Animated Videos have become one of the signature tools of marketers worldwide for telling a story and creating effective marketing campaigns for the future.
Luckily, there are also many free applications out there that can do the same kind of job that Photoshop could do for you. This article rounds up the best 15 free Mac Programs for Graphic Designers. Some of these applications can even do stuff that can't be achieved using Photoshop, or are much more simple to use. SK1 Project is a software business in Poland that publishes a software suite called sK1. The sK1 product is Mac, and Windows software. SK1 offers a free version. SK1 is vector graphics software, and includes features such as data import / export, and rendering.
Depending on your purpose and skills, you can choose from different types of software available both offline and online, for professionals and amateur users, 2D, 3D, whiteboard or stop motion animation tool, etc.
Below are our picks for the best animation software for mac of 2019. For more background information, see a more detailed buying advice below the picks.
Part1. Whiteboard Animation Tools Part2. 2D Animation Tools Part3. 3D Animation Tools Part4. Stop Motion Animation Tools Part5. Motion Graphics Software How to Choose the Right Animation Software for Mac
Part1. Whiteboard Animation Tools
#1. Best Whiteboard Animation Software for Mac: VideoScribe by Sparkol
This program is produced by Sparkol and it remains one of the best whiteboard animation software programs for both Mac and PC. You can also use it on a number of mobile devices including devices that run android. There are elements of the program that works through the cloud making it very simple to upload and edit video wherever you might be.
Videoscribe works quite intuitively for building business presentations, TED talk style videos, tutorials, creative marketing solutions and more. What is produced out of this program looks hand-drawn and extremely professional for any type of marketing campaign. The best part is that you can use many of these tools to create these effects with very little animation knowledge.
Even children enjoy using this program because of its ease of use. There is a full library of stock images, animation and more as well as an extensive voiceover soundtrack that can be used with the solutions here.
The yearly and monthly subscription also ensures that there is a flexible use for the program. It also comes with a seven-day free trial with features to try before you buy.
#2. Best Free Animation Software for Mac: PowToon
This is a fantastic online presentation maker for academic use, presentations and infographics.
The program is completely free to use and has a number of animation effects on board that can make anything exported out of the program seem extremely professional.
The free templates available in the program as well as the quality of the animations that are presented within the platform make it a true favorite amongst many brands.
A number of major companies now almost exclusively trust their creative tools to Powtoon and it can be used almost anywhere where there is an Internet connection with mass compatibility.
As a fully cloud-based system there’s no use for installation or downloads to take full advantage of it. Its available for free use on any Macintosh computer as long as you are willing to use the watermark.
Part2. 2D Animation Tools
#3. Best 2D Animation Software for Mac: Toon Boom Harmony
This is a program that actually deserves some surprising recognition. The company has partnered with major film companies like Warner brothers, Disney, and Nickelodeon and it’s currently one of the best and most powerful 2-D animation suites for commercial use.
With the use of this program you can build anything from traditional animation all the way to amazing drawing tools that can produce the future of 3-D animation. The 3-D cameras and integration available in this platform can provide fundamental solutions for drawing, rendering and building beautiful projects.
There are tools and tasks available here that can suit small hobby animators all the way up to professional uses. The premium version delivers the top tool professional solutions that you might expect at of any major animation suite. The essentials level of the harmony program is designed more for hobbyists and it delivers a scaled down version of some of their more high and customization techniques.
Toon Boom not only remains one of the best 2-D animation programs for mac but it is a regular fixture in the animation world today.
#4. Runner-up, Best 2D Animation Software for Mac: Adobe Animate
Adobe is one of the successors to perhaps one of the most popular 2-D animation software is available. At the core of Animate are the flash tools that have been working to create high-quality animations since the early days of the Internet. Today the program uses vector-based publishing to produce intuitive and inexpensive animation results.
Although it may not have all of the professional animation tools that you would find in some major production suites, it’s possible to get very professional looking results.
#5. Best Free 2D Animation Software for Mac: Pencil
This is a simple and open source vector-based program that’s designed for the Mac OS X platform. It’s also available on Linux and Windows and it was originally created for producing digital comics. The platform allows animators to use the basic hand-drawn techniques that were experimented with long in the past. Pencil is an ideal program for beginners that don’t want to invest in expensive license for a program. It can teach the basic principles of animation and with a timeline feature it’s possible to add new layers to arrange fun effects.
This is one of the best programs for beginners and sketching characters as well as setting keyframes can all be done using the pen tool, fill tool and the vector layers tool. The interface on this is actually based off of some of the original Adobe flash platform’s and it produces some good quality graphics even on a tablet device. Perhaps one of the best parts of using this program is that it automatically exports everything in.FLV which gives it mass compatibility with a number of online sources. The videos that you export here will be easy to embed or upload in video sharing sources and more.
