Animate drawings with Pencil2D
Run It
Pencil2D always displays the onion skins of the last or next five images. To change this, go to Edit | Preferences and select Tools. To define how many previous images Pencil2D displays, add a number for Number of previous onion frames shown; similarly you can define the Number of next onion frames shown. (Pencil2D automatically extends the timeline up to 10,000 frames.)
You should now have created several frames where the ball slowly drops from the top to the bottom. To view the animation, select the first frame. Then press Ctrl+Enter or click the right arrow triangle in the timeline. Depending on how many images you have created, the animation may be over fairly quickly. This changes if you enable the curved arrow in the timeline or select Animation | Repeat. During playback, Pencil2D will repeat the animation until you press the corresponding button or Ctrl+Enter to stop it again.
The playback speed can be controlled using the fps input box on the timeline's right side. By default, the animation runs at 12 frames per second (fps). You can experiment with lower or higher values for your ball. Then make sure that your last frame is visible on the drawing area.
Transparency Report
Many scenes consist of several objects (e.g., the ball could fall on a wall). Pencil2D supports layers so that you do not have to repaint the background in each single image. Layers work like slides, which the tool simply superimposes on top of each other.
To create a new layer for the wall, choose Layer | New Grid Layer and assign a name such as Background. Pencil2D now adds a new line to the timeline. Click the Background layer. Everything you paint from now on is assigned to this layer.
Use the Polyline tool to draw a line under the ball from left to right. If you play the animation now, the ball drops onto the line. To include a photo of a real wall, use File | Import | Image to load an image on the currently active layer.
In the timeline, you will find several small boxes, each representing a single image. Pencil2D displays each of them until a new frame follows in the line. Try this out by selecting the middle of the animation with the . and , keys and then creating a new frame with F7. Paint a yellow sun with the brush. The sun will appear in the second part of your animation (Figure 7).
To delete a single frame, select the corresponding layer on the timeline, then select the corresponding frame, and select Animation | Remove Frame. Unlike clicking on the trash can icon, Pencil2D deletes the entire image rather than just clearing the drawing area.
Stackable
Pencil2D superimposes the drawings in the layers in the order in which they appear in the timeline. In Figure 7, all drawings in the Background layer would appear above the ball. You can change the order of the layers by dragging the name of a layer up or down to the desired position. During fine-tuning in particular, it can sometimes help to hide a layer. Simply click on the dot in front of a timeline name.
Thus far in my example, I've worked with bitmap images (i.e., with pixels). Pencil2D also has vector layers. One vector layer is automatically created by Pencil2D; others can be created by selecting Layer | New vector layer. These layers work like the image layers, but you can only draw lines and geometric shapes. In return, all objects can be moved and distorted individually later. To do this, click on the respective line with the Move tool. The object can be scaled using the handles that then appear and moved to another position using drag and drop (Figure 8).
If you want to share your animation, create a video by selecting File | Export. The Movie sub-item saves the animation as an MP4 file; alternatively, Pencil2D supports exporting to an animated GIF.
« Previous 1 2 3 Next »
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs
-
Juno Computers Launches Another Linux Laptop
If you're looking for a powerhouse laptop that runs Ubuntu, the Juno Computers Neptune 17 v6 should be on your radar.
-
ZorinOS 17.1 Released, Includes Improved Windows App Support
If you need or desire to run Windows applications on Linux, there's one distribution intent on making that easier for you and its new release further improves that feature.
-
Linux Market Share Surpasses 4% for the First Time
Look out Windows and macOS, Linux is on the rise and has even topped ChromeOS to become the fourth most widely used OS around the globe.
-
KDE’s Plasma 6 Officially Available
KDE’s Plasma 6.0 "Megarelease" has happened, and it's brimming with new features, polish, and performance.
-
Latest Version of Tails Unleashed
Tails 6.0 is based on Debian 12 and includes GNOME 43.
-
KDE Announces New Slimbook V with Plenty of Power and KDE’s Plasma 6
If you're a fan of KDE Plasma, you'll be thrilled to hear they've announced a new Slimbook with an AMD CPU and the latest version of KDE Plasma desktop.
-
Monthly Sponsorship Includes Early Access to elementary OS 8
If you want to get a glimpse of what's in the pipeline for elementary OS 8, just set up a monthly sponsorship to help fund its continued existence.
-
DebConf24 to be Held in South Korea
Busan will be the location of the latest DebConf running July 28 through August 4