Pencil Beginners Tutorial Making a Simple Walk Cycle Animation (Four Frames)

This tutorial shows how to use the free animation package Pencil, to make a simple walk cycle (four frames).

Pencil is an animation tool designed to allow traditional animation techniques to be carried out on a computer.

It offers two techniques that are used in traditional animation, onion skinning and layers.

Onion skinning gives a semi-transparent image of the previous frame as a guide for drawing the current frame.

Layers allow background images to remain in the background so that only changes to foreground objects need to be drawn.

Pencil is a basic tool designed for the specific task of implementing traditional animation. The animator is expected to draw every frame (that changes) a task which is much easier with some form of stylus rather than a mouse.

The drawing tools are basic and limited e.g. no oval tool and very little control over vector graphics. There are no facilities for the computer to create ‘in-between’ frames (tweening) or any other method of interpolating between key frames.

The finished file from the tutorial can be downloaded from my website -

[DefenderOfTheLarder]

I'm so thankful for your tutorial. Probably one of the most precise, clear, easily understood and organised tutorials I've seen! I'm just a beginner, and this made it very understandable for me. Grazie!

[darylrnoble]

POV: you are trying to find the newest comment.

[doqstar]

For some reason when i draw on a canvas it doesn't seem to let the drawing stay, it just disappears after like i draw a circle or something.

[bradleyxcix]

I keep having a problem with the curve smoothing setting not effecting the drawing, it seems to be stuck somewhere in the middle but it obviously does not change when I adjust the bar :/

[angeliccries]

Confusing. You seem to Do this so easily yet, I Cant even draw without it disappearing
i just want to animate!

[ubunifuartscinema]

An excellent teacher!, one of the few good Pencil D Show!

[kemonono]

Hey this tutorial is really helpful! but i have a problem... im trying to adapt the cycle to a character of mine but because im going to export it i need to do this annoying thing so the canvas isnt a void :/ which means onion skin is pointless... help?

[whatsnew]

In my pencil 2d onion skin is not working. what should I do?

[Akhi]

what's the name of this software he uses?

[educationalvideosforprimar]

Thank you for sharing. Very clear explanations!

[zakatoyeputhozakatoyeputho]

Pen pressure is quite impressive how did you do that

[emileewhite]

Thx this helped much this is the simplest one so it was easy to do

[marisasmith]

I haven't downloaded the software yet but im sure this video will help

[patriot]

Is there no way to draw a simple straight line... like hold down shift or something ? ? ?

[celestepepper]

guys i have figured it out, when onion frames are building up, go to preferences, tools and the change the number of previous frames to 1. Your welcome, have a lovely day.

[Havoc]

Thanks Mate! Well done!

-- Havoc2305

[wowthatsloud]

this whole tutorial doesnt work for me the tool bar isnt there and i cant find anything

[celestialwind]

can i have a link to install the alication?

[xpglr]

Omg this was helpful thanks so much!! :D

[waff.]

I don't have a timeline :( How do i get it?