Creating a simple animation/what programs to use?

Question

I want to make a short simple animation. I have never done it before so i am a total n00b >.< I wanted to just start with some stick figures and do it frame by frame.

what programs are good to use for beginners?

what programs are cheap/free?

any help in this area would be greatly appreciated!!

Answer 1

Go to this msn group where you may download the latest Pivot (stick animation) freeware:  http://groups.msn.com/Pivotanimation

Answer 2

Use Blender. Its free GPL software for 3D Animation and 3D Modeling.

My Blender wrok sample.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff226...

My Latest Blender 3D Clip

http://www.vimeo.com/1630309

some of my other links

http://kkrawal7.googlepages.com/3danimat...

if you want to learn Blender from me then contact me [e-mail]

Answer 3

jasc.... has animation studio program that is  super easy to  use for what you are wanting to  do..   and fairly cheap

Answer 4

Some of the better commercial 2D animation programs such as Digicel Flipbook, Toon Boom, TVPaint, TAB, and PAP, have Student or Express versions that are fairly inexpensive. However, you might be disappointed by how crippled these stripped down programs are compared to their more expensive Pro versions. But if you look hard enough you should be able to find them cracked online (rapidshare, bittorrent). There are some free alternatives.

If you&#039;re doing old school drawn on paper frame by frame stuff or stop-motion or 2D, I&#039;d suggest MonkeyJam. It&#039;s free.

http://www.giantscreamingrobotmonkeys.co...

If you&#039;re on a Mac, use Pencil(there&#039;s PC and Linux versions as well).

http://www.les-stooges.org/pascal/pencil...

If you want to do Flash animation like the stuff on Newgrounds.com, either break down and buy Adobe Flash or you can try Creatoon or Synfig, which are free. They&#039;re not Flash, but they also do vector based symbol oriented

animation.

http://www.creatoon.com/index.php

http://www.synfig.org/

Here are some online resources about the basic principles of animation.

http://www.idleworm.com/how/index.shtml

http://www.awn.com/tooninstitute/lessonp...

http://www.animationarchive.org/2006/05/...

http://www.animationarchive.org/2006/05/...

http://www.karmatoons.com/drawing/1a.htm

http://www.animationarena.com/principles...

http://w ww.animationmeat.com/notes/notes.html