Animation tends to be brutal. If it’s not the tediousness that will get to you, it’s the hours you will spend trying to concentrate on the projects you are working on. Regardless of all the headaches you get, the best moments happen when your work shines through when the perfect frame sequence has been created helping bring all your characters to life.
Whether you are managing the blandness or toasting the small victories, there’s nothing as important as choosing the best animation software which can help make a huge difference in your work. Today, there are lots of selections available in the market when it comes to choosing the best animation software. However, you have to find one that suits your own personal needs.
If you are a professional animator, there are lots of options available at your disposal, and there isn’t one that is much better than the other. With a good animation software, the stage will be used for modeling as well as animating the 3D figures. If money isn’t an issue, getting a good animator will help you produce quality work regardless of the animation software you use.
Depending on whether you want a 2D, 3D, or stop-motion medium, there are lots of options that can get you started. Here are some of the best animation software that you can get in the market today.
1. Maya
Intro
When it comes to the world of animation, Maya leads the pack. It is among the best when it comes to simulation, 3D animation, rendering software application that has an excellent toolset and modeling. The Maya software can be used to create motion graphics, animation, character creation, among others.
Pros
- Maya is the leading 3D animation software that you can get
- Can be used to make animation, environments, motions graphics, virtual reality as well as character creation
- The software has incorporated the Arnorld RenderView that lets you make changes in real time of scenes that incorporate materials, camera or lighting
- The toolset for Motion Graphics makes use of instanced objects to create animations and complex procedural effects
- Easily add new nodes that are made up of signal, world, curve, placer using the MASH toolset together with the updates for the existing nodes
- Perfect software for anyone that wants to break into the animation industry
- Supports Linux, Windows and Mac operating systems
Cons
- It has an opaque interface which requires a lot of learning for one to fully understand Maya’s true potential
- The subscription options are costly which makes accessing this software a little bit hard
2. Blender
Intro
If you are keen on learning animation but don’t want to invest in a software, you can consider getting the Blender to create your 3D animations given that it’s an open source software. It can do anything from animation, modeling, motion tracking, rendering, composting, rigging, game creation, and even video editing.
Pros
- It’s a free, downloadable and open source software that you can use to create and learn your animation skills
- The software has industry standard libraries present in the simulation tool such as bullet and MantaFlow
- Blender’s modeling toolset can handle multiple functions beyond modeling such as sculpting, retopology, curving, etc.
- Easily synchronize sound, edit your characters’ poses, automate their walk cycles as well as relay independent movements using the Non-Linear Animation
- Just like Maya, Blender also supports Mac, Windows and Linux operating systems
Cons
- Blender’s timeline is quite inferior compared to that of Maya
- Some animation jobs may force you to unlearn what you learned when using Blender hence may not be ideal for everyone
3. Dragonframe
Intro
The Dragonframe is one of the best stop-motion animation software that you can get for yourself. It’s used by a lot of big studios and is also a good option for people pursuing solo production.
Pros
- An excellent choice for a stop-motion software
- Used by most of the big studios and is also a good option for solo productions
- Comes with a shortcut controller that makes it easy for you to access all that you need at your stage instead of moving back and forth to and from your computer
- While it’s not cheap, it’s also not expensive which means you get a software that has excellent animation features for a little less
- This software does what it’s needed to do pretty well
- The software takes charge of your camera giving you the freedom to make adjustments in its application without the need of touching your own camera and ruining the shot
- Easily walk through your images as this software can help you notice the movement of your current shot from where it had been previously
- Get your digital frames organized using the shot you requested for
- Excellent software for time-lapse
- It supports Linux, Mac, and Windows
Cons
- It doesn’t support all the digital cameras especially the old ones
4. Toon Harmony
Intro
Toon Harmony is one of the best 2D animation software that you can get for yourself. And while most people think hand-drawn animation is dead, that isn’t the case. It is as much alive as other digital animation mediums.
Pros
- Ability to use both bitmapping and vector tools to appertain hand-drawing skills to most digital platforms
- Harmony has simple handles that make squashing and stretching pretty easy
- Has new features that make it effortless to auto-shade especially for lighting or for exporting to Unity more so for 2D game designers
- This Harmony software handles the entire animating process which means you can draw while seeing how you are animating in real time with onion-skinning as well as make adjustments to light and color using the same program
- With this software, you are insures that your in-betweens will be handled which saves you time
- It’s flexible as you have various buying options which can knock you about $456 annually
- Create hybrid productions that consist of both 2D and 3D thanks to the advanced tools the software comes bundled with
Cons
- It may not be as smooth to use as some of its competing software
5. FramByFrame
Intro
If you swear by Apple products and need a software that has been designed for Mac and is also free, considers getting the FrameByFrame software for your animation needs.
Pros
- It’s free to download and use and is also an open source software
- Well-suited for animators who are keen on stop motion as it gives them a chance to try it out
- Being a free software, you can easily start playing around with it before you can save up and invest in a software that has more tools]
- With FramebyFrame, you get to grab a frame and play it back as your preferred frame rate
Cons
- It only works with Mac operating systems
- This software doesn’t do much hence suitable to beginners who are keen on learning stop motion
6. Maxon’s Cinema 4D
Intro
Another popular animation software is the Maxon’s Cinema 4D that comes with a much simpler learning curve. While it has a simpler learning curve than Maya, it is more suited to people who have a bit of experience creating animations.
Pros
- It has a simpler learning curve
- A popular animation software that does what it’s supposed to do
- Operates like the 3D version of the After Effects software which means that anyone who has used After Effects can transition
- It’s a little bit faster when it comes to producing quick renders compared to Maya
- Commonly used in television, advertisements as well as other motion graphics given its speed
Cons
- No option for a free trial
- It is very expensive given that a full package can cost as much as $3,700
- There are not that many tutorials that one can use to learn Maxon’s 4D Cinema which is a barrier to access
Final Thoughts
Besides getting an animation software, there are other drawing software that makes it possible for you to put images together for animation. One such option is the Animation Paper, which is a good choice if you want to get started in animation and don’t want to spend money. And while it may be old, it is still free and can help you get started.
As seen in our above review, there are other software options that you can consider even though some of them may not be able to offer much. So, if you are serious about animation, maybe consider a paid for software? While it may be expensive, having all the tools you need at your disposal will make it easier to learn and understand how to make animations.
When it comes to animation, remember that it’s the principles that will help you create the best animations and not the software. The software simply helps you to communicate your message. If you have an understanding of concepts such as secondary action, anticipation, or ease in and ease out, then you can be rest assured that you will create some of the best animation videos.
Before you choose, think about what tools you will use most to create your animations and the amount of money you’re willing to spend to get the animation software you want. When those two are well thought out, the decision for what software to opt for will be a lot more easier than you thought.
