So here is one of the little Comic-Con jems we have been sworn to not talk about! Well until now! Ok it was just an NDA.
The great folks who make Anime Studio and Poser, Smith Micro, have just release the beta of MotionArtist!! This app is shaping up to be something great! We been playing with for a few weeks here at TOT and we have found more than a couple uses for it. We will share them in upcoming screen cast.
“MotionArtist is a composition and presentation application unlike anything that exists in the world of digital comic creation,” said Steve Yatson, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Smith Micro Software, Inc. “It’s a simple solution to a very complicated set of problems that introduces a new approach to animation. We provide the platform – from there, professional artists or everyday users can really let their creativity run wild.”
This new app bridges the gap between comic creators and their readers. With MotionArtist users can add motion to their comics, create interactive HTML5 presentations as well as uniquely styled photo-shows. All of this without the over kill of a full animation suite of tools that might get just get the way making a great story. Plus the Smith Micro folks have not added any “me too” tools. In short it about just getting the job done and using with other tools you already know and love.
If you are at Comic-Con make sure to go to the Smith Micro Booth #5355 and check it out. Heck if you are lucky enough to have a pass for today’s preview night, advoid the crowds, and be one of the first to see it and give it a test drive!
MotionArtist combines cutting-edge tools with a drop-dead simple user experience, creating a highly versatile solution that appeals to a wide range of users, from hardcore comic creators to anyone who loves to share their favorite photos, including:
- Graphic novelists – Create amazing interactive animated comics and presentations with state-of-the-art technology, such as GPU acceleration for a lightning fast work environment and 3D layering for that cool parallax effect
- Traditional comic creators – Artists of any skill-level can quickly convert their work into digital comics with panel creation, layout tools and the ability to add motion
- Web developers – Export projects to HTML5 and deploy on your favorite website or save as standard movie formats and share your comics and presentations directly to Facebook or YouTube
- Photographers – Create fun, animated “photo shows” by dropping in a folder of images; MotionArtist will automatically place the images on the stage and animate the camera
“MotionArtist is an awesome animation and interactivity product that was clearly conceived with comic creators in mind,” said Brian Haberlin, co-artist and co-writer of the multi-media sci-fi adventure saga Anomaly. “With MotionArtist you can create panel-based comics, add animation and export in common file formats without being locked into a specific format or being required to use a particular service. You can even export as a common video format or, more importantly, HTML5.”
Key MotionArtist Features
- HTML5 export – Save out as HTML5 with interactive navigation or export as standard video files and share on YouTube and Facebook.
- Comic style panel creation – Create panels of just about any shape. Go back and resize, duplicate, rotate, align and cut at any time.
- Word balloons & dynamic text – Vector based balloons, thought bubbles, dialogue boxes and text can easily be added and edited at any time
- Arrange in 3D – add layered 3D depth to your panels and presentations for that cool parallax effect
- Motion – A new approach to animation for non-animators. We’ve hidden the technical stuff and brought the animation process forward in an intuitive visual manner
- Photo shows – Simple creation of photo presentations through automated object placement and camera movement
- Working modes and views – Creation and animation workflow is laid out with comic creators in mind
Pricing and Availability
Download MotionArtist for free during its beta availability direct from the Smith Micro online store at: motionartist.smithmicro.com.
