Sometimes, finding an interesting activity for a child is not easy. Especially when the days get shorter and the weather doesn’t allow spending all the time outdoors. Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do at home, and creating your own animation show is one of them. You can make a cartoon with your child’s favorite characters, sceneries, and events. This can become a great pastime and memory that lingers.
While professional instruments like Adobe Animate or Photoshop are difficult to master, there are many programs suitable for beginners. And below we are going to tell you how to make an animation with ease.
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What is cartoon animation?
In simple words, the animation is a method that allows images to move. Cartoon animation presupposes drawing or painting the figures on a tablet or computer and then using professional software to bring those pictures to life.
The animation effect is reached by a fast succession of images that differ only minimally. To achieve the best results and create a real fairytale for your children, you can use 2D and 3D animation, stop-motion, and other stylistic effects. The global web is filled with free and paid tutorials, guidelines, and courses on creating a cartoon without any background.
Screen recording
But what should parents do if they don’t have the time and energy to learn and need a fast result? The simplest way is to use a screen recorder for outstanding captures. With its help, you can record videos, sounds, slides, and any other content created on the device’s screen. Pair it with the Google slide show and get an outstanding animation that even Cartoon Network will envy!
A screen recorder is also great for reading bedtime stories when you are not around. Read the selected book or tell it by heart on camera and ask someone to play the video before your child goes to bed.
The best software for beginners
A screen recorder is not the only instrument you can use for creating an animation. Below we want to share five programs that your kids would like to try straight away.
1. Open Toonz
Open Toonz is open-source software for 2D animation production. The project was developed by Studio Ghibli and Digital Video and remains one of the simplest and the most effective instruments for those who don’t have any background in animation. Open Toonz is free to use not depending on whether you want to make a non-commercial or commercial cartoon.
This software allows changing picture styles, adding light, varying distortion, and other effects. It also comes with a scanning tool compatible with black and white, colored, and binarization types. On the official website, you can download instructions on how to install and use Open Toonz and its plug-ins.
2. Scratch
The second animation software on our list is Scratch. It is perfect for creating simple cartoons and has an open-source code, so anyone with a license can alter and improve it. The product was developed by MIT and can be used absolutely for free.
Scratch is used in more than 150 countries and is available in 60+ languages. Its primary audience is children of 8 – 16 years of age but it can be used by parents to create outstanding cartoons. This software has already been a success for school and college projects across numerous disciplines, so you can also use it to create educational animation and make studies fun and simple.
3. Web Cartoon Maker
Creating animation is one of the most popular indoor activities in 2021. And with Web Cartoon Maker, launched back in 2010, this activity is extremely easy to master. This desktop software is free to use and doesn’t have any annoying ads or notifications popping on the screen every other minute. Use it to create animated AVI videos of any length and share them via the Internet or download them on your computer. Plus, Web Cartoon Maker utilizes C++ scripts, so you can learn the basics of programming as well.
4. Cartoon Generator
Cartoon Generator is another simple cartoon-making instrument for beginners. It doesn’t occupy much space on your computer, has an appealing design, and allows converting pictures into cartoons in a matter of clicks. In total, Cartoon Generator can boast 20 visual effects including blurring and dark mode. Users can preview the results and make changes in real-time. All that you have to do is upload the picture, select the necessary styles, and get an animation. For free!
5. Toondoo
If you want to be featured on Cartoon Network, Toondoo is a great software to start. You don’t need to download any software because Toondoo is available through your desktop or smartphone browser. Drag, drop, choose extra features, and create outstanding cartoons without any charges involved. The website is very clear and user-friendly, so to make an animation of your own you only need to follow the instructions. For example, choosing a layout, the number of characters, and so on. In the menu, you can view the most recent and popular animations to get inspiration.
Make Your Own Cartoons!
We are living in the digital era and there’s no need to deny that our children are interested in computers, games, and video-making apps. Instead of prohibiting them, make this interest a useful pastime for the whole family. Create animation with Bandicam or another recorder, test free software mentioned above, and make a cartoon with your favorite characters.
Spending quality time together brings families closer to each other, so why not make this hobby a new family tradition? If you decide to follow this advice, don’t forget to share your cartoons with us.
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