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5 Mobile Animation Apps for On-the-Go Animators

  • Mar 6
  • 4 min read
A tablet showing a drawing app, displaying the colour hue.
Source: Canva Collection

 

It’s a regular day. You’re sitting at a café sipping on your favourite drink when something catches your eye. You’re struck with inspiration, but you left all your drawing tools at home. Then, you remembered you had your tablet with you.

Pulling it out, you realise that you don’t have an app that can help animate your idea right now. While it would be a good idea to wait until you’re home, inspiration is hot on your tail, and you want to draw right now.

That’s where mobile animation apps roll in when you’re fired up with an idea, and you just want to pour it out onto the world until the fire fizzles out.


Here is a list of mobile animation apps you can use on your iOS and Android devices to animate on the go.


Table of Contents


Why Use Mobile Animation Apps?

Accessible mobile animation software has become a go-to trait for creatives to work on their project on the go without having to carry heavy, bulky devices, where everything can be done with a phone or a tablet.


Mobile animation apps have become a demand for creatives who prefer just that. It works as an intuitive interface where they can draw directly on the screen rather than with a third-party device like Wacom and Huion tablets, making it easy for animators to work on their animation projects wherever they are.


5 Recommended Mobile Animation Apps


An illustration software with splashes of colour on screen.
Source: Canva Collection

 

  1. Animation Desk

This animation app from KDAN is available on both iOS and Android. The app supports both motion animation and traditional frame-by-frame animation. As one of the animation apps for beginners, it makes it easy for anyone to learn how to animate.


Animation Desk also comes with handbooks for both teachers and students that work as a guide that can be implemented in teaching and classes.


  1. Flipaclip

Dubbed as the best animation app, Flipaclip comes with an intuitive workflow and robust features like layered frames. It also allows you to add your own audio and video.

Available in multiple app stores like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Huawei, this app makes animation accessible to anyone and everyone who has a digital device.


  1. Lottiefiles

Pioneering the use of JSON files, Lottiefiles is integrated with multiple design apps like Webflow, Adobe After Effects and Figma, making it one of the most popular apps for website animation available in both Android and iOS.


  1. Krita

One of the animation apps for Android, unfortunately not available for iOS, is this open-source digital painting software, which is popular among both beginners and professional artists. It has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to pick up for first-timers. It offers frame-by-frame animation with multiple layers and audio support for more intricate animations.


  1. Clip Studio Paint

Like Krita, this digital illustration software targeted for artists is robust with multiple assisting features and has the same animation software tools as large studios.

Enterprises like Marvel and Warner Bros. are also utilising this animation app that is available on both Android and iOS.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


What are the benefits of mobile animation apps?

Besides the benefits of accessibility, the user interfaces of mobile animation apps are intuitive, as they take the user’s stylus usage into account. Unlike using a mouse or the shortcut keys on a keyboard, animation apps made for mobiles would have to lay out the menus and tabs on the app to be intuitive for a stylus with no additional buttons or shortcut assistance.


Are there difficulties in transitioning from desktop to mobile for animation software?

Generally, yes, there would be a bit of strain when transitioning from desktop software to mobile software, as it removes the ease of keyboard shortcuts and other additional functional reasons, like better rendition speed and more complex features.

However, having added access to a mobile animation app doesn’t forgo the desktop version, so using both versions of animation apps can assist animators better rather than abandoning one version over the other.


How do I implement animation apps with creative project management?

Animation apps may not have the right tools to implement creative project management, but utilising software that can seamlessly connect these two helps it be executed. For example, once the rendered animations are ready for feedback, TESSR’s Review feature makes this process easier. The ability to directly draw on a frame-by-frame animation helps feedback stay accurate, preventing miscommunication.


Author Bio

With a background in Arts English, Adilla has been a casual writer for various hobbies, like parodies of animated shows and plots for board games. She loves to read anything and everything, from fantasy stories to articles on tips and tricks. Now an advocate for mental health and effective project management for the creative industry. Currently, Adilla resides in Malaysia and is a creative writer at TESSR. To know more about her, check out her LinkedIn.

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