OT: Need recommendations for animation software

[John Rofrano]

For 2D cartoon animation you should look at Anime Studio Debut 6. It’s simple to use, you can draw your own character then define where the bones/joins are and it will animate it like a puppet for you. There is also a Pro version for a lot more money which adds higher resolution output and the ability to import 3D objects, but I would download the trial of the regular version first and see if it fits your needs. They have some video tutorials to get you started.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Norman Willis]

Hi John.

I need to make animated Bible characters (Moses, Paul, etceteras). Only, I’m not really much of an artist. Is it possible to obtain readymade ‘characters’ anywhere (or with any software), that I could then make move about?

We can usually get non-profit discounts, so the purchase price is not usually the real object. The real objects are typically the learning curve (for my dense head), and ease of use. So is Anime Studio still my best choice? Or do I just need art lessons?

Thanks.

Norman Willis
http://www.nazareneisrael.org

[John Rofrano]

Well… if you want to be a chef, it’s probably good to know a little about cooking… if you want to make cartoons, it’s probably good to know a little about drawing. 😉

Get yourself a scanner and scan in your favorite bible characters from books. Then animated them with Anime Studio. You would need to ask permission from the book publisher of course to reuse their content legally. You could also ask a nearby school if they have any young artists that might want to donate their pictures. They only need to draw them on paper and you can scan them in. Finally, you can search for Anime Studio content on-line. There may be some characters for sale that you can use. It’s a pretty popular program and I still think it’s the best tool for the job. There are also tutorials that you can view to get you up and running quickly.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Norman Willis]

Hi John.

How are you doing? I have been doing some basic drawing.

If I wanted to make a video similar to this one (but with different content), would Anime Studio Debut still be the best tool?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGs75M5LpPc

(Also, would I need one of those Wacom tablets?)

Thanks.

Norman Willis
http://www.nazareneisrael.org

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[Norman Willis]

Also, do you have a guess as to how long it might take to create a four minute cartoon like this one?

Thanks.

Norman Willis
http://www.nazareneisrael.org

[John Rofrano]

I would still use Anime Studio and yes, a Wacom tablet would make it a lot easier. I have no idea how long it takes to create. You also have to add in the time to learn the software which would make the first one take a lot longer.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com