# How do I simulate handwriting? **URL:** \ **Category:** flash\ **Created:** [May 5, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-i-simulate-handwriting/20152 "2003-05-05T22:35:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlienPrototype](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3e96dc/32.png) [@AlienPrototype](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/AlienPrototype)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-i-simulate-handwriting/20152/1 "2003-05-05T22:35:48Z")
I’m trying to realistically simulate cursive handwriting as it’s being written. I’m not exactly sure where to start. Motion guides and masks? Do I do it frame by frame a pixel at a time? Does any one have any suggestions? The words I need to simulate are “is now Instant” thanks in advance for any help. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-i-simulate-handwriting/20152/2 "2003-05-06T00:14:37Z")
There is a great article about this in Flash MX Most Wanted by Friends Of Ed. The Gist of it is use a mask that is a rectangle with a slanted end. Then pic out a nice cursive font. It won’t be perfect but I’ve used it before and it looks pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-i-simulate-handwriting/20152/3 "2003-05-06T00:17:47Z")
yeah, you would probably have to use a combination of frame by frame and motion tween masks. Its probably possible to do with all actionscript, but that would be time consuming… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-i-simulate-handwriting/20152/4 "2003-05-06T00:21:35Z")
type what you want, then frame by frame take a bit away then reverse the frames it look good i did it you can make a 4-5 frame gap between each new part then shape it for a better look * * * takes a long time but does look good ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-i-simulate-handwriting/20152/5 "2003-05-06T16:27:04Z")
Thanks for the suggestions. Looks like it’s going to be a lot of tedious frame by frame work. -peace ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-i-simulate-handwriting/20152/6 "2003-05-06T17:05:47Z")
if you have a really good hand writing and a great mouse control, you can redo this effect by storing the ‘image’ in an array as coordinates, and plot them after… kind of like this: (draw anything with the mouse and click ‘redraw’) [http://24.141.60.208/drawer.swf](http://24.141.60.208/drawer.swf) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/6/2/621e5c11736f46532526e61be85940af4230f3e5.png) [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/how-do-i-simulate-handwriting/20152/7 "2003-05-06T19:56:41Z")
I ended up putting a mask layer over my text. Every 2nd frame, I added to the mask exposing more of the letter below. The effect came out pretty well. thanks for the suggestions. -peace