LO1: Practicing Software

Experimentation with different software:

To create my animation, I have experimented with different software, they are:

MediBang Paint:

After experimenting with MediBang Paint, I discovered that this platform has a user-friendly interface; it is easy to navigate and use. This software had a wide range of brushes and customization options, which was an advantage for creating detailed animations. Layer management in MediBang supports multiple layers, which is essential for animating. Although there are cons to using this software to animate, there are limited animation features as it is not designed explicitly for animating. It needs a timeline interface, making organizing and managing my animation frames harder. Which can make the animation process less efficient and time-consuming. The exporting options are limited because they do not support the direct export of animation files; therefore, I need software to compile and export all the frames. Nevertheless, although MediBang can be used for animation, its limitations make it less ideal. 

Animation Desk:

This software also includes a user-friendly interface, which makes it easy to use. It offers dedicated animation tools, such as onion skinning, frame management, and a timeline, all essential aspects of animation creation. It has a cross-platform availability feature that is available on multiple platforms. It supports working in layers and offers cloud integration, allowing me to back up my projects online. There are a few negatives to using this software to animate; there are limited advanced animating features in professional animating software, such as advanced rigging tools, complex effects, and scripting capabilities. I faced a few performance issues when working with this software, such as working with large files, which slowed down my workflow. 

Ibis Paint X:

This software has various brushes, tools, and customization options, which can be very useful for creating detailed and unique animations. This software supports high resolution, meaning I can work in high resolutions, making it beneficial to create detailed animations with clear, sharp lines. This software needs a timeline interface, which makes it challenging to manage and organize my frames efficiently. 

Procreate:

This software has an intuitive and streamlined interface, making it easy to operate and use. Procreate has a wide range of high-quality brushes, tools and customization options, allowing me to create detailed and expressive artwork in the animation. Procreate has an animation assist feature, providing a timeline, onion skinning, and other animation tools. This makes the animation process much more efficient and allows me to create more straightforward frame-by-frame animations. After using this software,, I discovered that it supports high-resolution canvases and is optimized for smooth performance. As I am using an apple pencil to draw and animate, Procreate has full support for the apple pencil; it provides a natural and precise drawing experience that is beneficial for creating detailed animations. Although the animation assist tool is helpful in many ways it still lacks some advanced animation features 

The animation software I will use to make my product is Procreate with Procreate Dreams:

I chose it because it is intuitive and has an interface with a seamless workflow. As an iPad app, Procreate offers portability and convenience. I can work on my animation anywhere without being tied to a desktop setup. The Apple Pencil compatibility further enhances precision and control.p

Tutorial video for procreate:

This is my first attempt at animating using this software