Depth Cues: Creating the Illusion of Depth - Flash 3D: Animation, Interactivity, and Games - page 27

Go to the Properties palette again and click on the Filters tab. Click on the “+” to add a
new filter to the instance. Select Blur from the drop-down menu. Instantly the object is
blurred on the Stage. The Blur filter can be adjusted horizontally (Blur X) and vertically
(Blur Y). Click on the lock icon to link both properties together. Reduce the amount of
blur by changing the blur factor to 3. Set the Quality to High. You have now completed
the effect of aerial perspective (Figure 2.16). Save your file.
Figure 2.16 Adding the Blur filter to simulate aerial perspective
Exercise Summary
This exercise demonstrated some of the basic tools that allow you to create the illusion
of three-dimensional space in Flash. The Free Transform tool adjusts an object's relative
size. Layers in the Timeline control an object's appearance in terms of stacking order.
The Properties palette offers color effects and filters to simulate different lighting situ-
ations. The next exercise continues with lighting effects. It focuses on creating surface
shading and shadows to enhance an object's three-dimensional shape. You will be using
the Brush and Gradient tools in Flash.