According to stats, by 2025, the 3D animation market is expected to be worth over $50 billion. That’s huge, right?
And that’s not all reflecting the significance of the animation industry. Because Over 60% of animators globally were employed in the film and television industries in 2023.
So today we will talk a little bit about what is animation, different types of animations, and some of the free and user-friendly animation software.
What is animation?
Animation is the process of the rapid display of still images in a sequence.
It’s like a super-speed slideshow of pictures. In the animation industry, experts are making educational videos that use animation to explain tricky stuff.
Get to know about its types and free animation software to use.
Types of Animation
As the history of animation is vast, the process of animation has also changed and modified over time. So, let’s talk about the most common types of animation.
Traditional animation
In earlier years, animators would draw each frame by hand. They would place their drawings on a desk with a built-in bulb so that they could see their previous drawings.
2D animation
It refers to animation where vectors control the motion of art instead of pixels. Instead of pixels, they use math to control the art’s movement, making animations look clear. It uses math values to change images in size.
3D animation
3D animation is the process of creating three-dimensional images that move in a digital context.
3D software creates such visuals. The animators set their digital frames when all the parts of the characters are in the right position.
Motion Graphics
Motion Graphics are digital graphics that create the illusion of motion. It is usually found in ads and title sequences of films.
They are a type of animation mostly used in business with text to communicate the main component.
If you want to create any type of animation, then contact Video Jeeves to turn visuals into screen magic.
15 Free Animation Software for 2023-2024
Are you looking for animation software for free? Well, then here is a list of such software that are both free and easy to use.
Pencil 2D
Pencil 2D is a software used for designing 2D hand-drawn animations. It uses frame-by-frame basics.
It is also the best free animation software that animators use due to its simple features and options. It has a built-in interface with sketch ink and paint features for creating required projects.
Features:
- Vector image support.
- Media import/export.
- Offers lots of tools such as onion skinning, keyframes, layers, and panels.
- Provides image editing, tracing, and library.
- File and project management for a well-organized timeline.
- Pre-built templates.
Plastic Animation Paper
Plastic Animation Paper is a free animation software for 2D animations.
While it is an older alternative it is still considered a classic for animators who prefer traditional hand-drawn animation.
With its simple interface, it is a great tool for beginner animators.
Features:
- Small and large format frames.
- Real-time, smooth rotation and zoom, along with multiple options for flipping canvases.
- Advanced and customizable onion skinning.
- Layers and lasso.
- High-quality lines and stabilization.
- Coloring and paint.
- Real-time full-frame reference for quick editing.
- Multiple media export options.
Opentoonz
Opentoonz is a free animation production application.
It is compatible with 5 types of scanning. It also allows you to save the settings of scanning.
Features:
- It allows you to use anti-aliased lines.
- This tool provides an easy way to paint with primary colors.
- You can synthesize effects with the Graphic User Interface through the node tree.
- Images can be managed with real-scale resolution.
- Compatible with both raster and vector images.
- You can use more effects using plug-ins.
Krita
Krita is an easy and simple-to-use 2D animation tool that allows you to customize your workflow.
Literally, the best animation software that allows businesses to create professional paintings.
Features:
- Enables you to add a stabilizer to the brush for a smoother effect.
- Customize brush with 9 unique brush engines.
- Create and customize comic panels using integrated vector drawing tools.
- Create seamless textures and patterns by making image references on the x and y-axis.
- It allows you to import texture and brush packs from other places.
- Combine, flatten, or order layers to organize your artwork.
- Highlighting the drawing portion.
- Incorporate your current color management pipeline
Synfig Studio
Synfig is a free 2D vector graphics and animation program.
The interface provides minimal learning curvature. It lets you create the best bitmap and vector animation.
Features
- It allows you to modify any image containing a vector shape into another shape.
- You can link the parameters of layers through mathematical expressions.
- This free 2D animation software provides more than 60 layers to create animation.
- You can make a cutout animation effect using the bitmap images.
Sketchbook
Sketchbook is a 2D animation app that helps you animate your ideas with minimal effort.
It offers more than 140 brushes to design and make your art. This program allows you to add a lot of layers that can blend together.
