Today, animation software is available in such a wide range that there is something for both amateur and professional. Starting from a very basic level to the high-end, here we have for you the best software for animation purpose, that’s available in the market.
Isn’t it wonderful to see your creation come to life? Well, at least in the virtual world. From what it started out to be to what it is now, animation technology has advanced so tremendously that at times you’ll wonder whether what you’re seeing is real or virtual. For people who have a basic idea about animation, you know the strenuous process that goes into the making of even the minutest of actions.
While choosing an animation software, you need to be clear about what you expect from your work. You will need to carefully take note of how the images are displayed, so that you can judge whether it is the thing for you. Take note of all the features that product offers, generally more the features, the more it will sell, however, quality should come before quantity.
Examine the size of the file storage and the format of how you’re going to import or export them. Operating the software should be an easy task, so that you don’t end up wasting unnecessary time, this should also include the company’s help and support, in case you have a problem with the software at some point. Making an informed decision is of utmost importance. It can basically be isolated to 2D animation, 3D animation, or other options.
2D Animation Software
Toon Boom Studio
One of the most widely used 2D animation software. The reason for its wide use of course is its design quality. It is the best if you want some neat animation work mapped out. In addition to this, if you want to make your own animation or cartoons, then this would be the best software for you which you can install on your PC.
Pencil
If you want to go the traditional way to create animation then Pencil it is. This is the best tool that is available for traditional style animation and is probably one of the simplest programs for creating 2D visual representations. Pencil uses Bitmap and Vector graphics and is compatible on both Windows and Mac OS.
CreaToon
This is an application only for windows users. More or less similar to the Toon Boom Studio, it uses the cut-out animation process, where you import the cut-outs that you’ve made to animate the characters you have. As far as finishing is concerned, it may be rated inferior to the Toon Boom Studio.
Animation Workshop
Another software which helps you to create very short animation films or clips. The best part about this software is that you need not create your own cartoon, image, or text for that matter, because it has a huge library of all of these already.
Animation-ish
This one is probably the best software for beginners because it is just so much fun to use. Amateurs who think that animation is a task which involves only brilliant creative minds, think again. This software will let you play with your creation effortlessly and will help you to learn a few basics of animation. Compatible with both Mac and Windows, it supports a large range of formats. It’s an easy to use interface which is both colorful and playful.
Synfig
This Windows only software is gaining foothold in the world of animation with its high-quality imaging. The company claims to soon provide film quality animation. One of its best features is its smooth automatic transition from one frame to another, called tweening, which eliminates the need to do it manually. It also has the ability to manage the thickness of the lines at their control points, including correlating similar data between two objects.
3D Animation Software
The 3D animation industry is booming like never before. It is attracting more and more artists and newer minds to exploit their creativity in this field. 3D animation is spreading like fire, so if we were to look at it career-wise, it promises to be one of the most successful careers today, and will only get better and better. As far as the best software is concerned, it would be difficult to choose, as each is better than the other. However, you need to remember that in no way is 3D better than 2D, they’re just two different fields that require different approaches, in fact it would be wise to note that operating 3D technology involves a lot of your 2D skills. The best software for 3D animation development are as follows.
Maya
3D animation cannot be complete without mentioning of one of the most popular and most widely used applications known as Autodesk Maya, shortened to Maya. Maya is a rage amongst 3D animators, and because of its terrific, life-like output it is also used in films. Its default format being .mb, Maya visuals are represented entirely through interconnecting nodes, where each node is customized with its own set of attributes. Having won a number of awards, this can very confidently be referred to as the best 3D animation software that you can lay your hands on.
3D Studio Max
Another acclaimed software in the field of 3D animation, it has a huge user population in spite of being one of the most expensive software. It is largely used in video game development, and is sometimes sought after for film projects. It’s credited with being the first to make plug-ins that rendered it into Flash. Unfortunately the 3D Studio Max is not compatible with Mac OS, which makes it lose quite a large share in the market at least in the U.S.
Illusion Mage
This budget software was created in an effort to bring to the public a software whose cost wasn’t as exorbitant as the rest found in the market. Available with an extensive tutorial, this software is as simple as it gets and is really very simple to understand and operate. The software was designed keeping absolute beginners in mind, however, once the details have been mastered, its output can rival most of the other software programs out there.
Lightwave
NewtTek’s Lightwave is amongst one of the most advanced applications for 3D animation and is considered to be one of the best 3D software around. It offers an array of tools and applications to make your creation look more realistic. Once you’ve got your hands on this one, you will be assured of creating magic.
SideFX Houdini
The Houdini 11 is the latest in the line of the amazing animation releases by this 3D animation company. It’s one of the most preferred choices in the film industry today. The amount of good quality features that it comes with is mind-boggling, and the crystal clearness and unreal naturalness about its images is something that only can be seen to be believed. The number of hit movies that it has been used in is astounding. And all this on a very user-friendly interface. Continuous improvements in the imagery is responsible for its excellence in the field of 3D animation and graphics.
The creativity of a particular piece of animation greatly lies in the originality of the idea and also in the crispness of the overall package. The more polished and crisp it is, the more appealing it will be.