Bring Your Drawings to Life: A Step-by-Step Guide to Animation with Pivot Animator 5
Tags: animation, gamedev, frontend, gif
Published: 2024-04-02 11:55:14

Ever dreamed of making a stick figure walk across the screen? With Pivot Animator 5, you can transform those simple shapes into hilarious characters and bring them to life with ease! This user-friendly tool offers a powerful set of features to take your animations to the next level.

As a beginner myself, this article will walk you through the basics, from creating stick figures to animating simple movements.


#Ready to get started?

![A Stickman With A moustache Walking Forward](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ebuz0928hbnx2j0fcq3a.gif)

Pivot Animator 5 is a free animation software that brings your creativity to life!  It's perfect for beginners because it uses a simple interface and allows you to create fun and engaging 2D animations using stick figures or even simple characters.


### 0. Download & Installation:

- First step: [Download the software Pivot Animation 5](https://pivotanimator.net/DownloadV5.php)
- Look at the System Requirements in this [link](https://pivotanimator.net/DownloadV5.php)
- This software is only available for Windows. 
- Official [website-link](https://pivotanimator.net/index.html)

**Ones you got the software installed, let's create an fun animation!**


## 1. Let's Build Your Character!
On your screen you see a default stick figure from the software itself. 
We won't use the default one for now. Instead, we'll use the fun drawing tools to build our own unique stick figure.

The pen tool in the left sidebar lets you draw lines and shapes. Use it to create your character's body parts like arms, legs, and a head. Don't forget to add red circles for joints at the elbows, knees, and shoulders. These joints will be crucial for animating your character later!

[Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDcTsloC_SA&ab_channel=ReallyRandomTutorials) to tutorial for making a character


## 2. Frames for Movement:
Now that you have your awesome character, let's animate it. In Pivot Animator 5, animation works by using frames. Imagine each frame as a single picture in a flipbook. By creating a sequence of these frames, showing slight changes in your character's pose between them, and displaying them quickly one after another, we create the illusion of movement! It's like magic, but way cooler!

If you want to make a moving stick figure, walking forwards. This is the overall best practice to use a walk cicle: 


![Walk cicle](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/xaxu38dc44grog97bzje.jpg)
In the first frame, their arm might be down by their side. In the second frame, their arm might be raised slightly. In the third frame, their arm might be back down. By playing these frames quickly, it appears as if our character is waving!


### Beyond the Basics: Fun Features in Pivot Animator 5

Now that you've mastered creating a character and animating simple movements, let's explore some additional features in Pivot Animator 5 that can add even more fun and personality to your animations!

**Background images:**
Remember your awesome character? You can use the background feature to create a cool cyberpunk Tokyo scene for the stick figure to walk or jump in!

**Already made animations:**
You always dreamed of making your own animation of a dinosaur? Now is the time! [Here](https://pivotanimator.net/stk-library2/) you can find already made figures from Pivot Animator 5 creators.
These figures are in STK-format. It has multiple uses, and Stickfigure Animator Animation is one of them.
_This is only for Windows-users_

**Speech Bubbles:**
Speaking of jumping, why not add a little "Ouch!" speech bubble when your character lands? The text tool lets you incorporate fun captions and storytelling elements.

Other related [new features](https://pivotanimator.net/DownloadV5.php) to the Pivot Animator 5. 


##Conclusion 
Congratulations! You've taken your first steps into the exciting world of animation with Pivot Animator 5. In this guide, you explored the fundamentals: creating your own character and bringing it to life with basic animation techniques using frames. You've also discovered some of the additional features that can add personality and depth to your animations.

But this is just the beginning! Pivot Animator 5 offers a vast playground for creativity. Here are some ways to keep your animation journey going:

**Practice Makes Perfect:** The key to becoming a skilled animator is practice. Keep experimenting with your newfound skills, create new characters, and try out different animations.

**Explore Further:** The official Pivot Animator 5 website is a treasure trove of resources! You'll find tutorials, user-created content, and a vibrant online community where you can share your creations, get feedback, and learn from others. Check it out at https://pivotanimator.net/Download.php.

**Dream Big!** Don't be afraid to challenge yourself and attempt more complex animations as you gain confidence. Pivot Animator 5 offers powerful features like frame-by-frame animation and scripting for advanced users. The possibilities are endless!
So, grab your digital pen, unleash your creativity, and get animating! We can't wait to see what amazing animations you bring to life with Pivot Animator 5.