Graham searches for the best new free software
Animation Software
Synfig Studio 1.2.0
There have been some significant updates to some significant projects recently, and the release of Synfig Studio 1.2 is one of those. Synfig is an amazing vector graphics editor with a focus on cartoon-like images, that's also an animation tool that can turn those images into fully fledged cartoons. It's brilliant. And complicated. And requires not only proficiency with the application itself but a huge dose of talent, too. Luckily, lots of its users seem to have met these requirements, and many of the results I've seen are easily worth the effort. That all this comes from a piece of open source software is even more amazing, especially when compared with spending money on commercial alternatives.
This version is the result of 16 months' work and comes off the back of a modest crowdfunding campaign that was completed in the middle of 2014. Training courses and a Patreon page have also helped with development, and the main improvement for this release is a completely rewritten rendering engine. The main problem with Synfig has always been its performance. This is because those vectors preserve the original resolution and need to be maintained even in very complex scenes and animations – they're the reason why the output is always so perfectly crisp. The new rendering engine is noticeably faster; it's now multithreaded and less memory demanding. The other major feature is integration with Papagayo lip sync, a tool designed to help line up mouth shapes with the recorded sound of the actors within the animation. Of course, this may cause some anime titles to lose a bit of their crudely translated charm, but overall it's going to help Synfig and its users create much more professional results.
Project Website
Web Browser
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.
-
XZ Gets the All-Clear
The back door xz vulnerability has been officially reverted for Fedora 40 and versions 38 and 39 were never affected.
-
Canonical Collaborates with Qualcomm on New Venture
This new joint effort is geared toward bringing Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core to Qualcomm-powered devices.
-
Kodi 21.0 Open-Source Entertainment Hub Released
After a year of development, the award-winning Kodi cross-platform, media center software is now available with many new additions and improvements.
-
Linux Usage Increases in Two Key Areas
If market share is your thing, you'll be happy to know that Linux is on the rise in two areas that, if they keep climbing, could have serious meaning for Linux's future.
-
Vulnerability Discovered in xz Libraries
An urgent alert for Fedora 40 has been posted and users should pay attention.
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs
-
Juno Computers Launches Another Linux Laptop
If you're looking for a powerhouse laptop that runs Ubuntu, the Juno Computers Neptune 17 v6 should be on your radar.