Editorial Reviews:
Adobe is unveiling a powerful new animation tool that will complete a suite of software used by Web designers and other dynamic graphics professionals. A familiar Adobe interface introduces users to features and utilities that will change the way they use Adobe applications for Web design. Best selling authors Elaine Weinmann and Peter Lourekas, masters of the Visual QuickStart Guide format, use the proven method of teaching with clear tasks, hundreds of screenshots, and dazzling illustrations to introduce the features of Adobe's new LiveMotion software.
LiveMotion for Windows & Macintosh is an easy-to-read, liberally illustrated guide to learning and using Adobe's tool for creating animation for the Web. As with all Visual QuickStart guides from Peachpit Press, this book is geared toward the user who's new to the software that the book covers, and is designed from the ground up to get you up to speed as quickly as possible. Every feature of LiveMotion is covered (some better than others), from an introduction to the interface and all of its palettes to animation basics, creating and using objects, using layers, using text, creating rollovers, using behaviors that are linked to objects, and exporting your work for inclusion on a Web site. With the use of a simple two-column format, the tools, palettes, and features are explained in a balanced presentation that is half text and half illustration. Because animation is LiveMotion's forte, it gets more coverage than any other feature. Animation basics, using the timeline, working with keyframes, and adding sound are introduced in chapter 13, "Animation," while chapter 14, "More Animation," takes on advanced concepts, like animating layers, reshaping objects, animating text, using motion paths, and using rollovers. It would've been nice to see a larger section on using behaviors (chapter 15, "Behaviors," is only about 13 pages long), but that's a minor shortcoming in an otherwise valuable book. --Mike Caputo
Customer Reviews:
 Good if you're an absolute beginner to graphics
If you're already familiar with photoshop, illustrator, and have some familiarity of flash or vector animation, this book will only have limited usage. There might be about 50 pages of actual material you might need to know as this book spends a lot of time covering basic elements (graphic/drawing), and you have to wait until chapter 13 to get to the animation. Overall, it's not a bad book, but if you're already familiar with graphics and animation, then I suggest you look elsewhere. If you're new to this whole field, then it's a good start. For beginners only
If your new to animation and web authoring, this book will be a big plus for you. If you are looking for advanced material on LiveMotion, I would recommend "Adobe LiveMotion Classroom in a Book." In this title, the authors are perhaps a little too cute, in a manner that speaks down to it's readers. It begins with. "Are you a real greenhorn?," moves to a web-speak glossary (including chatroom shorthand) and wraps up with a suggestion to surf the web to study good design (not bad advice, excepting there's just so much bad design to make this a blanket tip). Of course in between these, the authors do indicate how to use the application, giving accurate descriptions of how to use each function in a relatively simple way. So again, a good book with the caveat that it is a beginner's title, not for intermediate or advanced web authors who are adding Livemotion to their tool box and want to get into the more complex aspects of this tool.  All around great training and information!
I am new to both Live Motion and to web animation/design. I have read everything I can get my hands on, from information on the internet to other Live Motion books. This is THE best information I've read to date. The instructions are very clear, it is easy to find specific information by going through either the index or table of contents, the training is easily applied to your own projects and, as you go through the exercises, you gain invaluable experience with the program. It's definitely a book that any multimedia designer will want near by at all times!In my humble opinion, this book is useful to both the new and experienced designer.
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(3 reviews)