What is animation? These are several rapidly changing shots, due to which there is an illusion of movement in the picture.
Initially, the animation on the Internet was for entertainment: people created funny, moving characters or told short stories. Now it helps to improve the usability of the site or application and manage the user’s attention.
What animation is for?
First of all – for prototypes. With the help of animation, designers animate the layouts of sites and applications. Create interactive switching between different application screens and site pages.
For the presentation of cases. Designers use animation to show actual work and showcase their portfolio. Moving elements help to attract and keep the attention of users. And interest and attention – the criterion of an excellent presentation.
For the implementation of micro-interactions – small interface animations that report the state of the page, the element’s reaction to user actions, shows the result of this action. Attract attention while the application or site is loading.
Animation – what programs to use?
Special programs help with animation creation, but there is no universal tool for solving all problems. Therefore, you must choose the software that is best suited for your task.
There are two areas of programs in the selection: for animating prototypes and creating full-fledged animations.
Prototype animation
With the help of such programs, you can create seamless transitions between the screens and pages of the site. With the right settings, you can simulate the behavior of interface elements and collect a simple animation.
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Programs work from layouts imported from favorite graphics editors. And create an animation, if you set the initial and final state of the screen and trigger – the event at which the transition starts.
The type of animation, smoothness, speed and other parameters can be adjusted.
1. Principle
One of the favorite tools for creating interactive prototypes and interface animation. Suitable for detailed settings for complex transitions between screens and different states. It works only on macOS.
Sphere of application: creating short scripts in two to four screens.
Price: 129 $
2. Marvel
Online prototyping service. It works from the browser or as an addition to favorite graphics editors. It allows you not only to create and customize transitions but also to change layouts if necessary or to see a prototype on a smartphone.
Sphere of application: convenient prototyping right from the browser.
Price: there are a few pricing plans including a free one.
3. InVision Studio
Universal design editor. It helps to work with the prototype and edit the animation efficiently, supports all InVision services. It is in the early access, so far is distributed for free.
Sphere of application: a creation of design and prototypes.
Price: free in early access.
4. Atomic.io
It works from the browser and allows you to create an unlimited number of prototypes and projects in the free version. The service is similar to a mixture of Marvel and Principle. Suitable for collaboration, you can share work and comment on screens.
Sphere of application: creating animation fast in the browser.
Price: free in basing rate.
Applications for creating animation
Let us talk about applications for creating animation, which can be superimposed on a video or used as a separate publication on a social network. To work you need a smartphone or tablet based on iOS or Android. Applications are for professional multimedia journalists and bloggers.
1. Legend
A request for creating animated text that is to superimpose on a photo or illustration. Suitable for forming titles on the video. Intuitive interface, an animation is created in two clicks. Ideal for those who need to create captions or text quickly when installing video on a smartphone. Convenient for working with posts on Instagram, Twitter, iMessage, WhatsApp, as well as for transferring videos to GIF format.
The application is free.
2. Legend (iOS / Android)
Adobe Spark Post applications for creating professional visual materials. From screensavers to your video, to posters, cards, and posts in social networks. The app is designed for advanced users, has predefined templates for various visual materials, great possibilities for working with fonts and the design of the final product. The application is convenient for creating professional titles, illustrative materials, and visualization for video.
The application is free, and there are paid features in it.
Read: Build an Interactive Android App?
3. Adobe Spark Post (iOS)
A free alternative to the previous application. It creates animated text and animated screensavers for video. It will be especially convenient for those who work with the creation of video for social networks. With this application, you can quickly create texts, titles, visual elements on the video and photos.
The application is free.
Mayu (iOS)
4. Wizibel
The application is suitable for those who work with audio – recording interviews, music, sounds. It creates an animated visual drawing of the audio track, can form the visual design of your audio. Then the animation and sound can be superimposed on the video, thus creating a montage, or use the resulting optical material to design the publication on the site.
Application cost $ 9.99
There are three groups of animation, which are a supplement, conveying a system status and feedback light with a user and entertainment group.
The first one is the most volumetric and it simplifies navigation, reflects the position of this or that object within the system, demonstrates the hierarchy of the app objects, focus on and makes the interface user-friendly. One of the examples of such an animation is how the image goes from a general gallery demonstrating a hierarchy of objects and imitates action in a real world if to take a picture closer to see it better.
The main task of the second one is to show a user in a real world where he or she is, what happens to an app and to reflect a reaction of the system on an action made by a user. The example would be a spinner showing up when updating a profile page.
An entertainment group is any animation, which is to entertain a user. You can see such one rating a meme or reposting. Despite this group to require a minimum from a designer, use it in doses, where relevant because each animation of the kind takes up time, and can become an obstacle on the way to achieve a final goal.
| About the Guest Author:
Melisa Marzett is the one who enjoys life and likes to travel. She cannot spend a minute without getting to know something new. She firmly believes that movement is life. She loves helping people and working for www.findwritingservice.com, she combines her passion for writing and giving a helping hand to those who need.