Part3. 3D Animation Tools
#6. Best 3D Animation Software for Mac: Maya
Autodesk Maya remains one of the best 3-D modeling software programs that’s designed for Mac, Windows and Linux. The program itself has migrated many of the tools away from Autodesk Mud and now has features that you would normally find in several different pieces of software for creating highly detailed 3-D models. Autodesk Maya is a 3-D modeling software that is designed mostly for professional artists but with the templates that are available for download and the massive amount of tutorials online, it is possible to see quite a difference with this software when you are working with it over time.
#7. Runner-up, Best Free 3D Animation Software for Mac: Blender
Blender is a program that is designed with open source technology for 3-D modeling and it’s made mostly for beginners that want the option to learn how to play and get comfortable with reading modeling on their Mac computer. This open-source program does feature many of the basic features that you can expect to find including rigging, animation, architectural support and even the option to create full games. The philosophy that’s behind it allows for the inclusion of many different templates and it is very well suited to use by a number of creators. Blender remains some of the best 3-D modeling software for creative artists with its completely free use.
Part4. Stop Motion Animation Tools
#8. Best for Making Stop Motion Videos: Dragonframe
Dragonframe remains one of the best stop motion software solutions for mac today. It’s one of the top choices for many of the world’s largest studios like Laika and Aardman. It can produce high-quality masterpieces in stop motion animation and it is a perfectly suited set of professional tools. The program allows for easy capture of a number of precise movements and you can also compose in light various angles using the camera controls on board. Editing images as well as performing advanced image review techniques can all be done through the program as well.
The process of inserting and editing audio can be done according to a characters needs and based off of the animation that you want to create. The advantage to using some of the precise movements and controls in this program is that you can have a wide array of improvements at your fingertips for professional products.
#9. Runner-up: Stop Motion in Movavi Video Editor
We selected this is our runner up because with this program there’s no need to pay for a dedicated piece of stop motion software. This is an open source piece of technology that delivers a full-featured video editor that suitable for many beginners.
The program itself is perfect for getting all of the features that are often teased in many full license software programs. Because it’s open source there are also a number of templates that can make it easy to use. The full-featured video editor is excellent for its features and for the newest features that are being added by the community regularly to keep up with the stop motion technology of today.
Part5. Motion Graphics Software
#10. Best Motion Graphic Animation Software for Mac: After Effects
With a number of motion graphic animation software programs available for Mac, after effects sets itself apart.
Adobe After Effects is truly one of the most masterful programs for any motion graphic artist. Of course many of the features of aftereffects can be found in other Adobe programs, but there is no other piece of software that can be so versatile for the creation of motion graphics. The way to the menus are set up and the way that the program behaves makes it an intuitive leap for 3-D modeling and 2.5 D animation.
The whole goal of aftereffects is to help you produce almost any type of animation that you may want without having to involve 3-D modeling. After effects remains one of the primary pieces of software for motion graphic work in storyboards, motion comics and more. There are elements in this program that are close to Photoshop and illustrator but they have been optimized for the purpose of creating motion graphics here.
How to Choose the Right Animation Software for Mac
When it comes down to choosing the program that you may want to purchase a license for or download on your computer, you need to be very focused into the types of animation that you are looking for and what you need out of any program. The first thing you need to understand is the various styles and techniques for animation and what you might want out of a program:
2d animation
This is the traditional style of animation that comes from the idea of cell shading or digital cell shading. In the past animators would draw images on transparent pieces of paper and then later than one frame at a time to create motion. Today drawings can be rendered and layered on top of one another using a digital timeline and computer vector animations.
3d animation
This is a completely new and different way to look at traditional animation that requires understanding the basic principles of composition, movement and 3-D modeling. Creating 3-D graphics can involve scanning objects or even piecing together various 3-D models to create characters, share complex ideas and then animate all of the items along a storyboard.
Motion graphics
A motion graphic is considered to be one of the newest forms of animation. These motion graphics are fairly common in items like banner ads, short comics and more. Usually these types of graphics are designed for commercial purposes.
Stop motion
Stop motion involves taking photos of an object and manipulating it ever so slightly to eventually produce a storyboard of motion. Completing and repeating this process over and over eventually gives the full allusion of movement. This is a very time-consuming process that often involves manipulating objects slowly over hours of movement to create just a few seconds of animation.
Presentation or whiteboard style
This is a popular style of animation that has taken off over the past few years. The online marketing videos that are produced and the specific programs that have been created for building whiteboard videos are proving that this is a format that truly keeps people engaged and remains a trend for school projects, business presentations and more.
