With a degree in 3D graphics for game art and design, I have seen, studied, and experienced every aspect of the 2D and 3D video game industry.

Over the years I’ve seen how no amount of impressive software can replace impressive individual skill, but in a competitive digital world where every artist has to fight to be the best, it’s imperative to have every possible advantage and always seek more experience in new software and techniques. These are the twenty essential programs that every artist needs to consider training in to become the best in their industries.Ģ0. Basically, Poser tries to solve this problem: “I’ve got 99 assets but an animation ain’t one.” If you want to make a 3D animation, steps 1 through 99 often all involve the advanced and tedious tasks of making the 3D characters, scenes, props, textures, lighting, and plenty of other lengthy dropdown menus that get in your way if all you want to do is animate. Poser gives you all of the 3D supplies you need, and the rest is up to you. While it might not hold immense clout in the various animation industries, if you’re someone who is considering a related career path and don’t want to spend thousands of tuition dollars or hundreds of hours watching tutorials to find out if 3D animation is something you’d actually enjoy, then Poser is absolutely essential.ġ9. GoAnimate: This Web software is a do-it-yourself animation package that has over five million users, and I’d bet half of them don’t even consider themselves “artists” because that’s how damn easy GoAnimate is to use. Sign up to their site and you have access to thousands of character models, scene backdrops, audio recording, lip-syncing features, and art asset props. Some users have become so famous in its community that they can even make a living by selling their art props back to the community for widespread use. Be it YouTube, Vine, or video ad popups, video content continues to rise as a top form of communication on the Internet, and GoAnimate hopes that Internet users – not just “artists” – from all walks of life embrace their tools to join in on the fun.ġ8.

Paint tool sai animation