Pivot Lesson #1

Pivot Lesson #1

What is Pivot Animator?

Pivot Animator is a freeware application used for creating 2D
stick-figure animations. It's a popular tool for hobbyists, students,
and amateur animators who want to create simple, frame-by-frame
animations.It's user-friendly and popular among beginners for
crafting simple frame-by-frame animations using stick figures.
While it's not designed for complex artwork, it's great for basic,
playful animations.

Basics of pivot

Adding Figures: You start by placing stick figures on the canvas. Each figure represents a frame in your animation.

Manipulating Figures: You can move, resize, and rotate figures to create different poses.

Frame-by-Frame Animation: Pivot works on a frame-by-frame basis. You create a series of frames, and the software
will interpolate the movement between them.

Onion Skinning: This feature allows you to see the previous and next frames while working on a specific frame. It helps
maintain consistency in movement.

Editing Figure Joints: You can adjust the joints of the stick figures to create various poses and movements.

Playback and Preview: You can play your animation to see how it flows. Adjustments can be made as needed.

Saving and Exporting: You can save your animation projects in Pivot's native format or export them as GIF or AVI files.

Limited Artistic Features: Pivot is not a full-fledged drawing tool. It's primarily for stick-figure animations. You won't
find advanced drawing or painting tools.

Keyboard Shortcuts: Pivot has various keyboard shortcuts to streamline the animation process.

Community and Resources: There's an active community around Pivot Animator. You can find tutorials, forums, and
user-generated content to help you learn and improve your animations.

Bending and Moving

In Pivot Animator, bending a figure involves adjusting the joints to create different poses. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Select the Figure:

●Click on the figure you want to bend. This will highlight the figure's joints.

Adjust the Joints:

●Click and drag on a joint to reposition it. For example, if you want to bend an arm, click and drag the joint representing the elbow.

Rotate Joints:

●You can also rotate joints to create more complex poses.

●Hover your cursor near a joint until it turns into a circular arrow cursor.

●Click and drag to rotate the joint.

Use Multiple Frames:

●To create an animation, you'll need to use multiple frames.

●Move to the next frame by clicking the next frame button (looks like a right arrow).

Adjust the Joints in Each Frame:

●Move to the frame you want to edit.

●Adjust the joints to create the desired pose for that frame.

Use Onion Skinning (Optional):

●Onion skinning allows you to see the previous and next frames while working on the current frame. This can be very helpful for maintaining consistency in movement.

●Toggle onion skinning on or off as needed.

Preview Your Animation:

●Play your animation to see how it looks.

Fine-Tune and Iterate:

●Go back and forth between frames, adjusting the joints as needed.

●Keep previewing the animation to ensure it flows smoothly.

Hard features

Limited Drawing Tools: Pivot Animator primarily focuses on stick figure animations, so it lacks advanced drawing tools for creating detailed characters or
objects.

No Sound Support: Pivot Animator does not include features for adding or editing sound in animations. Users would need separate software to synchronize
audio with their animations.

Limited Export Options: While it allows exporting as GIF or AVI, it lacks the ability to export animations in more modern video formats or with advanced settings.

Limited Keyframe Animation: Pivot Animator does not support the creation of keyframes or tweens, which are essential for more complex animations with
smooth transitions and deformations.

Lack of Layering: It does not provide layering capabilities for organizing and controlling different elements within an animation.

Limited 3D Animation: Pivot Animator is strictly a 2D animation tool, and it cannot create 3D animations or models.

No Advanced Effects: The software does not include advanced visual effects or filters that can enhance the quality and appearance of animations.

Limited Export Resolution: The exported animations may have limited resolution options, making it challenging to create high-definition animations.

No Built-in Drawing Tablet Support: Pivot Animator does not natively support drawing tablets or stylus input, limiting its potential for artists who prefer such
tools.

Limited Platform Support: As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, Pivot Animator primarily runs on Windows operating systems, which may restrict
its accessibility for users on other platforms.

It's important to note that Pivot Animator is designed for simplicity and ease of use, and its limitations are intentional to keep the software lightweight and accessible for

beginners. Users seeking more advanced features and capabilities may need to explore other animation software options that cater to their specific needs.

Adding sound

Import Your Animation:

●Launch Windows Movie Maker.

●Import your Pivot Animator animation by clicking on "Add videos and photos" or a similar option to add your animation
file.

Import Your Sound:

●Import the sound file you want to add to your animation by clicking on "Add music" or a similar option.

Sync Sound with Animation:

●Drag your animation file and your sound file onto the timeline in the correct order.

●Adjust the timing of the sound to match your animation by moving the sound clip along the timeline.

Adjust Sound Settings:

●You can further refine the sound settings, such as adjusting the volume, fading in/out, or adding any audio effects if
needed. These options may vary depending on the version of Windows Movie Maker you're using.

Preview Your Animation:

●Play your animation within Windows Movie Maker to ensure that the sound is properly synced with your animation.

Save or Export Your Video:

●Once you're satisfied with the result, you can save or export your video with the added sound. Select an appropriate
export format and quality settings.