http://www.les-stooges.org/pascal/pencil/index.php
"Pencil is an animation/drawing software for Mac OS X and Windows. It lets you create traditional hand-drawn animation (cartoon) using both bitmap and vector graphics. Pencil is free and open source."
This is very simple to ease, yet powerful application, especially for those who want to sharpen their drawing and animation skills. And it can be used with art tablets as well. I tested it with a Wacom Intuos 3. In both vector and bitmap layers the line width changes with the pen pressure.
The program was developed on Mac OS 10.4, but runs on both Mac OS 10.3 and Windows XP (separate version, of course). I tested the Mac version on Mac OS X 10.3.9.
Pencil
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
Don't expect anything too fancy for version 0.4.1b, because this is still heavily in beta. It is, however, an animation program to keep in mind.
It is a traditional animation program, and you have to draw each key frame separately. I didn't see a copy key function. The drawing tools are still very basic.
I guess the vectors are Bézier curves, but you don't seem to be able to manipulate the nodes, nor can you see any handles. So its a bit like Flash drawing, but without a node tool.
There is a platform independent source code archive file available from the Source Forge project, but the Windows executable file might run under Wine, so you don't have to compile it yourself. The project seems to run under Trolltech Qt.
Anyway, for Linux I would try KToon. This is much further developed and it also based on Trolltech Qt.
It is a traditional animation program, and you have to draw each key frame separately. I didn't see a copy key function. The drawing tools are still very basic.
I guess the vectors are Bézier curves, but you don't seem to be able to manipulate the nodes, nor can you see any handles. So its a bit like Flash drawing, but without a node tool.
There is a platform independent source code archive file available from the Source Forge project, but the Windows executable file might run under Wine, so you don't have to compile it yourself. The project seems to run under Trolltech Qt.
Anyway, for Linux I would try KToon. This is much further developed and it also based on Trolltech Qt.
Here's a fairly simple (and rough) head turn I drew with Pencil:
As you can see, I suck at traditional animation. This program is less suitable as a line tester, because you can only see one frame in the front and/or the back in onion skin, and not several, as with those line testers.
However, you can draw your animation diagram in the bitmap layer, draw the frames in the vector layer, and then erase the bitmap layer. The built in sequencer is quite useful for developing short cycles or clips.
If I compare Pencil with Flash 2.0 I still have, Pencil is much easier to use, although it has far less features.
As you can see, I suck at traditional animation. This program is less suitable as a line tester, because you can only see one frame in the front and/or the back in onion skin, and not several, as with those line testers.
However, you can draw your animation diagram in the bitmap layer, draw the frames in the vector layer, and then erase the bitmap layer. The built in sequencer is quite useful for developing short cycles or clips.
If I compare Pencil with Flash 2.0 I still have, Pencil is much easier to use, although it has far less features.
I have it but it still been so unstable and for my preferences its vector painting tools are awful. AS is at light years from it in drawing tools and stability. There are other called Pastic Animator Paper wich is better. There is no Mac version for the moment.Anyway, for Linux I would try KToon. This is much further developed and it also based on Trolltech Qt.
And yes I can run in using wine if the program don't use so much windows API.
Thanks for the info.
Regards
I tried to install KToon on the Mac myself, but you need to install Trolltech Qt first, and after a whole night of installing and compiling, I can claim with almost 100% certainty that version 4.3 of that Qt framework will not function, nor compile under Mac OS X 10.3.9 (as can be inferred from the application notes for Qt 4.3). A stable Mac version of KToon is expected in December 2007, although the funding is still a bit shaky (just like the current code release). Expect it to be either for OS X 10.4 or even 10.5.
You should note, that the Pencil application was taken from another developer and is in dire need of a co-developer. The current developer says in his notes, that Pencil is meant to be a free alternative to the many "traditional" animation programs (frame-based drawing), so everyone can draw animation, but by no means a substitute (nor will it ever be).
So I primarily see it as a training tool, not as a replacement for Anime Studio Pro.
I also like to note, that in both KToon and Pencil you can see how hard it is to get a proper animation program off the ground. This only strengthens my belief that Moho and Anime Studio could only become so mature through a fine developer and a lot of support by the users (which would be you, the reader of this post).
You should note, that the Pencil application was taken from another developer and is in dire need of a co-developer. The current developer says in his notes, that Pencil is meant to be a free alternative to the many "traditional" animation programs (frame-based drawing), so everyone can draw animation, but by no means a substitute (nor will it ever be).
So I primarily see it as a training tool, not as a replacement for Anime Studio Pro.
I also like to note, that in both KToon and Pencil you can see how hard it is to get a proper animation program off the ground. This only strengthens my belief that Moho and Anime Studio could only become so mature through a fine developer and a lot of support by the users (which would be you, the reader of this post).
Great link, thanks Rasheed. I will always love programs like this one,
You draw - you go to the next frame and you draw again... and again! fun!
Is it possible to add sound to the animation? at least midi would be reasonable feature.
The exported flash file doesn't play loop and no QTime export for PC but I think this software has potential.
---Tomas
You draw - you go to the next frame and you draw again... and again! fun!
Is it possible to add sound to the animation? at least midi would be reasonable feature.
The exported flash file doesn't play loop and no QTime export for PC but I think this software has potential.
---Tomas
A few things you can't do with it, because the menu item doesn't work:
It hasn't got the confusing bells and whistles of some frame-by-frame animation programs which drive on feature-richness, rather than user-friendliness. I've tried the evaluation versions of Flash and TVPaint, but those are just too intimidating for novice animators, who just want to practice-draw animation. So for developing and sharpening your animation drawing skills it's perfect.
- import an image (I get a save file menu instead of an import menu)
- export a QuickTime movie on Mac OS X (doesn't save any file)
- import a sound file (I get a save file menu instead of an import menu)
It hasn't got the confusing bells and whistles of some frame-by-frame animation programs which drive on feature-richness, rather than user-friendliness. I've tried the evaluation versions of Flash and TVPaint, but those are just too intimidating for novice animators, who just want to practice-draw animation. So for developing and sharpening your animation drawing skills it's perfect.
Shading Tool
Hey there. I just tried out the shading tool. This is something that I have been wishing for Toon Boom forever. It is a brilliant idea!
Stephen
Stephen
Great Link Rasheed,
I was testing out http://www.plasticanimationpaper.dk/ for a rough frame by frame program to test timing for an animation in AS but there are some limitation on the free version that make it a little hard to work with. This looks like it might be decent for that kind of thing. I will try it out.
I was testing out http://www.plasticanimationpaper.dk/ for a rough frame by frame program to test timing for an animation in AS but there are some limitation on the free version that make it a little hard to work with. This looks like it might be decent for that kind of thing. I will try it out.
Tried out pencil
I have pencil and have made a few animations.
Though, if you want to export to Quicktime it has to be less than 150 frames.
I found the best way of exporting a large animation is either exporting it in scenes or making multiple copies of the 150+ movie and exporting it in parts.
Take a look at these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfrWLB9t3wc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzULqqtFpU8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_zQViVFaGw
Though, if you want to export to Quicktime it has to be less than 150 frames.
I found the best way of exporting a large animation is either exporting it in scenes or making multiple copies of the 150+ movie and exporting it in parts.
Take a look at these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfrWLB9t3wc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzULqqtFpU8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_zQViVFaGw
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