Hi, in this article I am going to talk about some free animation software available for Linux operating system. There are a lot of great animation softwares available in the market and at a price of hundreds of dollars. But most of them don’t provide you with Linux version. In this article I have compiled a list of free animation software which you can use on your Linux operating system without paying even a single dollar.
A lot of people are always asking which free animation software is available for Linux. I have found one I have been using for a while now, its called Synfig Studio. So I decided to do a review on it so you can decide for yourself. If you are looking for something else or want to know if there are more out there, you’ve come to the right place.
Pencil
OS: Mac, Windows, Linux
When it comes to free and open-source 2D animation programs, Pencil is by far the most well-rounded and comes with a surprising number of features given that it comes with no charge.
Although it looks simple from the clean interface, it is packed with all the main tools you’ll find in some of the Pencil’s paid counterparts. It supports both vector and bitmap images, multiple layers and has its own in-built illustration tools (so you can either import graphics or create them right there and then before animating them).
Stykz
OS: Mac, Windows, Linux
Given the above two open-source suites which offer an impressive level functionality, why are we featuring a simple stickman animation tool?
Simply put, Stykz has got a lot of use for anyone who likes to draft things out before getting down to fully-fledged artwork and animating. It’s completely free with no strings attached, works on any platform and can produce fluid .GIFs incredibly quickly (which will no doubt lead on to bigger things).
One particularly neat feature is that it also integrates with Pivot, another node-based (and free) animation tool.
Ajax Animator
OS: Windows, Mac, iPad
Not to be confused with the coding language, Ajax started life back in 2006 and was developed by a 6th grader as a replacement to Adobe’s expensive Flash MX. From such auspicious beginnings emerged a robust and fully functional animator that is well worth checking out despite its primitive look, especially if you’re an iPad user.
OS: Mac, Windows
Although it’s not strictly an animation suite, free terrain generation software (of decent quality) is hard to come by. Bryce has really stepped up to the plate in this department – as a terragen, it’s both as simple and as elaborate as you need it to be depending on the scale of your project and works seamlessly with most other modeling software.
Incidentally, Bryce is developed by DAZ 3D, who are also responsible for:
Clara.io
OS: Browser-based
Not only is Clara free, but it’s the only web-based one we can think of that is fully functional (and you don’t need any browser plugins to get it going). Not only does it feature a good system for polygonal modeling and skeletal/keyframe animation, but due to its 80,000+ user base there’s a strong community feel and plenty of people with which to chat shop.
Animaker
Platforms: web browser-based
Animaker is a free animation software for beginners, with easy drag-and-drop functionality and an intuitive interface to match. There are six core types of videos you can make with Animaker:
- 2D
- Infographics
- Handcraft
- Whiteboard
- 2.5D
- Typography
Including full HD support, both horizontal and vertical video layouts, and pre-made graphics to choose from, you can create fun, animated videos in no time.
Audio features include text-to-speech, the option to add background music and sound effects, and voiceover. You can choose from Animaker’s library of sounds or upload your own tunes.
If you want to pay for the pro version, you can also get advanced features: in-app camera, multimove, curves, transition effects, and enter/exit effects. It’s like all those PowerPoint animations except cool and not so cheesy.
K-3D
Platforms: Windows, Linux
K-3D is a free 3D animation software specializing in polygonal modeling, an approach to digital graphics that represents and approximates object surfaces using polygons. Designed for artists, the software combines plugins with a visualization pipeline architecture — it adapts to the look and feel of the tools you integrate it with.
Get started with their Wiki tutorials, showing you how to master features like texturing, shadows, and symmetric modeling.
One of its best features? Easy undo/redo functionality, so you can quickly fix a mistake. Most programs only offer the option to undo an action.
With both procedural and parametric workflows, you can make adjustments and see the change immediately. A node-based visualization pipeline means editors can create connections and combinations for different elements within the video. You can work on one side of a model and mirror the other side to see what it looks like welded together.
K-3D is an advanced tool for true creatives.
Animation Paper: Best overall free 2D animation software
Platforms: Windows, Mac and Linux (Android & iPad Pro with Pencil planned)
This free animation software is the follow-up to the highly popular Plastic Animation Paper 4.0 (PAP 4.0) and has earned its place among the plethora of free animation apps available.
Mac users will be happy to note this newer, more concisely-named version – Animation Paper – is available for both Windows and Mac unlike its predecessor.
But you’ll have to get in while the getting is good as it is currently in its alpha state and will remain free throughout both the alpha and beta state releases. Once it’s out of beta, you’ll have to cough up $79 if you want to upgrade to the final version. But you don’t have to upgrade, as you’ll still have access to the alpha or beta versions you’ve already installed.
If you want a finished product, and still don’t want to pay, PAP 4.0 is always free. But remember, this earlier product is for Windows only.
Animation Paper reimagined PAP 4.0 from the ground up, aiming for a more minimalistic and intuitive design. This free 2D animation software will remind you of traditional light-table animation, complete with onion-skinning, light setup, layers, and black, blue, red and green pens for planning and drafting poses and scenes. The application layout is unfussy and simple but packed with features for traditional animation. For many, it will be worthwhile to take the tutorials on YouTube.
When you are familiar with the numerous little icons (placed in well-designed minimalist windows around the workspace) and their capabilities, you’ll find there is a lot you can do with this free animation software.
The free animation app supports your pressure-sensitive Wacom pen, has touch-screen support and has intuitive shortcuts built in for zooming, rotating and toggling between the draw and erase modes – and other little conveniences whose absence can be frustrating.
Pros: Great for traditional, hand-drawn animation; intuitive interface
Cons: Slow release schedule
What users are saying:
“So I’m checking out the alpha for the newest version of Animation Paper (http://animationpaper.com) and I’ve gotta say, even in this very limited alpha form, it’s the most intuitive animation software I’ve ever had the pleasure of using.” – @StunnerPony, Twitter
“I’m saddened that this has only gotten like 1/16th of the funding it needs, but that doesn’t mean it has to die!” – Hayley D, YouTube
Conclusion
There are various animation and video editing software for Linux. But before we begin, we should know what we really mean by free. If you’ve looked online on the best free video editing software for Linux, you’ll see quite a few entries of software that has a free version but with limited features. The ones that don’t have such limitation gather mostly 5 stars from its users. Most of these software are free of cost but they may have some hidden costs or depending on your local laws, some restrictions or policies of the developers themselves which might not be friendly to certain countries and demographics.