
  
• Change the color of the circle to Black by changing the Fill from Radial to Solid. Fireworks MX: Make the circle white to complete this effect.
  
• Select the Knife Tool and cut the circle in half by dragging the Knife Tool across the path. Delete the top half of the circle.
  
• Lock the bottom 2 layers (Sphere and Text Animation)
  
• Select both objects on Text Animation 1 layer by clicking Control A to select All.
  
• Mask the objects by going to Modify>Mask>Group as Mask

Masking the objects to the remaining Frames:

• Unlock the Sphere layer (keeping bottom Text Animation Layer locked)
  
• Select All (Control A) to select all objects on the top 2 layers
  
• Group the selected objects by clicking Control-G.
  
• Copy the grouped objects by clicking Control-C.
  
• Click on Frame 2 on the Frames Panel and Paste the objects by clicking Control-V.
  
• With the objects still selected, Ungroup them by selecting Modify > Ungroup.
• On the Layers Panel for Frame 2, click on the Animation Symbol in the Text Animation 1 layer and click Delete.

That leaves just the Sphere on Animation 1 layer, click it to select it. The layers should now look like this:

Copying to Frames

• Copy to Frames 2-5 by clicking on the expander arrow on the Frames Panel and selecting Copy to Frames...
  
• Select Range: and enter 3 to 10. This copies the sphere to the remaining frames.
  
• Test your animation by clicking on the Play button on the bottom left of your document.
  
• Click Stop when you're satisfied with the movie.