Anime Studio is a 2D animation program from Smith Micro Software that also released Poser Debut, which is for 3D animation. While I had difficulties manipulating Poser, I found Anime Studio to be an excellent program that only takes a couple of tries to understand the base controls. It allows you to draw 2D characters or objects (or if you’re lazy, use templates), give them skeletons, and then animate them.
You can import pictures from other drawing programs to use, all though you will probably have to draw characters you want to use from scratch specifically for the project. This is because the lines of limbs cannot be connected to other lines or it ruins the ability of the ‘bones’ you create to move. Creating characters directly in the program is possible, but drawing them properly is difficult, and the templates are not particularly inspired drawings.
Using a skeleton layer connected to your drawing and the bone tools, you can make moveable joints all over your character. These bones can be manipulated to pose your characters and create animations. Animating is as simple as moving the bones frame by frame and then checking your work!
There’s a quickstart tutorial that comes with the program that is invaluable, without it I probably would have never figured out what to do. There are more indepth tutorials that you can find online on the Anime Studio website as well. While the tutorials are helpful, I personally wished that they were inside the program itself, because that would have been much more useful for when trying to find certain controls.
The interface isn’t very appealing, but that’s a minor flaw compared to how easy this software makes on-the-fly animation. Anime Studio is a great beginner’s program for those who want to start animating things and need an easy to use software to try it out.
Take the Tour of Anime Studio 8 Debut.
Anime Studio 8 Debut is priced at $49.99. This is a perfect program for starters, kids or hobbyists who want to learn how to and design animated projects.
For those that need a bit more ‘oomph’ to their animations there is a beefed up version, suitable for professionals and digital artists - Anime Studio 8 Pro which is $199.99
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This looks like great animation software. I would definitely like to try it.
I have a 7 year old daughter who is an Aspie. Lately she has been fascinated with animation. Her Dad and I have been looking for some sort of software that would let her make animated characters and this sounds perfect for her. She is amazingly computer smart so she will have to teach us how to use it. It would really be great to win this. It would really make her happy.
My son loves animals-he would really enjoy this
Wow, I didn’t know about that “bone/skeleton” part of the software. But I’m sure that it makes animating much easier!
My son would love this sort of thing!!! Glad to hear that it comes with a tutorial. I know I would certainly need it.
Oh my gosh! This would be so perfect for my artwork! I’m so glad I discovered it on your blog.
I love how it has the pre-made items to use as well… My daughter would LOVE this program. I also love how you can make your characters talk
I work with a fellow who is persuing his education in animation. I think he would find this program interesting to work with. I’ll have to let him know where I found this info!
WOW this looks awesome, I like that you can upload to YouTube and share with friends. My son would be in heaven with this program!!
THis would be a perfect program for my daughter the anime addict!!!
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