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Vector Graphic Software For Pc
Hey, My name is Paul – nice to e-meet you ? I’m a freelance video editor who has over 4 years experiences of making all types of videos. I founded this website to provide step-by-step and easy-to-follow instructions to first-time editors or beginners like you who want to start their journey in video editing.
We’ve come a long way, from painting on a canvas with oil paints to painting with pixels. And with the digitization of art, the choices of the digital canvas have increased and today, there is no lack of a great, free graphics designer. When it comes to graphics designers, Photoshop and Illustrator are the ones dominating the raster and vector department of graphic designing. But both of these are expensive and it could be challenging for a budding digital artist to get access to Adobe’s Creative Cloud. So we decided to make a list of free software for graphic design.
The list includes both raster and vector software and both will be presented separately. This is because raster graphics editors and vector graphics editors are very different with different learning processes. I’ll include some supplementary articles to help you get the distinction between raster and vector. All the programs mentioned in the list are free. We’ll also add a brief paragraph about what we liked about the specific program.
Polarr is one of the best raster-based photo editors that could replace Photoshop, albeit not entirely. It is also one of the most versatile graphics editors in this list, supported in Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, ChromeOS, and the most useful web.
The interface is minimal, clean, easy to use, and understandable. It is powerful as well, with histograms, filters, texts, spot remover, liquify tool, composite presets, brushes, all the curves (light, color, exposure, contrast), and everything a beginner would want and a professional would need.
The downside is that there are limitations to the free version. There is an export limit, and some features such as double exposure, color mask are only available in the Pro version which costs $2.49/mo for the yearly plan. Check it out here.
Photos Pos Pro
Another completely free photo editor, Photos Pos Pro was once very popular (count the “P” in the sentence). It is decently powerful with basic functionality. Although I’ll call it more of a Lightroom alternative than a Photoshop alternative. Users can adjust exposure, color, contrast.
There are some problems with this program. First, it is only available for Windows. Secondly, the interface is very dated, like the WinRar interface in the early 2000s. The program is also confusing to use sometimes but since it is free, you can try it for sure. Make sure you have your firewall on because some reviews have mentioned a trojan getting in their system, disguised as a wooden, large photo editor. Check the designer here.
Pixia
This one is an interesting entry on the list. Originally made in and for Japan, finding the software can be a nightmare because it is stored in some weird directory (you’ll see what I mean in the link for Pixia). The interface looks very dated, like the earlier versions of Photoshop, but the program is very capable, especially for digital artists who use drawing tablets like Wacom.
Pixia has all the features needed to be a capable graphics editor. It has layers, brushes, tablet pressure support, path selection, filters, adjustment for contrast, color, exposure, etc. Everything you need to draw whatever your imagination paints is there. It also lets you export files in PSD (Photoshop) format. Now take a look at the link:
Yes, it is the official link and not a link to Game of Thrones fanfiction.
Paint.net
Microsoft’s paint that we all grew up with has become a muscular, powerful, and capable graphics editor. The only thing here is that it is only available for Windows (for free) and not for Mac (free or otherwise). The new version of Paint can do a lot now, from color adjustments to getting the brush and drawing freely. Specific colors from the color map can be altered as well. If you have a Windows device, definitely try it.
There is also support for plug-ins that lets you export and import PSD files, advanced text editing, color support, etc. There’s no link for it but if you want to go down memory lane and use the classic Microsoft Paint, here is a web version for that. Go ahead, make the flower and house that we all used to make. Visit here for more info.
Best Free Vector Graphics Software For Mac Download
Seashore
It is time for the people of Mac. Seashore is a Mac-only graphics editor that is not only free but also open source. This means that you can safely get it into your system without worrying. The interface is a little out-dated but the program is very capable of advanced layer support, color, brushes, and texture.
To get the file, go to the Mac Appstore and search for Seashore and your ship will reach the destination.
Sumo paint
Another great, easy to use and intuitive browser-based graphics editor. I found Sumo Paint to be very light, fluid, and easy to use. The reason for that is there is no clutter, and everything you need for your work is right in front of you. If you are into graphics editing, you have to check it out.
There is all the basic functionality like brushes, pencil, crop tool, gradient, clone stamp, blur, color picker…you know, the usual lot. There are a fully capable layer option and an adjustment tab for tweaking the color, exposure, brightness, etc.
There is a paid, pro version as well. Sadly, this means that the free version will come with limitations. It does, but I think the free version is capable enough. Click here to get check it out.
Dark Table
Dark Table is a truly free graphics editing software with a great interface and is available for almost all the computer operating systems; Mac, Windows, Ubuntu (yes), Solaris, Debian, etc. The great thing about this application is that even though it is free, it does not look free. The dark theme and great UI design make it feel premium. Take a look at it yourself;
Pixlr X
Great online photo editor that is in the “freemium” format. This means that the free version has some basic features but you need to pay to get the complete version. But the reason I have added it to the list is that the free version has some great features. It has all the basic functionality, clone stamp, spot healer, etc. But you have to get the premium version to use the layers feature. Find Pixlr X here.
