You’ve probably heard that Flash is something used to make lively, interactive, web-based interfaces or animated movies. Flash is certainly well suited for those applications, but did you know you could use it to create computer graphics that put PhotoShop to shame? Flash-based Bishoujo (Japanese for "pretty girl") illustration techniques are quite advanced, and this book shows you the complete, essential, start-to-finish techniques of six pioneering animation masters. We’ve literally stuffed the pages with tips on everything from how to draw with Flash to how to make your Bishoujo cuter. At the end of each section, you’ll find a gallery showcasing each artist’s work. Flash has the power to make your dreams come true.

cool, but not what i was looking for. oops!
I picked this book up because i thought it would give some basics on animation through flash, but it only goes over coloring illustration in flash. Its still useful if your interested in flash, and you can apply some of the concepts to working in other art programs as well.

The book covers a few artists explaining how they color an inllustration using flash, each uses different techniques so its useful to be provided with that range of knowledge.

Learn how to illustrate but not animate
I’ve used Flash before and I mainly thought of it as an online animation or game medium but I never dreamed of drawing, much less CGing on it until I saw this book.

It’s a very handy book to learn how to draw and color using the versatile Flash program. Flash is easy to use and have features that make Photoshop look like an old model robot and Flash the new space-age cyborg in the block. Seriously, it takes me quite a bit of time to CG something on Photoshop even with a tablet (or maybe I’m just a perfectionist). Don’t worry - Flash images can be imported to your Adobe and Corel programs and vice versa.

As for the meat of the book, each artist shows you how they approach doing their art in Flash. They each have their own way of going about it which allows you the option of learning whichever suits you best. If this is the case though, the other methods may not be as useful to you and is a waste of most of your money. There are also some provocative images but no nudity in here, so take note.

If you want to learn how to use Flash, get the offical Macromedia Flash book published by Macromedia. If you just want to learn how to illustrate your characters in Flash and nothing else, then this is the book for you.

Great Techniques
If you have the ammount of money to buy Flash, this book is really useful on helping you make great pictures with it. Of course, some experience with drawing is required, but Flash really help you create a much more sleek design for your characters.

It has some useful tips for cell-shading your characters. The only problem I had was with how they explained the gradients. It tells you how to do it on Flash 5, but with the newest version, MX and MX 2004, you’re on your own for figuring it out.

Good, but lacking...
I wanted this book, since I first found it at my local bookstore. I finally got it, and I have to say that it does give you some pretty good tips. There are some parts that it leaves out though. Like how to exactly do a gradation on the skin. It just goes quickly over it. I use Flash MX 2004, and this book doesn’t cover it. So some of the techniques they were conveying were troublesome for me because the Flash I use has things in a slightly different place. Not to mention, each of the artist have a different technique to how to use Flash. So take what’s best for you and make up your own way. To get a true experience from this book I do recommend getting a graphical tablet (just like I need to do). I just hope the next book covers at least simple animations, such as blnking eyes, tapping foot, and maybe some hair blowing in a breeze or something. Get the book, it’s enjoyable and educational for the people who are wanting to give coloring in a different format a try.

Great for the Manga weak on the Flash
I am a big fan of these "How to Draw Manga" series. I bought this one primarly for the Flash techniques and I have to say it falls short on that topic. Although it covered Flash, it only covered it to the basics and spent a little too much time on the over all process and pages of barely dressed Bishoujo. Don’t get me wrong the images in this book are amazing it just did not include the juicy gold nugget techniques and shortcuts I was looking for.