Pencil2D
Pencil2D is a free and open-source 2D animation software. It allows users to create traditional hand-drawn animation with an intuitive and easy to use interface. Pencil2D is available for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows.
2d-animation
handdrawn-animation
free-animation-software
opensource-animation
Pencil2D: Free 2D Animation Softwares
A free and open-source 2D animation software with an intuitive interface, available for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows.
What is Pencil2D?
Pencil2D is a free and open-source software for making 2D hand-drawn animations. It allows users to create traditional animation frames and sequences with an intuitive interface designed specifically for animation. Pencil2D's tools mimic workflows of traditional pencil-and-paper animation, making the software easy to learn for beginners.
Some key features of Pencil2D include:
- Layers and frames to help organize your animation
- Intuitive light table mode for onion skinning
- Tools like pencils, brushes, eraser, eyedropper etc.
- Camera and timeline for controlling animation playback
- Supports raster and vector drawings
- Automatic inbetweening to quicken workflow
- Export animations as image sequences, GIFs or videos
Pencil2D is a lightweight software that can run well on old hardware. It is available for Linux, Windows, and macOS platforms. The software is released under the GNU GPL v3 license making it free to use. Pencil2D allows hobbyists and professionals to create 2D hand-drawn animations easily and for free.
Pencil2D Features
Features
- Vector and raster drawing tools
- Onion skinning
- Intuitive timeline for animation
- Ability to create cutout animations
- Support for layers and frames
- Import and export images
- Record audio alongside animations
- Customizable keyboard shortcuts
- Drawing symmetry tool
- Color palette management
Pricing
- Free
- Open Source
Pros
Free and open source
Easy to use interface
Good for beginners
Active community support
Cross-platform availability
Cons
Limited animation features compared to premium software
Occasional bugs and crashes
Lack of documentation
No native video export
Limited file format support
Official Links
The Best Pencil2D Alternatives
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