Pencil

Pros

• Open-Source
• Entirely Free
• Structured Timeline
• Customizable UI

Cons

• Difficult Mouse-Based Drawing

Pencil is a piece of artistic software for Windows that allows you to draw vectors that you can use to build personalized comic strips. The app is completely free since it relies on open-source flexibility, and it can be updated by any of the dedicated users in the online community. You can even alter the app yourself and post your changes online so others can enjoy them.

This software is built around a system of animation techniques that appear to be drawn by hand. The main workspace for the app is the Timeline, and you can use the Timeline to insert layers of varying types. They can be bitmap images, sounds, camera photos, or vector images. You animate by manually selecting frames for transitions in each layer before arranging the layers in the proper order. These keyframes will link through the various layers so you can achieve the desired effect.

To begin with an empty file, you'll use the Pencil tool to draw a rough sketch of your characters using the bitmap file type. Then you can add a vector layer that includes color via the Fill tool and the Pen tool. If you've ever tried any other animation tool, such as Flash, you'll notice that Pencil is much easier to use. Options are clearer, and the interface doesn't hide anything. The main display includes all the features and functions you might need, so you don't have to go looking through complex menus to find them.

Another great thing about the user interface for Pencil is that the control palettes are modular, which means they can be closed or moved so that your workflow is smoother. This is especially helpful if you want to perform the same sort of edits or content creation on a repeated basis. It takes some time to acclimate to such a flexible system, but once you have mastered its nuances, the app becomes quite useful.

There are some problems with the software, or at least there are things that feel like they are missing. For instance, the app is made for PC systems, but it's nearly impossible to use the mouse as an effective tool for sketching. If you had a tablet system connected to the PC, the problem would vanish, but many amateur digital artists don't have such luxuries.

Another thing that's strangely absent from an artistic app like this is preloaded artistic content. There are no templates, shapes, objects, or other pre-installed content to act as a base for your creations. If you're a standard user trying out the app with nothing more than your mouse, it will be difficult to create anything more detailed than stick figures.

If you've got the time and patience to insert incredible detail into an animation, this system is great for teaching the basics. You might even find the mouse an adequate tool for your own use.

Pros

• Open-Source
• Entirely Free
• Structured Timeline
• Customizable UI

Cons

• Difficult Mouse-Based Drawing