Creating animation with a computer is similar to drawing with pen and paper.
Anime Studio 5 is vector-based 2-D animation software. One of the advantages of this software is that it uses a technique called "bone-rigging," which allows for the animator create movement without drawing individual frames. Once you have created an animation in Anime Studio, you can export to Flash and QuickTime files. Creating a character in Anime Studios is comparable to drawing with pen and pencil.
Instructions
1. Draw your character on a piece of paper. It shouldn't be a detailed sketch; just a rough drawing that you can easily break up into basic shapes.
2. Open Anime Studio, go to the "File" menu, select "New." Go to the File menu again, choose "Save As," name your new file and press "Save."
3. Create your character's head. Select the circle tool, place your cursor on the virtual canvas and drag it out into a head-shaped oval. Select the "Add Point" tool from your palette. Click anywhere along the oval to reshape it, add a point for a cheek or chin. Refer to your sketch to get a better idea of what shape your character's head should take.
4. Using the "Add Points" tool, you can create eyes. Left-click where you would like to begin your eye. Continue to add points as you create an eye shape. When you get to the start point, left-click and hit the space bar to simultaneously finish, or weld, the shape.
To create the opposite eye, select the eye and go to the "Edit" menu and select "Copy"--you could also use "Control" + "C." Place the cursor where you would like the second eye. Go to the "Edit" menu and select "Paste"--you could also use "Control" + "V." Once you have got the eye in place, use the "Flip" tool on your palette to create a complimentary eye.
Reshape the eyes, by using the "Translate" tool to drag the lines and points as desired.
Use the "Oval" tool to create pupils.
5. Create your character's nose and mouth, using the "Add Points" tool.
6. Using the "Select Points" tool, select the head you have just created. Go to the Fill submenu and choose "Create Shape." The shape you have selected should now be filled with a red checkerboard pattern.
7. Select the "Fill Color" on the "Style" menu.
8. Go to the "File" menu and select "Save."
