Abstract

Animation software allows artists to turn still images into moving stories. When you open a timeline in an animation program you will work with frames (single images) and key-frames (major pose or moment). The drawings between key-frames are in-betweens. Two popular applications for 2D animation are Clip Studio Paint and Adobe Animate. Clip Studio Paint is known for its natural drawing feel, onion-skin features and use by illustration and animation studios. (CLIP STUDIO PAINT（クリスタ）| 思い通りに描けるお絵描きアプリ) Adobe Animate focuses on vector graphics, tweening (automated transition between key-frames) and publishing for web and interactive platforms. (adobe.com) If you are a high-school student exploring animation at university, comparing these tools helps you understand illustrative work (drawing every frame) and interactive workflows (vector, rigging, publishing). This article explains key terminology, compares features of these two software tools, and helps you see what skills you may need for animation programs.

Keywords: Clip Studio Paint, Adobe Animate, key-frame, in-between, tweening

Animation begins with showing many frames one after another so that motion appears. A frame is one single image. A key-frame shows a major pose or moment. In-betweens fill the motion between key-frames. A timeline is the horizontal view where frames and key-frames are arranged. Tweening refers to software-generated in-betweens between two key-frames. These terms apply whether you draw every image by hand or use software that automates parts of the motion.

Clip Studio Paint

Clip Studio Paint is a drawing and animation software made by Japanese firm Celsys. (Wikipedia) It is used by illustrators, comic artists and some animation studios. According to its website, it offers features for frame-by-frame drawing including a light table view and onion-skin (visible faint versions of adjacent frames) to help you draw smooth motion. (CLIP STUDIO PAINT（クリスタ）| 思い通りに描けるお絵描きアプリ) The software uses raster and vector tools, so you can draw freehand or use editable lines. Features for animation include a timeline, audio import, and export of animation files. (help.clip-studio.com) For students who enjoy drawing lines, shapes and building each frame by hand, Clip Studio Paint gives a way to practice traditional drawing workflows using a digital interface.

Adobe Animate

Adobe Animate is software focused on creating 2D animation and interactive vector graphics. (Wikipedia) It supports vector drawing (lines and shapes defined mathematically rather than pixels), frame-by-frame animation, tweening, and publishing to formats such as HTML5 Canvas, WebGL, and mobile platforms. (blog.fmctraining.com) Features include rigging (setting up parts of a character or object to move via joints), asset libraries (reusable parts), and interactivity (buttons, scripts). (Tekpon) For students planning to work in web animation, game interfaces or interactive media, Adobe Animate aligns with workflows beyond pure hand-drawing.

Comparing workflows and skills

With Clip Studio Paint you will likely draw more by hand. You might draw a character’s pose at frame 1 (key-frame) and frame 24, then draw many drawings between to show movement. That process teaches you about timing (how long a motion lasts) and spacing (how far the object moves between frames). With Adobe Animate, you might draw a starting pose and an ending pose, then use tweening or rigging so that the software helps generate motion between them. That workflow emphasises asset reuse, planning movement, and interactive output. Both workflows use key-frames and in-betweens, but the method of producing them differs.

Relevance for university animation programs

If you look into animation courses you might see modules for “traditional 2D drawing” and modules for “digital animation tools”. Knowing how to draw by hand (as with Clip Studio Paint) gives you strong fundamentals in motion, form and line. Knowing how to use vector tools, rigging and asset reuse (as with Adobe Animate) prepares you for digital-industry workflows. When you review a programme’s curriculum, look to see if you will learn both drawing skills and software skills. Try small exercises: draw a walk cycle in Clip Studio Paint; then import the drawings or create a rig in Adobe Animate and add interactive features or export for web. Recognising the terms key-frame, in-between, timeline, vector, tweening, rigging will help you talk the language of animation. Having familiarity with one or both tools will help you gain confidence as you enter your animation studies.