Can anyone recommend me some good software for creating 2d cartoon videos? I'd like to have a go at making some. I just need to know which software to look out for. Something simple would be nice....
2D animation software
Ooo I'd like to know this too.
flash
Arrrrr arrrrrrr
leevil's alive
ToonBoom.
and to join in the song.
Flash - ah - king of the impossible
I think Flash would be ideal for simple animations, especially if you are a newbie to animation in general, but the Amimestudio will give your animations so much more. Seems you really need to know what you are doing with it though.
The great thing about Flash is you can make half decent animations and export them in many formats, and the best thing is you can probably download it for virtually no money whatsoever (if you know what I mean).
Plenty of web-based animations are created in Flash and there's loads of forums where you can get free tutorials and advice. I recommend getting some books on the subject though (such as Flash for Dummies, or in my case Teach Yourself Flash Visually, a kind of picture books for complete retards such as myself) as these have a wealth of information and you don't need to go googling for info.
Hi Hardcorr, welcome to the BSG 
Good advice you gave. I whole heartidly agree with it.
Adam
Hey guys, do you think it's worth taking a short course in FLASH? Or is it something you can learn pretty easily from following guides online and books..etc..
I wouldn't mind taking a course. If anyone knows of anywhere good in London that does it, please let me know!
I was teaching myself through some educational software. I was learning photoshop and illustrator and flash for a job and when that never came through I gave up, but they were very helpful.
Lynda or something like that?
Quote: Keegs @ October 24, 2007, 10:10 PMHey guys, do you think it's worth taking a short course in FLASH? Or is it something you can learn pretty easily from following guides online and books..etc..
I wouldn't mind taking a course. If anyone knows of anywhere good in London that does it, please let me know!
Dude, it depends on what you want it for.
Flash is a very flexible piece of software and is predominantly used in making complex web-based applications.
The coding aspect is known as actionscript and a course on Flash would undoubtably focus on this area.
The 2D animation side is, believe it or not, the easiest aspect of the program to master. There are volumes and volumes on the possibilities of Flash and all books begin with Animation, and end with Actionscripting.
I would advise you get a book like Flash For Dummies (no offence, but when I started using it this book was too complex for me to understand).
It will tell you all you need to know.
If you want to see some stuff I have designed with Flash (I am now a professional website designer) check out www.envy-me.co.uk www.shinesun.co.uk and www.bar15.co.uk
I would also suggest doing some research into other flash-based animations and websites to get some inspiration/ideas/concepts. You can do things like interactive animations when you get more familiar with the actionscript.
Happy animating dude. It's not too difficult with Flash (I don't work for them or anything, I just love it)!
Someone also pointed me at Creatoon for South Park style animation but I've never used it so don't know what it's like.
Quote: ShoePie @ October 24, 2007, 10:41 PMSomeone also pointed me at Creatoon for South Park style animation but I've never used it so don't know what it's like.
The problem with creatoon, even though it is freeware, is you have to import your own graphics that you designed in another program.
Flash has it's own graphic tools built in and they give you nice crisp vector graphics that can be animated easily.
You can also *gasps* import graphics that you designed in other programs if you want to.
I still think Flash is the most flexible program for both oldschool and digital animation.
Cheers for the advice, Hardcorr. Nice work on the site BTW
I'm actually a graphic designer myself. I know illustrator very well, so I guess I got a head start. I don't know why I didn't learn Flash at uni. Wish I'd enrolled in those extra classes! I have a lot of characters that I've done on illustrator. I know that once I get my head round Flash, I can do a lot of stuff with it!