Editing Software for Animation is dedicated to making animation production easier, by providing a powerful suite of tools that brings an artist’s vision into reality. The software has been created especially with the cartoonist in mind, focusing on time saving features that help simplify the arduous process of creating comics and animations.
My EditShow Pro is editing software for animation video processing; different video effects can be obtained with the powerful video editor. The following are some fundamental features of My EditShow Pro: It has a built-in Advanced Video Converter which helps you to convert 2D videos to 3D mode with original quality retained, Besides, My EditShow Pro allows users to quickly encode video files into popular audio or video formats for playback on digital devices or share them with your friends.
KeyShot
Image courtesy of KeyShot
KeyShot is a fast and user-friendly 3D rendering software with animation capabilities. This tool allows users to go from a simple model to a stunning visual in minutes. KeyShot is a completely free animation software.
KeyShot has a number of features to support animation and 3D rendering, including but not limited to:
- 2D animation and 3D animation
- HDRI lighting that allows you to light and adjust your scene as needed
- Camera control that enables users to simulate real-world camera behavior
- Dynamic texture mapping to simulate the real-world appearance of a landscape
- Focused caustics to ensure objects are properly lighted
What users like
“It’s fast and most of the results come [out] pretty good. And today they can do animation and VR in KeyShot, [which] makes the software even more powerful than ever.”
— Keyshot review by a user in higher education
What users dislike
“The animation configuration could be easier and also give more options of possible movements.”
— Keyshot review by Julia C.
Recommendations to others considering the product
“Try it, it is very easy. I do like the animation tool, which you can [use to] make an animation rendering very easy and quick.”
— Keyshot review by Chen W.
PowToon
Image courtesy of PowToon
This free animation software is intended for making short videos and presentations. Users can upload their own content or choose from PowToon’s library of royalty-free content. Animators can customize the existing templates to ensure they fit their needs.
PowToon offers paid options, but its free plan offers the following features:
- Standard video resolution
- Access to some of PowToon’s video content library
- The ability to create videos up to three minutes long
- Export to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo and more
- The choice of aspect ratios and sizes
What users like
“I think that what I mostly like is that creating an animation with PowToon is ridiculously easy. First, I get to pick out one from many templates. After a template is selected, I like that it’s even easier to add moving characters to every slide I have for the animation.”
— PowToon review by Esmeralda D.
What users dislike
“I don’t really like that PowToon characters are really simplistic; if they were a bit more complex, this would also be a great tool for making quality animations.”
— PowToon review by Alicia Sarah V.
Recommendations to others considering the product
“This tool provides a lots of attractive templates, which helps users to design their slides and making their presentation better. So, this tool helps me a lot and I recommend this tool for people who usually deal with presentations.”
— PowToon review by Raj M.
Blender
Image courtesy of Blender
Blender is a free and open-source animation software that also has capabilities for 3D modeling, game creation, motion tracking and more. This tool enables artists to turn stills into 3D animation. Blender also offers a fast rigging tool that allows users to turn 3D models into animated characters.
The following animation features are included in Blender:
- Automated walk-cycles along paths
- An editor for character animation poses
- Non-linear animation for independent character movements
- Mirror functionality
What users like
“Blender is a free animation software, but do not let that deter you from trying it. It is a really powerful software that I use to make 3D designs. Another thing that I like about Blender is that you can easily import outside objects like textures and animations. The lighting and shadow functions also look really professional.”
— Blender review by Beth A.
What users dislike
“Image-based animation becomes difficult to perform. For me personally, I tried to get an image hand created and perform animation. It kept getting difficult to animate the image.”
— Blender review by Ankit A.
Recommendations to others considering the product
“Blender is so powerful and has so many features it’s overwhelming. Approach with discipline. Decide what aspect you want to tackle first (modelling, animation, lighting, compositing, etc.), then work through a lot of Youtube tutorials.”
— Blender review by Michael M.
Synfig Studio – Mac Software to Animate Video
Difficulty Level: Easy
Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.
Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.
An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut out videos using bitmap images!
The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: stable version and development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.
For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.
You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.
Features:
- It offers support for many layers within the animation.
- The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
- It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.
Conclusion
From making simple drawings to sophisticated videos, make your ideas come to life with the free, professional 2D/3D animation editing software package. It has powerful drawing, painting, and color-keying tools, plus an array of useful features like video editing effects and titling tools.