In recent times, many businesses have started using motion graphics, 2D animation, and 3D animation in their videos. Rotoscope animation was done back in the 90s. After the arrival of these new animation techniques, it became extinct.
However, it’s back in the industry after the release of the movie Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood. In this sic-fic Netflix movie, rotoscoping technique is used to give it a new look.
Rotoscope animation is the technique of producing animated sequences by sketching over frame-by-frame live-action footage. You can use rotoscope animation to create visually appealing characters who move like humans.
Creating rotoscoping animation is time-consuming and difficult. Due to this reason, animators use different rotoscoping software to make the process easy. You can use rotoscoping software to edit or create animate masks with algorithms that help detect object movements in the video.
These software help users create engaging animated videos and save time by speeding up the process of rotoscope animation.
Are you excited to learn about the best rotoscoping software? Let’s get started.
1. Adobe After Effect CS3
When it comes to animation and 3D visual effects, Adobe After Effect CS3 is one of the leading software. It is equipped with useful features that help users create unique animations.
Adobe systems CS3 is premium software that assists users in creating motion graphics for keying, tracking, compositing, and animation.
It assists users in the post-production phase of movies.
Adobe After Effect CS3 enables users to re-create motion images with various transitions. Users can create animation easily with alpha channels and interpolation into animated masks utilizing its vector feature.
The best thing about this software is that it is compatible with Adobe’s application and over 300 software.
Thus, it is ideal to utilize this software and easily create visually appealing animations or VFX productions.
2. Daz 3D
DAZ 3D is also known as Digital Art Zone. It is an all-rounded rotoscoping software that offers valuable features which help in creating rotoscope animation.
It is equipped with the best features to help you create 3D animation. You can use it’s ready-to-use material, premier characters, and photo-realistic renderings.
It makes full-body motion capture manageable and easy. You can use this software to speed up your animation creation process and create human movements.
Other prominent software tools are Genesis 8 figures, Genesis 3, and Genesis 2, which will help you import 3D animations. The DAZ 3D shop offers a collection of ready-made materials that you can use to fulfill your project requirements.
3. Silhouette FX
Silhouette FX is one of the best rotoscoping software. It has helpful features like magnetic reshaping and variable per-point edge softening that help users design interactive animations. You can use this software to create appealing masks by utilizing Magnetic Freehand shapes, X-Spline, Bézier, or B-Spline.
The software includes a layering palette that helps you create motion pictures and paintings.
Its features allow you to create rotoscope animation and assist in matting, compositing, morphing, warping, and converting 2D animation to 3D animation.
You can download this software for free or purchase the premium and trial version to use as a stand-alone app or a plug-in.
It supports different file formats like Apple Shake, discreet fire, flint, inferno, Cineon or OpenEXR for Smoke, bitmap for exporting, etc.
4. Nuke
In the animation industry, Nuke is considered as one of the most effective VFX software, which helps in post-production for TV programs. This software is ideal to create engaging cartoons, movies, or unique commercials.
It assists you in working on your projects flawlessly. You can use this rotoscope software without external plug-ins and create any complicated animation.
The latest version of Nuke is equipped with many useful features that help you in motion tracking. Many video editing companies use it because of its handy features that speed up the process of creating animation. In the latest version, they improved the various plug-ins like DepthGenerator, CameraTracker, LensDistorsion, etc.
Nuke Studio and Nuke X are both software available in full or trial versions. Nuke is advanced software that is ideal for professionals.
Windows OS users can use it to edit and create animations by utilizing its customizable features. The best thing about this software is that it requires low memory space or hardware, and you can easily install it.
5. Fusion
Fusion is one of the best rotoscope animation software that has assisted users for three decades. The software offers beneficial features that help users in compositing images.
It is compatible with Windows OS. Fusion is equipped with 40 useful features like clean plate, GPU acceleration, studio player, virtual reality, camera tracking, Planar tracking, new formats, Delta Keyer, etc.