Features
- Enables you to draw basic shapes like circles, rectangles, triangles, etc.
- You can change the options as per your desire.
- Allows you to color your artwork.
- It enables you to import or export the layer as PSD (Photoshop Document)
Flipaclip
Flipaclip is a 2D animation software application that is very easy and fun to use.
With its simple and easy-to-use interactive interface, it is fun for professional animators as well.
You can also pay for a premium version to get more options.
Features
- Customize grid settings
- Add your audio
- Back up projects
- Export Image Sequence
- Customize canvas sizes
- Add layers
Stykz
Stykz makes it easy to bring life to stick figures.
It gives you optimal control using onion skins over your work for a seamless work output.
While it may be outdated it is one of the best software to get started.
Features
- Easy frame-by-frame animation
- Seamless blending of clips
- Coloring and paint
- Layer and lasso
- Easy playback.
Blender
Blender is a 2D and 3D animation software application for developing visual effects, animated movies, games, and more.
This tool allows you to import or export videos in MPEG, QuickTime, and even AVI file formats
Features
- This tool provides Python API for both scripting and customization.
- Customization of shortcuts.
- Provides a path tracer for realistic rendering.
- Create, transform, sculpt, and edit your models.
- Provides a real-time preview of the 3D scene and tracked footage.
- You can turn still characters into impressive animations
Unreal
Unreal Engine is the world’s most open and advanced 3D real-time creation.
It is the best free tool to create incredible photoreal immersive visuals and scenes.
Well, the interface can be a bit scary at the start. Since it has a lot of videos for learning and understanding the interface online.
Features
- Python scripting for a better working pipeline and adjustment of the unreal editor.
- Create and control the animation blueprint, such as the character’s movements.
- Quickly and easily create custom-made character rigs.
- Create a high level of visual effects and VFX.
Unity
Unity is a game engine that uses free 3D assets and models for animation.
This software is easy to learn even if you are beginning in 3D animation. You can even use this to make games or movies on a smaller scale.
Features
- Instant graphics playback.
- Modify highlights, shadows, and saturation.
- Change camera angles
- Create, transform, sculpt, and edit your models.
- Drag and drop timeline for seamless blending of clips
- Lots of support with 3d Plugins.
Source Filmmaker
Source Filmmaker is a software that uses a Source Game Engine to create animated films.
It is a game software in which you can create separate scenes as movie clips. The tool lets you use assets in games and movies.
Features
- Simple clip editors
- Better image recognition.
- Arrange assets, adjust motion, and blend animations.
- Motion editors that record, edit, and arrange shots.
- Graph editor that supports pose-to-pose animation.
Rive
Rive is an online 3D software that is free for individuals and also offers premium options for advanced use.
This software uses a seamless UI that anyone can understand.
It is also really versatile allowing you to add assets, images, and audio.
Features
- Export animation to different media and integrate with other apps.
- State machine to add logic and interactivity to your animation
- Online applications to make animation in your browser.
- Real-time collaboration is made easy through collaborative editors.
Animaker
Animaker is an online 2D animation tool that provides numerous animated characters, icons, properties, backgrounds, maps, and charts.
It is one of the best 2D animation software that helps you to create the best video for your organization, presentation, assignments, projects, as well as personal work.
It offers both a free and premium version.
Features
- Create animated videos in video styles like 2D, handcraft, whiteboard, infographics, 2.5 D, and typography.
- This tool provides more than 105 background tracks.
- Enables you to record direct voice recordings.
- Animaker allows the team to collaborate.
- Export video in full HD quality.
BiteAble
BiteAble is a 2D vector-based software animation that is user-friendly with a library of free templates.
The free version has a watermark. To use the full extent of options available you would need to subscribe to it. But even with the free version, it is good enough if you are just starting out.
Features
- Easy drag-and-drop timeline
- Fantastic selection of pre-installed templates.
- Extensive sound library.
Conclusion
We hope the mentioned animation software will help you get started.
The animation software showcases the significance of digital techniques. The global animation industry shapes the entertainment landscape worldwide. So, it would be better if all of us had even a basic understanding of animation.
In the future 3D animation will surely capture a huge percentage of the total market.
