Adobe Animate is a digital 2D animation software that kids and teens can use to create hand-drawn art and animation—really, it allows young artists to apply movement to their art!
Animate is a professional tool used to make many animated TV shows, as well as some 2D animation used in video games and movies. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Carmen Sandiego, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were all created using Adobe Animate.
The first stop for any aspiring animator is the Animate toolbar, and more specifically, the basic drawing tools they'll be using on a regular basis.
1. Classic Brush
The Classic Brush Tool is what kids will use to "draw by hand"—they can use their mouse or Wacom drawing tablet to freehand draw anything they wish. (If your kids need help with mouse control, check out these games.)
- From the toolbar, select the Classic Brush Tool (B).
- In the Properties panel, set the Fill to a color of choice.
- Click and drag on the canvas to draw.
Tip: If kids want to undo a brush stroke, have them select Edit > Undo (or press Ctrl/Cmd + Z).
Additionally, the brush color and size can also be adjusted in the Properties window:
- Navigate to the Properties window (or select Window > Properties to open it).
- Click ⬛ Fill and select a color.
- Drag the Stroke size slider to change the size of the brush stroke.
2. Eraser
The Eraser Tool is a companion tool to the Classic Brush, and as you probably guessed, can be used to erase portions of their drawing.
- From the toolbar, select the Eraser Tool (E).
- In the Properties panel, drag the Size slider to increase or decrease the eraser size.
- Click and drag on the canvas to draw with the eraser.
If needed, the eraser's size can be changed in the Properties window. Select Window > Properties to open or close the window.
3. Rectangle
The Rectangle Tool is what can be used to create preset shapes, including - not just a rectangle - but oval and/or polygon.
- From the toolbar, click and hold the Rectangle Tool (R) icon to select a shape.
- In the Properties panels, set the Fill and Stroke to a color of choice.
- Click and drag on the canvas to draw the shape.
Tip: Kids can hold Shift while drawing to create a "perfect" shape such as a square or perfect circle.
4. Paint Bucket
The Paint Bucket Tool is what kids will use to fill in colors in their drawings. To use this tool, their lines should be connected without any gaps so that the color stays contained within the shape they intended and doesn't "bleed" elsewhere.
- With the Classic Brush, create a drawing on the canvas.
- From the toolbar, select the Paint Bucket Tool (K).
- In the Properties panel, set the Fill to a color of choice.
- Click on the canvas to place a color.
With the tools above, kids can start using Adobe Animate to make animations and draw digitally, just like professional animators.
But how do they actually animate?
Animation is created using "keyframes" in the Timeline (each keyframe is a unique drawing, and you can hold frames to extend the length of time a drawing is on the screen).
Ready to take the next step? Check out these related resources: