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Dec 12,2019• Proven solutions

If you are not satisfied with some free animation options available on Windows and Mac, you may need to invest some money in a great program. Those who want their animations to have a professional quality will need to find professional animation software. It will let you make professional animated video to your heart’s content.

While these programs do come with an upfront cost, you are paying for the best features, troubleshooting, support and graphical quality. Those who create animation for business reasons will have much use for such software. Here are 8 of the best professional animation software options for Windows and Mac.

Recommended professional animation software - FilmoraPro

If you want to have more controls on animation video, here we recommend using FilmoraPro - professional video editing made easy.

You can add six different keyframe types to make basic 3D animation or 2D animation. For advanced animation, FilmoraPro supports curving motion and combining keyframe types. The ultimate animation outcome will be smooth and natural.

You just need to build a white plane to easily start making animation. Besides, auto color correction and audio mixer will raise up your animation video to a new level. It supports Windows and Mac. Free download it to have a try!

Part1: Professional Animation Software for Mac

1.Blender

The beauty of blender is that it is a free program that still gives you all the features you would expect from a professional package. It is free, open source and one of the best options for 3D animating. Whether you want to model, rig, animate, simulate, map, render or motion track, you can do it with Blender

Features:

• The rendering, modeling and animation features are top of the line. They are comparable with expensive software.
• You have the ability to create VFX, simulations and integrate pipeline tools.
• You can create games, edit videos and create scripts all within the program.

2.ZBrush

Hoping to create high class 3D objects that are going to wow your audience? If you need to create 3D objects for a business video, or to promote your personal brand, ZBrush is a terrific option. It has some of the best features for digital sculpting that you will find in any program.

Features:

• Unlike other programs, you are not restricted by polygon distribution. Sculpt all you want!
• Options for single user or volume licenses - useful for businesses!
• Rated as one of the best programs for sculpting in 2018.

3.Maya

Maya is one of the top options for 3D animation, modeling, rendering and simulation. It works with all modern Mac computers and will allow you to create animations, terrains, backgrounds, motion graphics and VR content.

Features:

• The UV editor interface is very intuitive and easy to use. It also gives you so many options through the UV Toolkit. Editing your animations has never been easier.
• Comes with a clump modifier that lets you interactively groom your animations.
• Features a link to Adobe After Effects so you can make adjustments on the fly.

4.Harmony

Harmony is a professional 2D subscription-based software that will allow you to create animations and backgrounds with ease. Whether you want to animate, render or simulate different graphics and backgrounds, you can get it all done with Harmony. It is fully compatible with Macs.

Features:

• Three subscription options: Premium, Advanced and Essentials.
• Essentials features vector drawing, while the other two also include Bitmap.
• Render quality can go from HD to 8K depending on your subscription.
• Includes recoloring, rotoscoping, advanced vector pencil lines, multiplane and 3D environment support.

Part2: Professional Animation Software for Windows

1.Adobe Animate CC

Want to design interactive vector animations? Whether you are hoping to use them for games, apps or your website, you can create them using Adobe Animate CC. With the might of Adobe, you know that you are getting a quality product that will get frequent updates and enhancements.

Features:

• Some newer enhancements include the ability to layer depth and add camera enhancements.
• Advanced code wizard allows you to add actions to events using the HTML5 canvas.
• The Animation Timeline is more powerful than ever. You can also use presets for managing the speed of your animations.
• HiDPI support.

2.Poser Pro

The best tool for a digital artist who wants to create 3D character animations and illustrations, the Poser Pro 11.1 is available for a one-time purchase. It may not be necessary for beginners to spend big money on animation software. But professionals who want the best quality characters and background will be delighted with the features on offer.

Features:

• SuperFly delivers the power of physically based rendering to Poser. You can render light in the way that it is meant to look.
• The Realtime Comic Book preview feature is even better on this version of the program. Now you can get full access to your animations, while you can edit them using the convenient toolbars.
• Actor selection feature makes it so easy to go back and forth between the different characters you create.

3.DigiCel FlipBook

Beginners who are struggling to understand some of the features of other programs will love FlipBook. It is the simplest 2D animation software you will find online. But the best part is that despite its simplicity, it gives you the power and flexibility of other programs.

Features:

• Drawing, scanning, importing and painting is very easy with this program.
• The intuitive interface means that if you want to make changes to your animations, you can do it within minutes.
• Using it with a tablet is very helpful, as you can draw straight onto the program.
• Add music and sync it with your animations.

4.iClone

Touted as the fastest 3D-animation software available, iClone will let you produce animations that have a professional quality, but you can do it in quick time. When you have a deadline, or you need to render many images, this program is so useful.

Features:

• Advanced tools that allow you to curve edit, incorporate PhysX simulating and create organic morphs.
• Delivers artistic real-time 3D visuals.
• Unlimited plugin expansion and support.
• On-demand community content and accessories.

Conclusion

With the above eight programs, you may many options when you make professional animated video. You can create high quality 3D background, terrain, objects and characters. And when you are finished with your animations, you may be thinking about editing the files or creating a larger story out of them. Using FilmoraPro will help you a lot with the editing process. It is an all-in-one video and animation file editor for both Windows and Mac computers.

