The animation is the process of creating moving figures by running multiple frames in a short time frame. However, there are differences between 2D and 3D animations. But, in simple terms, the animation is a process of designing graphics in a way that they create an understandable visual.
In earlier times, simple paper, pens, paints, and brushes were used to create animations. But, today we have animation software to use. So, in this article, let’s discuss everything about it briefly.
For the beginners, it is best to use free animation software such as Blender, Animaker, OpenToonz, Pencil2D and Powtoons. Free animation software will enable you to learn new things without a paid plan. But, if you are an expert, you should go for professional animation software such as Adobe Animate CC, Poser Pro, iClone, and a lot more.
Also, the selection of whether you should use a paid of the free tool depends on your budget. Like, if you want to use Adobe Animate, you will have to pay monthly 20.99$. However, to purchase Digicel Flipbook pro, you will have to pay $199.99. So, again, if you want to just start out in the field of animation creation, just go with the free tools as they have most of the features which you get with those paid tools.
To help you with this, I have posted an article on Top 10 Best Animation Software to use in 2021. You will surely be able to find the best 2D and 3D animation software on both free and paid pricing plans.
Which are the best Free 2D animation software?
Internet is full of options to help the users find good software for 2D animation designing. Different companies have developed their amazing 2D animation products which are completely free and open-source. So, below are some of the free options which you can choose for you.
- Keyshot [3D Animation Software]
- k-3D [3D Animation Software]
- PowToon [2D Animation Software]
- Pencil 2D [2D Animation Software]
- Plastic Animator Paper [2D Animation Software]
- Synfig Studio [2D Animation Software]
- Blender [3D Animation Software]
- Animaker [2D Animation Software]
- OpenToonz [2D Animation Software]
We have numerous other options such as Stykz, Creatoon, and Bryce to choose the right animation software for us. However, before choosing any animation software for you, you will have to keep your requirements in mind.
Also, if you own a Linux computer, I have posted another article discussing the best 2D animation software to use in Linux. You can read it too.
Things to consider while choosing a 2D or 3D animation software?
There are some important things which you should consider before making your decision for the best animation software. Whether you want to create Animated videos or finding a software to make characters or cartoons, you can follow these steps to pick the right software package.
Your Level of Expertise
The first and main thing to consider before choosing any animation software is to understand your expertise in this domain. If you are a beginner to this field, you should pick a free tool that can help you understand the things in a better way. But, make sure to never compromise with the features you get along with your software. In other words, do not choose a free software which is easy to use but with very less features. Instead of that, pick the one which is quite popular in the field.
Your Budgets
The next thing which you should consider are your budgets. As we discussed earlier, there are a lot of advanced by highly expensive software available in the market. So, instead of wasting your money on those programs without using all of their features, you can easily go for a free program which can help you to learn. On the other hand, if you have quite a decent budget and you are aspired to become proficient in top-notch animation software such as Maya or Toon Boom Harmony, you can go for online training courses too. For that, you can spend some extra bucks and start to make the best use of your paid animation tool.
Your Goal
The selection of your animation software also depends on your goal. It means you should choose software after fully becoming aware of what you want to do that. Like, if you want to create animated youtube videos, you can read this article to choose the right software for you. It simply means that if you want to create 2D animation, do not go for advanced 3D animation tools. Instead of that, pick a simple package with enough offerings for the 2D animators.
Main features you want to add to your videos
It is crucial to pick the software which can help you to add the required features easily and effectively inside your animation. For example, if you want to create stop-motion videos for your YouTube channel or social media, choosing the software without this option will never be a wise decision. So, to get the best software for this, the only thing to do is to read online reviews and visit the official sites of these software.
Your PC Configurations
Yeah, this is another main thing to consider while choosing a good animation software for you. For normal 2D animation software, you can rely on low-end computers. But, for top-notch 3D animation programs, make sure to check the minimum system requirements on their official sites and download only if you have those configurations in your computer.
Conclusion:
In a nutshell, the selection of an animation software depends on your core requirements and level of expertise. If you want to use them for professional works and do not want to compromise with the quality, then there is no intelligence in spending your time with those free and limited-featured animation tools.
I hope this article has answered what you were asking. Share it with others too and help them with the same.