When the history of Flash is written our turn of the century obsession with morphing primary coloured squares into triangles will hopefully be left out. Let's face it we all did it. Flash in the beginning of its shelf life was just a nice little animation program for the web.
Flash has been around longer than you might think. It's now entering its teenage years. Flash has grown up - it's still a bit spotty at times - but is now capable of creating fantastically intricate website interface animations as well as full blown cartoons with texture and depth. Recognised as a serious bit of kit by animation studios the world over, Flash has helped kill off traditional cel animation.
Here we've gathered a collection of linear Flash animations as well as animated interfaces, which should inspire you to go to our tutorials section and try your hand at the program today.
FLASH CARTOONS
01. Simon's cat
Simon is an animator who loves cats. Not surprising, then, that he has three of them and a great interest in British wildlife and painting. His cat cartoons are charming and very funny. Expect the unexpected in this brilliant Flash animation.
02. Combat Wombat
Combat wombat is a wombat who's heavily into combat. It's all in the name really. This great little animated Flash trailer for a much-anticipated series of Wombat toons was created by Tom Baker, who we recently profiled here.
03. Animator v Animation 2
You've probably all seen Animator v Animator 1. Well here's part two. Just as funny, just as inventive. Full of in jokes for you anyone that's fired up Flash.
04. Salad Finger
This fabulously freakish Flash animation by David Firth is a weird and wonderful slice of fantastic fun.
05. Falling Dude
Oh come on, this Flash animation is funny. Admit it you laughed. You didn't want to but your inner five year old self forced you to. People falling over has been farcically funny for centuries. Falling dude just does it a lot.
06. Meet Green thing
Green Thing is a public service, which inspires people to lead a greener life. Green thing itself is a character that mixes humour with a serious message. You'll be "walking the walk" before this Flash animation is over.
INTERACTIVE FLASH ANIMATIONS
07. Jam 3 Interactive Studio
Add a dash of Actionscript to Flash and you've on your way to making sophisticated Flash animations such as this text treat from interactive studio Jam3 Media.
08. Okay Boss
OKAYBOSS is an illustrator and designer based in Sydney, Australia. This brilliantly illustrated site has a terrific Flash parallax scrolling effect, an effect used in animation for decades but given the 21st century treatment.
09. Hooky Interactive
Digital creative boutique Hooky Interactive invite you to "play with us". Do this by bounding around their site with this cute animated interface and unique keypad controls.
10. Tongsvillet
This Flash animation is an absolute internet classic dating back to the early noughties. Play in this virtual town where you can become God, control the weather and even punish the townsfolk.
11. Folio for Rolando Mendez
This Flash animation provides a wacky but rather wonderful glimpse into the mind of Brazillian scene director Rolando Mendez.
12. Sensisoft
A Flash animation taking you from Moscow in the twenties to Chicago in the forties. Take a trip with a time traveling fly poster pillar. Much more reliable than a Police Box.
13. Radiohead's "Creep" by Monkeyhubs
An animated video for Radiohead's classic Creep. This Flash animation charms and reels the viewer into the world of a character who is really rather "special" himself.
14. Bio Bak
This bonkers but ingenious site is a great example of full screen Flash animation at its best. Irreverent and witty, it'll be some time before you choose to hit the escape key to exit this delightfully eccentric world.
15. Emilie Chollat
Enter the world of French illustrator Emilie Chollat. Magical, bright, sparkly and very French, this is a stylish bit of Flash animation fun.
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