We thought it’s be cool to cover some of the tools used in 2d animation, so we created this blog post with today’s most used software. We’ve also found some useful books that might help you understand different types of animation. There is no doubt that the Internet is one big place where thousands of products are advertised on a daily basis.
Ever wanted to create your own 2d animation cartoons? And you wondered what software you should use? Look no further, I have done the footwork for you. I will explain what’s the difference between the different programs and discuss which ones are best suited for beginners. You can pick up any of these software packages and get started right away.
Animate CC
Animate CC is a tool that helps you to design interactive bitmap and vector animations for games, apps, and the web. You can add action to infographics and tutorials.
Features:
- You can create new poses for vector images or figure.
- It enables you to arrange your layers in a parent-child hierarchy.
- It automatically matches mouth poses to voice inflections.
- You can export 360 VR animations.
- This tool allows you to create ads directly with Animate.
- Export images with the right resolution by bypassing the image optimization and using image settings.
Synfig
Synfig is an open-source 2D vector graphics and animation program. This software works on three OS platforms Windows, OSX, and Linux.
Features:
- It allows you to transform any image containing a vector shape into another.
- You can link parameters of layers through mathematical expressions.
- This free 2D animation software provides more than 50 layers to create animation.
- You can create a cutout animation effect using bitmap images.
Download Link: https://www.synfig.org
Krita
Krita is a simple 2D animation tool that allows you to customize your workflow. This free animation software offers more than 100 professionally made brushes.
Features:
- This animation maker software enables you to add a stabilizer to brush to smooth it.
- Customize brush with 9 unique brush engines.
- You can create comic panels using built-in vector drawing tools.
- Create seamless textures and patterns by making image reference on the x and y-axis.
- It allows you to import texture and brush packs from other artists.
- You can combine, flatten, or order layers to organize your artwork.
- You can highlight the drawing portion.
- Krita helps you to incorporate it into your current color management pipeline.
Download Link: https://krita.org/en/features/highlights/
Krita
Krita is a simple 2D animation tool that allows you to customize your workflow. This free animation software offers more than 100 professionally made brushes.
Features:
- This animation maker software enables you to add a stabilizer to brush to smooth it.
- Customize brush with 9 unique brush engines.
- You can create comic panels using built-in vector drawing tools.
- Create seamless textures and patterns by making image reference on the x and y-axis.
- It allows you to import texture and brush packs from other artists.
- You can combine, flatten, or order layers to organize your artwork.
- You can highlight the drawing portion.
- Krita helps you to incorporate it into your current color management pipeline.
Download Link: https://krita.org/en/features/highlights/
Opentoonz
Opentoonz is an open-source animation production application. It is compatible with 4 types of scanning. It allows you to save settings of scanning.
Features:
- It is compatible with TWAIN (Technology Without an Interesting Name) standards.
- It allows you to use anti-aliased lines.
- This tool provides an easy way to paint with provisional colors.
- You can synthesize effects with the Graphic User Interface (GUI) via the node tree.
- Images can be managed with the actual scale resolution.
- This 2D animation software for free is compatible with both raster and vector images.
- You can use more effects using plug-ins.
Download Link: https://opentoonz.github.io/e/
Maya Autodesk
Best for 3D artists looking for 3D computer software for animation, modeling, simulation, and rendering.
Price: $1,545 per year
Maya Autodesk is an industry-leading 3D computer animation, modeling, simulation, and rendering software. It is used by the likes of Disney, who have won a number of Academy Awards thanks to using Maya Autodesk.
It features technologies such as Bifrost and Arnold, that allow you to create procedural effects and render complex projects respectively.
Features
- Pipeline integration: Uses MEL (Maya Embedded Language) or Python to write scripts and plugins.
- Arnold: Uses Arnold to run previews that look closer to the final product than ever before. This, together with real-time rendering and efficient color management can help you to do more in less time.
Verdict: Maya Autodesk is at the top of the range solution used by big companies for high-end graphics in big-name productions.
Website: Maya Autodesk
Moho
Best for Beginners to professionals looking for an affordable tool to create animations.
Price:
- Moho Debut13 $59.99. No free trial.
- Moho Pro13 $399.99. Free trial for 30 days.
Moho is an animation software solution that comes in two distinct packages i.e. Moho Pro13 and Moho Debut13.
Moho Debut13 is a 2D animation software that is fun and easy to use, while Moho Pro 13 is a more advanced version, supporting 3D animation. Moho is used in classrooms, professional studios, and homes around the world.
Features
- All 2D and 3D animation tools in a user-friendly interface.
- Many content add ons available for purchasing.
- Moho Pro can be personalized, thanks to scripting support.
Verdict: Moho offers two products i.e. for beginners and one for professionals. The software features all the necessary tools for high-quality animations. It is a great choice for individuals as well as medium to large businesses.
Website: Moho
Frames
All-in-one animation suite
- Green screen stop motion
- Combine frames into a scene
- Supports Pan and Zoom features
- Ability to add folders of images to a program
- Doesn’t offer exporting options outside the software
Verdict: Due to the combination of effective illustration and animation tools in one suite, Frames takes a decent place on the current market. This is one of the best free stop motion software that lets you create amazing animations using illustrations or images.
With Frames, you can create clay animations, capture images using a webcam, and even import pictures right from your camera. This program allows you to import the entire folder of images to the program, create your digital story, and complement it with the audio from iTunes.
Conclusion
This article provides a list of software tools and resources used in 2D animation and visual effects. Everything from the actual animation process all the way to the final rendered output can be considered “software” in some way… however, for this article we’re only concerned with what is used to create the graphics and imagery – not what is used to get that imagery into film or video (camera, lenses, lighting).