# Best program for creating animations



## GatodeCafe (Aug 2, 2010)

I've been seeing a buttload of niconico indie animation lately and I was wondering how I can get in on that action. 

i.e. like this stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3quTc2-GyM&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwDrP_851BM&feature=player_embedded

I have a laptop (specs aren't really an issue) and I'm thinking about getting an ipad, in case there's any sweet apps for ipad I ought to know about. So uh, feel free to let me know what you think, folks.


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## Nyloc (Aug 2, 2010)

Surely Flash?


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## Jw (Aug 2, 2010)

Nyloc said:


> Surely Flash?


 
I'd guess this. But be prepared: animation takes a LONG time. Trust me. you got to be in it for the long run. My guess is you'd want to work on this on a stable computer (plugged in laptop minimum, preferably desktop) because it will tax whatever thing you're using pretty heavily.


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## Zydala (Aug 2, 2010)

Those examples were probably drawn in photoshop or something similar, actually. They don't look like Flash to me. Possibly pulled altogether in flash or a program like it? But the frames look like they were drawn one at a time. Photoshop has an extension that allows you to create animations in gifs and stuff.


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## Smelge (Aug 2, 2010)

That's Photoshop or something like Toonboom.

Shame you missed it, as a few months back, SmithMicro were giving away free copies of Anime Studio to celebrate the new version. That would probably have been ideal.


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## Aden (Aug 2, 2010)

Any competent motion graphics suite. Those are hand-drawn frames, digitally colored and looped (a lot). Draw the frames however you wish - paper, Photoshop, whatever - then make sure they're saved as a sequence (frame0001.png, frame0002.png, frame0003.png...) and import the sequence in your mograph program. A good example of a motion graphics program would be Adobe After Effects.

I think there might be a way to link a layered Photoshop file to After Effects so that each layer is a frame, but don't quote me on that...


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## Jw (Aug 2, 2010)

Aden said:


> I think there might be a way to link a layered Photoshop file to After Effects so that each layer is a frame, but don't quote me on that...


 
Right here's a tutorial from the Adobe website:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/AfterEffects/9.0/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103906c6dea-7f53a.html


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## SwingandaMiss (Aug 2, 2010)

Animation takes a while, but when you've got the hang of it becomes extremely easy... after that, it's the glitches in the programs and compilation errors that will piss you off the most...
BEST FREE ANIMATION PROGRAMS I'VE ENCOUNTERED-
Pencil, for having both vector and bitmap layers.
PLE of Animator, for learning only, but very informative.
Easytoon, watch a few videos, you'll see why.
GIMP, ironically can be set up to do animations (and special effects that rival those of after effects.)
And a few others that escape me right now...


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## Runefox (Aug 2, 2010)

Anime Studio? It's Flash, but it makes character animation in particular much easier. Not much experience with it personally though.


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## Taralack (Aug 3, 2010)

GatodeCafe said:


> getting an ipad


 
Save your money.


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## Arshes Nei (Aug 3, 2010)

Toraneko said:


> Save your money.


 
Haha, well there are some apps on iPad/iphone for drawing but really I don't find it ideal at all. Not that it can't be done. I found using a tablet pc is better overall for drawing. A desktop is ideal for working on illustrations.


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## savageorange (Aug 5, 2010)

Since GIMP animation support was mentioned, GIMP-GAP should also be mentioned, as it is much more capable, particularly for complex animations.
available @ http://www.gimp.org/downloads/


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## Dan. (Aug 5, 2010)

It's been said already, but the fact that Pencil is free makes it even better...
Or if money isn't a problem, definitely Flash...


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## Willow (Aug 5, 2010)

Most likely Flash or Photoshop. 

Seeing as how both of those are pretty much drawn frames, the animation would take FOREVER. 

I tried using Anime Studio, you can make an actual skeleton for characters with can be used to animate characters. 
Though when I went to install it on my new laptop, I couldn't find the disc.


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## ZiggyTheWolf (Aug 7, 2010)

ToonBoom, tis the shiz,
Tv paint is also pretty good cause you get a decent traditional medium emulation.


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