Last week I had the opportunity to spend an hour online with Fahim Niaz, senior product manager for Smith Micro Software, to learn about the new release of Anime Studio’s two editions, Anime Studio Debut 10 and Anime Studio Pro 10.
Anime Studio Debut 10 introduces users to the world of 2D animation with useful tools and elements that allow any graphic artist to produce work of the same caliber as experienced animators. The Debut edition is also finding a home in education programs for younger students, primarily in middle through high schools. New design tools such as the Paint Bucket, Blob Brush, Eraser and Reduce Points make it painless to manipulate objects into desired shapes.

Anime Studio Pro 10 adds more powerful features, some modeled on character animation found in 3D software, translated to a 2D environment.

The latest bone features include rigging options to help set up more complex characters. The independent angle constraints allows bones to keep their global angle and are not affected by inverse kinematics, while the squash and stretch feature allows bones to retain their shape and direction as they move. The new Smart Bone Dials allow users to set up movement templates for characters – simply select the bones, adjust to the desired angle, input the duration and name the movement.

You can view the edited interview below, with selected animations from shorts and full length films and demonstrations of some of the features below.

There’s a demonstration of the improved rigging features starting at about the 11 minute mark, particularly how the “smart bones” and advanced physics properties that give natural motion effects to movement are completely integrated in creating animation.

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqGZEEFDc18″ autohide=”2″ fs=”1″ hd=”1″ rel=”0″ showsearch=”0″ showinfo=”0″]

Anime Studio 10 New Key Features:

  • New Bone Constraints and Smart Bone Setup for streamlined character movement
  • New Bounce, Elastic and Stagger Interpolation for adding realism to character movements
  • Enhanced Drawing Tools that make creating and adjusting animated content faster
  • New and improved content library provides pre-loaded characters and material for easy animating

For the full feature and enhancement listing please visit: http://anime.smithmicro.com/as10new/

Pricing and Availability:

Anime Studio Pro 10 is available for $299.99 and Anime Studio Debut 10 is $49.99.

Smartbones demonstration in AnimeStudioPro 10

Screen shot from Anime Studio Pro 10 showing advanced bone rigging features

[hero heading=”Smith Micro Celebrates 10th Edition of Anime Studio with Wacom Cintiq and Intuos Tablet Giveaway”]To celebrate the 10th edition of Anime Studio, Smith Micro has teamed up with Wacom Technology, makers of digital interface solutions, for a giveaway with no purchase necessary. From March 4th, 2014 to April 4th, 2014 users can enter for the chance to win a Wacom Cintiq Companion grand prize or a Intuos Pro Medium or Intuos Medium tablet for second and third place prizes.

“Anime Studio 10 interacts seamlessly with Wacom tablets for an intuitive and natural-feeling animation experience,” said Don Varga, professional products brand director for Wacom Technology. “Wacom’s pen and touch tablets work so well with Anime Studio that we wanted to share the experience with Anime Studio fans, commemorating the launch of Anime Studio 10 with a Cintiq Companion, Intuos Pro Medium and Intuos Medium tablet giveaway.”

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Anime Studio Debut