If you own a Windows 8 tablet or PC and want to create great animated videos then you’re in the right place. I’m in the process of creating my next video and I can tell you it can be a daunting and expensive process when using professional software.
As you may already know, there are numerous software programs that can help you create amazing animations. There are even some free animation software programs that allow you to create stunning animation videos. The choice of which animation software program to use is usually far from simple. There are many factors that go into making this decision, such as what type of animation(s) you want to create, the type of computer system you own, and how much money you want to spend.
DAZ Studio
This is free and very powerful software with which creating 3D animations become a fun activity. It helps you to create desired short videos and animations in a few simple steps. Also, you will find that this program is quite easy to comprehend. In just one day you can become familiar with its interface. There are options for animation, 3D morphing, and rendering. The GPU accelerated rendering in real-time delivers the perfect results.
This software has various new features such as NVIDIA Iray which helps in creating renders like a caustic sampler and HDR photo environment map. The best thing is that there are interactive tutorials aimed to make you a good 3D artist and whatever you make will be yours. Moreover, the Bloom Filters in this tool allows you to view the completed animation in a Viewport.
It is quite easy to export the animated content directly to Maya software. DAZ studio has the ability to collect content from previous Genesis. Its full expressions interface and automatic flexing muscles help in achieving incredible realism.
Synfig Studio
There is a common belief that Synfig Studio is one of the best 2D free animation software for macOS but this open source software can be efficiently used on Windows OS as well. With this program, you get the power to add geometric, distortions, filters, or transformations. And with its advanced bone system, you can utilize Bitmap images to make cut out animations. When it comes to the features of this application, you get the support for different layers. Creating animations with vector artwork or bitmap images is just a fun activity with this software. Moreover, you can sync your animation with any type of sound you want. Yes, there is the feature – full audio editor.
There are two binary builds of this software; stable and development. The 1st one is well-tested and has proven features making it suitable for everyday use whereas the 2nd one gives the users an opportunity to experience the latest (experimental) features. This animation software is licensed under GNU GPL v2.
Creatoon
It is a simple, instinctive, and extremely user-friendly software which helps in creating ultimate 2D animations and add various special effects to them. When you take a glance at its interface, you will notice that it looks simple and outdated but don’t go on its appearance. This app is capable to successfully execute complex tasks of a certain degree and produce extraordinary results.
Its modest interface features menus on all sides of the working area so that you have easy access to its primary features. Creatoon not only helps in adding special effects to the animation but also provides you with the facility to automatically save the tasks every 5 mins. If this software needs to be described in a sentence – it is a free tool that allows even beginners to effortlessly create animations with the help of advanced features and generate perfect solutions.
CreaToon has several rendering options which help in setting the frames of the animation according to per second, height, and width. Its sketch utility can be customized according to your preference and with its unique animation tool, even the complex tasks become obsolete.
Seamless3d – Open-source Free Software
Difficulty Level: Easy
Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.
Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.
Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktable if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.
It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials.
Features:
- It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
- It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
- Has a specialized tree view interface.
Stykz – Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners
Difficulty Level: Easy
Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.
Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.
Stykz is completely free to use and without watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.
With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy to use features.
Features:
- There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
- Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
- You can share the final work with others including information.
Toontastic 3D
Platforms: Android, iOS
Google’s own free animation software for Android, Toontastic 3D is meant for kids, but brands can also use it to make animated 3D videos. Ideal for storytelling, you get started with Toontastic by creating your own characters, either from scratch or based off an uploaded photo. Then it’s time to insert your characters into a story.
Toontastic is meant to encourage budding storytellers to get create with their narratives, and brands can do the same. Plan your storyline, animate, add narration and music, and then export it to share it with the world.
Your storyline is based on Toontastic templates, each with a different number of scenes. Toontastic also has premade scenes to choose from, so the only “drawing” you need to do is when it comes to the characters.
If it sounds like a lot of steps, Google says you can create a one-minute video with up to six scenes in just a minute — though that doesn’t include the time it takes to create your characters upfront. It also works offline so you can create videos on your daily commute or when the WiFi’s out.
If you’re looking for more control and creative flexibility, Toontastic isn’t the best option. It’s best-suited for those who are very new to the world of animated videos. Soon you’ll graduate to one of the others on this list!
Conclusion
One of the best ways to learn new skills and concepts is by creating animated videos. These type of videos can be used in several areas including business presentations, education and also social media marketing. While making these videos may seem like a challenging task you will be pleasantly surprised to find out that with the help of some software, not only is it easy to make these animated videos but the quality of the end result is leagues ahead of those produced by those with no knowledge or guides on how to use such software. Today we look at some tools which will help you create your very own animated video, completely free and with outstanding results.