Undoubtedly, Fusion is one of the most effective 2D and 3D animation software that assists users with motion images.
6. Blender
Blender is one of the most popular animation software that is ideal for rotoscoping. It is available at a reasonable price.
It offers a simplified user interface that helps users for creating and editing for film post-production.
Users can use it to create style VFX utilizing anime, electrical effects, and custom-made sculpting tools that help in rotoscoping or creating visual effects.
It is a free 3D VFX software that assists users in creating 3D animations, interactive applications, 3D printed models, video games, etc.
Bonus Content:
7. Studio Artist 5.0
Studio Artist is a widely used rotoscoping software that offers many tools, such as painting a video on a frame-by-frame basis. You can use this software to design the sequence of paint and image processing actions in a single frame.
It enables you to create videos by using processed or hand-painted pictures. In addition, you can create your video in 4K format even if the uploaded file has a low resolution.
This software is pretty popular among video animators and designers as it helps them create animated videos and recreate the animations with some added elements.
It is considered as the best software for illustrators who want to create top-notch movies and animations.
8. Mocha Pro
Mocha Pro is one of the most helpful software that helps in creating rotoscoping animation. This software’s helpful features enable you to perform masking with calibrate lens, remove objects, stabilize footages, edge-snapping, etc.
It is equipped with a robust planar tracker and useful tools that help you create visual effects in the post-production phase.
It has some other handy spline tools that streamline your workflow. The best thing about these tools is that you can modify the shape to X-spline easily. Utilize the Detail feature to create curves and lines. It is ideal for beginners and enables you to perform basic tracking conveniently.
9. Autodesk Combustion
Autodesk is one of the most preferred software, which is popular because of its 3D animation design services.
The program contains the 2nd generation algorithm that allows you to modify the colors. It allows you to remove bluescreen or greenscreen background data in the video.
You can use its time-remapping feature to adjust video speed by adding fast or slow-motion effects.
Many animators prefer Autodesk because it has point-grouping tools and B-spline vector shapes that accelerate the rotoscoping process.
Recently, they have added a new feature “Fast Gaussian Blur” that allows you to remove image detail for a more breathtaking effect. Another beneficial feature is custom capsules that help you to create and save group operator nodes or encapsulated single.
10. Synfig Studio
Synfig Studio is a fully handy open-source 2D animation program that allows you to use multiple layers to create animations. It is equipped with multiple layers like transformations, distortions, geometric, and others. Moreover, you can use its bone system to make cut-out videos by utilizing raster images.
The best thing about this program is that you can save time by utilizing non-gradient fill areas. It will automatically imitate soft shading. Moreover, it offers color correction and radial blur features that you can use for multiple or individual layers.
Synfig Studio offers advanced controls that help in controlling link-dependent parameters or line weights of different objects. Synfig Studio made its place in the list of the most effective rotoscoping software because of its great functionality.
11. Pencil 2D Animation
Many animators prefer to use Pencil 2D Animation, and they consider it as one of the most effective software for creating impressive animations.
It enables you to use its drawing tools to close shapes, draw lines, modify and fill them. Pencil 2D Animation has beneficial features like an eraser and functional tools that help create blurring effects and draw borders for specific areas.
The Pencil 2D Animation is ideal for working with pictures, audio files, gifs, and videos. You can track all actions from the timeline graph.
The best thing is that each layer has its individual timeline that allows you to enhance a specific layer or animate any element of your animation project.
In a Nutshell
Many people are not familiar with rotoscope animation software, whereas some don’t know how to pick the right software. Rotoscoping animation software have revolutionized the animation world. Generally, animators use different rotoscope animation software to enrich their animation styles of videos.
Now you have learned about some of the most effective rotoscope animation software.
The software, as mentioned above, are extremely helpful. However, you just need to choose the ideal one for yourself.
An animation enthusiast who enjoys explaining complex animation techniques, mediums, and videos. Her love for animated films drives her. In her spare time, she enjoys watching animated films from Pixar, Disney, and Illumination productions.
