Starting your animation journey can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to visualizing your ideas. Storyboarding is a crucial first step, helping you sketch out your scenes and plan the flow of your 2D animation, 3D animation, or frame-by-frame animation. But how do you choose the right tools to bring your ideas to life?
We’ve curated a list of ten easy-to-use storyboarding software that are perfect for beginners in animation. Let’s dive in!
Storyboard That – Simple Yet Powerful
If you’re a beginner who loves simplicity, Storyboard That is a great tool to kick things off. It’s web-based, intuitive, and comes with a vast library of pre-made characters and templates to help you create your storyboards without the hassle of starting from scratch. It’s perfect for creating quick, professional-looking boards in no time, whether for 2D animation or frame-by-frame animation.
Krock.io – Collaboration at Its Finest
Krock.io is a dynamic tool that’s more than just a storyboarding platform. Ideal for animators working in teams, it allows seamless collaboration, feedback management, and file organization. With Krock, you can store different versions of your work, keeping everything organized as your project evolves. It’s a great fit for beginners wanting to experiment with different ideas, whether working on a simple 2D animation or a more complex 3D animation project.
Boords – Drag, Drop, Animate!
Boords is a user-friendly platform designed to simplify the storyboarding process. With its drag-and-drop interface and a built-in animatic feature, you can not only create your boards but also animate them. It’s ideal for those who want to experiment with timing and pacing early on, especially if you’re working on frame-by-frame animation and want to visualize the sequence clearly.
Toon Boom Storyboard Pro – Industry Standard
If you’re serious about pursuing animation, Toon Boom Storyboard Pro is a robust, professional-grade software. While it’s a bit pricier and more advanced than others on this list, it’s worth mentioning for the ambitious beginners. It offers a full suite of tools for drawing, editing, and creating cinematic storyboards that can sync directly with your animation workflow, whether for 2D or 3D animation.
Plot – Visualize Your Plotline with Ease
Plot is known for its clean, minimalist interface that allows you to create and manage your storyboards efficiently. With its focus on simplicity and ease of use, it’s perfect for beginners looking to outline and plan their stories visually without getting lost in complex tools. Ideal for both 2D and frame-by-frame animation projects.
FrameForge – Plan in 3D
Want to go beyond 2D storyboarding? FrameForge lets you create detailed 3D scenes to explore angles, lighting, and camera movement. While its focus on pre-visualization can be helpful for animators, beginners will appreciate the clear guidance and easy learning curve, especially if you’re venturing into 3D animation.
StudioBinder – Professional Storyboarding and Scheduling
StudioBinder is known for its production management features, but its storyboarding tool is just as powerful. You can create detailed storyboards, track shots, and even schedule your entire production process. It’s an excellent all-in-one platform for beginners who want to understand the broader scope of animation projects, particularly when working with both 2D and 3D animation teams.
Storyboarder – Free and Open-Source
For beginners on a budget, Storyboarder is a fantastic open-source software that offers a streamlined storyboarding experience. With a simple interface and the ability to integrate with other software, like Photoshop, it’s a perfect choice for animators who want to explore their creativity in frame-by-frame animation without spending a dime.
Clip Studio Paint – Ideal for Drawing-Heavy Storyboarding
Clip Studio Paint is a highly regarded tool among illustrators and animators alike. Its storyboarding function allows you to sketch out detailed frames with ease, making it a great option for beginners who have a strong focus on drawing. The ability to convert these sketches directly into animation files makes it useful for both 2D animation and frame-by-frame animation workflows.
Celtx – Integrated Workflow for Pre-Production
Celtx is a pre-production powerhouse, offering everything from scriptwriting to storyboarding to shot listing. Its collaborative features allow teams to work together, making it ideal for beginners who want to understand every part of the animation pipeline, from 2D to 3D animation.
Conclusion: Choose the Tool That Speaks to Your Creativity
When it comes to storyboarding for animation, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution. Each tool on this list brings its own strengths, so it’s important to find the software that best fits your style and workflow.
Whether you’re looking for collaboration tools like Krock.io or aiming to master industry standards like Toon Boom Storyboard Pro, start with what feels intuitive and suits your creative needs. Whether your project is 2D animation, 3D animation, or frame-by-frame animation, the most important step is to experiment, sketch, and keep refining your ideas until they come to life.
Happy storyboarding!