Blender New Innovative 2d Animation "GP Tools"

[InfoCentral]

The final version has been frozen and this last beta version should be the same UI as scheduled release version in July.

https://code.blender.org/2019/05/user-i ... pi-freeze/

You can download the latest version at

https://builder.blender.org/download/

[ruscular3d]

https://www.blender.org/download/releases/2-80/

Blender 2.8 officially release!

[InfoCentral]

Exciting times await...

[JaMike]

Exciting times await...

Yes, it's forced Autodesk to come out with Maya Indie for only $250!

Regarding Blender, I'm going to wait for 2.80a to come out, apparently there's still some crashes in 2.80 but they wanted to get it out for Siggraph. I hope they've made the Grease Pencil usable by non-superhuman 2D artists. I failed so hard trying to get it to work.

[dkwroot]

Yes, it's forced Autodesk to come out with Maya Indie for only $250!

That's $250 per year, it's still a subscription service. Blender is going to crush them in time, even big studios are starting to switch over.

[herbert123]

Game changer! Blender 2.82 will import and convert SVG files cleanly to grease pencil layers, ready for 2d animation, cut-out rigging, and more. Check out the preview video:

[mrc]

Game changer! Blender 2.82 will import and convert SVG files cleanly to grease pencil layers,

Probably my most wanted feature for Moho.

[herbert123]

Wow.

[Greenlaw]

Hi Herbert123,

I'm assuming there's a video posted above. Can you also post a direct link? This forum sometimes has a problem displaying embedded videos.

ATM, all I see is the word "wow" followed by a blank space.

Thanks!

[Maestral]

Here is the link
... and this one is a really interesting one. These guys are creating a whole another take on hand-drawn animating. We have 2, 2.5 and 3D but I am not sure anymore how to address this approach.
To me, tvpaint is among the superior 2d animation tools but with more and more features added to GP tools that 1st place does not seem so secure

[Greenlaw]

Thanks for posting the link and, yeah, that does deserve a wow!

[herbert123]

Blender 2.81 is released today. Complete overhaul of the sculpting workflow, and new Grease Pencil features:

• * new brushes and presets
  * self overlap strokes
  * isometric guides
  * improved stroke ending
  * smart smooth with fast strokes
  * convert curves to Gpencil strokes (import svg, convert, etc.)
  * new fade layers using background colour
  * new merge by distance operator
  * user interface improvements across the board
  * improved noise modifier

Full list here:
https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Reference ... ase_Pencil

And those improvement are only for Grease Pencil! These improvements by themselves would have warranted a major release for some of the commercial 2d animation packages (Toonboom, anyone?). Blender itself received a barrage of other improvements.

I have read various accounts now from 2d artists expressing how great GP feels while drawing and sketching. I can only agree. It feels very responsive and natural.

[slowtiger]

"I lost my Body" seems to be the first feature film to make good use of the new tools:
https://www.cartoonbrew.com/how-to/how- ... 83151.html

[uddhava]

"I lost my Body" seems to be the first feature film to make good use of the new tools:
https://www.cartoonbrew.com/how-to/how- ... 83151.html

Thanks, interesting!

[JaMike]

To me, tvpaint is among the superior 2d animation tools but with more and more features added to GP tools that 1st place does not seem so secure

As a TVP user who has been trying to use the latest Grease Pencil, I can say with confidence that there is still a long way to go before Blender gets to 1st place. Working in a 3D space is nice (nicer than Toon Boom) but as a drawing experience it's not there yet if you really know how to draw. The upcoming version of PAP is way more interesting to me as a cheap alternative to TVP.