# Best free 2d animation software.



## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

So I wanna learn how to animate. But I can't pick which software to start with, and I don't wanna have a million different programs clogging up my computer's memory. What's the best stuff they have?

Not to mention pikapetey put me in timeout after I asked.


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

And I need an answer NOW. Like, NOW NOW.


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## LinnyChanPL (Oct 16, 2016)

I've heard about ToonBoon Animate or something like that...? Tried to use a bit of Flash by myself but well...It may sound strange but I actually like to animate in paint tool sai and then put frames together in Sony Vegas.


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## LinnyChanPL (Oct 16, 2016)

ALSO ! 2 programs for 3D animation:
> Source Filmmaker
> MikuMikuDance


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

LinnyChanPL said:


> I've heard about ToonBoon Animate or something like that...? Tried to use a bit of Flash by myself but well...It may sound strange but I actually like to animate in paint tool sai and then put frames together in Sony Vegas.


Didn't you read the thing? I said it needed to be free. I can't afford toonboom or flash. and I don't wanna do 3d.


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## Sergei Sóhomo (Oct 16, 2016)

GIMP is free but limited to GIFs


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## LinnyChanPL (Oct 16, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> Didn't you read the thing? I said it needed to be free. I can't afford toonboom or flash. and I don't wanna do 3d.


sorry! I'm too tired >_< Wanted to help anyway


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

Sergei Sóhomo said:


> GIMP is free but limited to GIFs


I've got GIMP. I don't know how to use it.


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## Andromedahl (Oct 16, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> I said it needed to be free.


This is where stuff's gonna get nasty; When I decided I wanted to try some stuff that wasn't paper on a lightbox, just gonna be honest, a lotta free alternatives were kinda eh. Went on to snag an old copy of flash and it's more workable.

opentoonz.github.io: OpenToonz
thiiiisssss might be worth lookin at tho.


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## Sergei Sóhomo (Oct 16, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> I've got GIMP. I don't know how to use it.



Simplest way is to do it layer by layer. You'll need to cover each layer though. For putting it in a GIF format you do each layer name as NAME (###ms) and that'll tell it how quickly each frame is in miliseconds. Once you're done look for the optimize oprion in playback and then export it as a GIF


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

Sergei Sóhomo said:


> Simplest way is to do it layer by layer. You'll need to cover each layer though. For putting it in a GIF format you do each layer name as NAME (###ms) and that'll tell it how quickly each frame is in miliseconds. Once you're done look for the optimize oprion in playback and then export it as a GIF


No. as in using it at all. I've tried and it looks like a needlessly complicated version of ms. paint.



Andromedahl said:


> This is where stuff's gonna get nasty; When I decided I wanted to try some stuff that wasn't paper on a lightbox, just gonna be honest, a lotta free alternatives were kinda eh. Went on to snag an old copy of flash and it's more workable.
> 
> opentoonz.github.io: OpenToonz
> thiiiisssss might be worth lookin at tho.


Can you draw the frames in it?


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## Andromedahl (Oct 16, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> Can you draw the frames in it?


Yup. You can either use scanned frames, or you can just work digitally.


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

Andromedahl said:


> Yup. You can either use scanned frames, or you can just work digitally.


is it needlessly complicated, pitifully simple, or just right for beginners?'

wait why the fuck is it in japanese.


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## Andromedahl (Oct 16, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> is it needlessly complicated, pitifully simple, or just right for beginners?'


It'll take some learning.


um_pineapplez said:


> wait why the fuck is it in japanese.


Because it was primarily a Japanese software that got translated to English.


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

Andromedahl said:


> It'll take some learning.
> 
> Because it was primarily a Japanese software that got translated to English.


But I don't wanna do anime. Just normal 2d stuff.

Also which link do I click? Opentoonz, GTS, or effects?


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## Sergei Sóhomo (Oct 16, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> No. as in using it at all. I've tried and it looks like a needlessly complicated version of ms. paint.
> 
> 
> Can you draw the frames in it?