GIMP
Perhaps the most popular and useful graphics editor that we have in the list for Photoshop alternatives, GIMP or GNU Image Manipulation Program is a free and open-source program, supported in macOS, Windows, and Linux. It is feature-rich, can do almost everything Photoshop can. The interface is a little dated but that’s something overshadowed by the ease of use and FREE tag. The other great thing about it is the regular update it receives. The latest one was on October 7. Go ahead and give it a try.
Photopea
Another browser-based graphics editing software with a clean, minimal interface. Photoshop users will find the interface to be very similar to Adobe’s graphics editors. It is free and there is no paywall. The only issue is there will be ads shown on the side of the window, so that could be a bit distracting.
In Functionality, the software is feature-rich, powerful, and can be a Photoshop substitute for basic tasks. The best thing about it is the support for other file formats such as PSD (Photoshop), RAW (cameras), GIMP, Sketch, Adobe XD, PDF, and all the other image formats. Visit Photopea here.
InPixio
InPixio offers a free photo editor that can be downloaded only on Windows. The paid software works great but the free one is limited with basic image editing functionality like tweaking the curves, adjusting the color, exposure, etc. Filters and presets are also available. Since it is free, no harm in trying. Try it all you want here.
Photoscape X
Another greatly designed graphics editor available both for Mac and Windows. There is a free version and a paid version and both look very premium and easy to use. It comes with all the usual features in a graphics editor. Check it out here;
LightZone is a graphic editor you can check although there is nothing specifically great to mention about it. RawTherapee is a RAW image processing software which is cross-compatible and free. Check out both of these here:
A very capable Illustrator replacement that is capable of doing all the vector-based illustrations with all the necessary features. Inkscape is not only free but also open-source. This means that the program is free of any malicious code to harm your computer.
Create paths and illustrations with all the necessary effects such as blur, anti-aliasing, etc. We recommend it. This is also a great way to get into learning vector art if you don’t want to spend a lot on Adobe’s Illustrator. Check out Inkscape here.
Vectr
Vectr is a free, online vector-based graphics editor with a sleek and easy to understand interface and all the basic functionality. When it comes to illustrations, basic shapes and the pen tool is a basic requirement. There are ads on the side panel and that you have to work with. But I think after a little while, you’ll get used to it. After you are done with the art, export it in JPEG, PNG, or SVG format. Click here to get to Vectr.
Vector creator by Icons8
This one is my personal favorite because it is so helpful when it comes to supplemental vector illustrations and edit with the way you want. While it is not that powerful and it will be difficult to use it as an Illustrator replacement if you want to work professionally, it still is a great way of getting free resources. Give it a try and I’m sure you’d use it often. Click here to visit the official site.
BoxySVG
At first glance, it might look like a very simple illustration maker, but it is very capable. Easy to use and simple to understand interface, very easy to learn if you are a beginner, and some cool features which took me by surprise. Tools like quad bezier and cubic-bezier are great tools that I think should come to Illustrator as well. Take me to BoxySVG.
Best Free Vector Graphics Software For Mac Os
Vecteezy
This web-based graphics editor is more akin to an online logo maker than an Adobe Illustrator replacement. But since there is the pen tool, shapes tool, text tool, and a stock of photos and vectors available, I thought it could wiggle its way in this list. Vecteezy is free but there are some complications. First, it is not very intuitive to use. It is very basic and you’d hardly get anything done. The second and much more debilitating flaw here is that the illustrations you make cannot be used commercially. That sucks. But still, check it out here.
LibreOffice Draw
LibreOffice Draw is a free and open-source graphics editor that is one of the most premium and trustworthy applications on this list. It is capable, easy to use, and free. Give it a try and you might want to get into the LibreOffice Suite. Click here to visit LibreOffice Draw’s official site.
We have not included some of the vector editors such as Gravit, Fatpaint, Youidraw, Skencil, Rollapp, etc. The reason behind this is because all of these programs are either freemium, meaning that there is a paywall and the free version does not get all the features of the programs are very outdated with a really 2000s user interface.
Free Vector Graphics Software Mac
But since we have mentioned them, you can always search for these graphics designers and take a look. Who knows, you might even pay for some of these. Gravit is a great vector designer based on the freemium model.
So that was it. This was the exhaustive list of all the pixel (raster) and vector-based free graphics editors that could replace both Photoshop and Illustrator. I’ll link some relevant articles below that are connected to graphic designing so do check them out if you are interested. This concludes the article.