Easy-to-use and powerful video editor for all creators.

Bring up your video to a professional level with straightforward tools.

• Choosing Video Editing Software
• Video Editing Tips

What is the best animation software to use? This is the most common question asked by the students learning animation. In this blog you will learn about top 2D and 3D animation software that are mosy sought by animation students.This article will give you clear insights about best animation software for beginners.

What is 2D Animation? (Two-Dimensional Animation)

The creation of moving characters/pictures in a two-dimensional environment, such as through “traditional” cel animation or in computerized animation software. This is done by sequencing consecutive images, or “frames”, that simulate motion by each image showing the next in a gradual progression of steps. The eye can be “fooled” into perceiving motion when these consecutive images are shown at a rate of 24 frames per second or faster.

Following is the list of Best 2D Animation Softwares.

Here I did not include every animation software out there, just top 5 software which useful for 2D animation.

1. Anime Studio :-

Anime Studio is your complete animation program for creating 2D movies, cartoons, anime and cut out animations. Anime Studio has everything you need to make amazing, professional animations.

Supported platforms:

• Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8
• Mac OS X

Website: Smithmicro

2. Adobe Flash :-

Adobe known as “Macromedia Flash” and “Shockwave Flash”. Adobe Flash, commonly referred to simply as Flash, is a multimedia system for computers that is generally accessed through a web browser, though it is also used for standalone development and as a method of creating compelling user interfaces and menus on some cell phones. Flash is also the system that supports streaming video on sites like YouTube. Adobe is now promoting Flash through its Open Screen Project, which counts many other companies as members. Some phones make use of a system called Flash Lite, which offers a subset of the full Flash capabilities that is enough to enable most online Flash-based video content to be viewed.

Supported platforms :

• Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8
• Mac OS X
• Linux

Website: Adobe

3. Toon Boom :-

Toon Boom is a Canadian software company that specializes in animation production and storyboarding software.

Supported platforms :

• Windows XP
• Mac OS X

Website: Toonboom

4. CreaToon :-

CreaToon is a powerful PC software solution to create 2D animation in cut-out style. Its main advantages are the ease of use and the real-time feedback. Moreover, CreaToon allows you to add effects that are simply not possible with traditional cut-out animation. CreaToon software is real time editing and previewing your animation and easy to use drag-and-drop interface.

Supported platforms :

• Windows XP

5. Adobe Photoshop :-

Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe Systems for Windows and OS X. Adobe Photoshop is the predominant photo editing and manipulation software on the market. Its uses range from full featured editing of large batches of photos to creating intricate digital paintings and drawings that mimic those done by hand.

Supported platforms:

• Windows XP
• Mac OS X

Website: Adobe

Learning 2D animation will be more fun if you master ine of these high end animation softwares for 2D animation.

What is 3D Animation? (Three-Dimensional Animation)

The creation of moving characters/pictures in a three-dimensional digital environment. This is done by sequencing consecutive images, or “frames”, that simulate motion by each image showing the next in a gradual progression of steps, filmed by a virtual “camera” and then output to video by a rendering engine. The eye can be “fooled” into perceiving motion when these consecutive images are shown at a rate of 24 frames per second or faster.

Following is the list of Best 3D Animation Softwares

1. Maya :-

Maya , also known as Autodesk Maya is an animation and modeling program used to create 3D (three-dimensional) full-motion effects. Maya incorporates the natural laws of physics to control the behavior of virtual objects in computer animation. Maya can produce videos that are more life-like than has been possible with less sophisticated programs.

Supported platforms :

• Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8
• Mac OS X
• Linux

Website: Autodesk

2. Lightwave :-

LightWave 3D is a 3D computer graphics software developed by NewTek. It has been used in film, television, motion graphics, digital matte painting, visual effects, video games development, product design, architectural visualizations, virtual production, music videos, pre-visualizations and advertising.

Supported platforms:

• Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8
• Mac OS X

Website: Maya

3. 3D Studio Max :-

3D Studio Max,is known as Autodesk 3ds Max, is a professional 3D computer graphics program for making 3D animations, models, games and images. It is developed and produced by Autodesk Media and Entertainment. It has modeling capabilities, a flexible plugin architecture and can be used on the Microsoft Windows platform.

Supported platforms:

• Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8

4. Blender :-

Blender is a professional free and open-source 3D computer graphics software product used for creating animated films, visual effects, art, 3D printed models, interactive 3D applications and video games. Blender’s features include 3D modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, raster graphics editing, rigging and skinning, fluid and smoke simulation, particle simulation, soft body simulation, sculpting, animating, match moving, camera tracking, rendering, video editing and compositing. Alongside the modeling features it also has an integrated game engine.

Supported platforms:

• Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8
• Mac OS X
• Linux

Website: Blender

Nepal bhasa fonts. Learning these software will help you crack any animation interview.

Anibrain School of Media Design has been successfully offering professional courses both in 2D and 3D Animation.

More than the tools, it is passion,patience and strong desire to learn and adapt new techniques is all what required to become a successful animator.