Each tool is pretty straight forward but it can take a bit of getting used to








From top left to right: 3 selection tools; square, circle and freehand. Magic wand to select like colours for selection while select by colour is more for hitting everything with that colour rather than a single area

Scissors are more for basic shapes, foreground select is for the large objects, colour pick and magnifying are self explanatory

Measuring is good for precise measurements, move moves the entire selection on that layer, alignment is fine tuning, crop is self explanatory, rotate for rotating

4th row is dedicated to changing perspective

5th row is the same

6th row; first 2 options are self explanatory, calig is for, well caligraphy, clone is for selecting an area and copying it. Hold ctrl then click what you wanna copy, then follow it. Healing is sort of the same but more for photography touch ups

7th row items are self explanatory

Not sure of what else you'd have trouble with understanding


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

Sergei Sóhomo said:


> Each tool is pretty straight forward but it can take a bit of getting used to
> 
> From top left to right: 3 selection tools; square, circle and freehand. Magic wand to select like colours for selection while select by colour is more for hitting everything with that colour rather than a single area
> 
> ...


so does it work with the image on screen, or do I have to start a new project in the middle window, or what?


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## Andromedahl (Oct 16, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> But I don't wanna do anime. Just normal 2d stuff.


Animation programs are just tools to get things done; There isn't exactly an 'anime' program. Just do whatever style y'want.


um_pineapplez said:


> Also which link do I click? Opentoonz, GTS, or effects?


Open toonz. GTS and effects are some extra tools.


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

Andromedahl said:


> Animation programs are just tools to get things done; There isn't exactly an 'anime' program. Just do whatever style y'want.
> 
> Open toonz. GTS and effects are some extra tools.


Ah! Okay!

Wait......It says that they can suspend it on multiple reasons, and one is "act of GOD". What does that even mean?

Just, god comes down and tells everyone to stop using Opentoonz?


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## Andromedahl (Oct 16, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> "act of GOD"


That's a legal term for 'accidents'.


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## Sergei Sóhomo (Oct 16, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> so does it work with the image on screen, or do I have to start a new project in the middle window, or what?



Depends on what you're trying to do. If you want to make a GIF from scratch you would this (haven't made GIFs with GIMP in ages, but it's the same idea. I forgot I used a plug-in for fine tuning)




https://imgur.com/id%3Da%252FRhGBd%3Btype%3Dalbum


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

wait.

Does Opentoonz have a circle tool?


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 16, 2016)

Okay. I think I've got it down. One question.

How do I save to a decent video format? The only video-type file is .avi. I wanna save to .mp4.


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## Sergei Sóhomo (Oct 17, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> Okay. I think I've got it down. One question.
> 
> How do I save to a decent video format? The only video-type file is .avi. I wanna save to .mp4.



Probably an export as function


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## um_pineapplez (Oct 17, 2016)

Sergei Sóhomo said:


> Probably an export as function


I don't see export on the file tab.
Besides, it still says unsupported extension.


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## Sergei Sóhomo (Oct 17, 2016)

um_pineapplez said:


> I don't see export on the file tab.
> Besides, it still says unsupported extension.


RIP


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## Stratelier (Oct 17, 2016)

I'm interested in finding a 2D animation utility myself, but again, most of the good options are commercial, and then there's the learning curve....

Wikipedia to the rescue? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_2D_animation_software

Of the GPL options in the list, Synfig looks pretty polished and has AVI/MPEG export capabilities. http://www.synfig.org/cms/


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## Pamelatibb07 (Feb 13, 2017)

um_pineapplez said:


> So I wanna learn how to animate. But I can't pick which software to start with, and I don't wanna have a million different programs clogging up my computer's memory. What's the best stuff they have?
> 
> Not to mention pikapetey put me in timeout after I asked.



You just try ANIME STUDIO. It is really good to work on animation. It comes with tools which work as freehand drawing, compatible with drawing table, get full control on your character's movement and also multi-touch support for the Wacom tablets.
You can also see this info-graphic for 2D vs 3D animation.


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