4 answers
maspn
Student
South Brisbane, QLD
3
Questions
Asked
1064 views
what is the best websites that are free/ affordable or courses that can teach me 2d animation from absolutely no experience and i kind of suck at drawing.?
im find with spending a little money.
im planing on doing a cert 3 in media and a cert 3 in design at tafe
then apply for jmc or grithith university
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2 answers
Emilio Zegarra
Senior Software Engineer
6
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Emilio’s Answer
Here is a list of recommendations from DeepSeek:
1. Free Websites & YouTube Channels
For Absolute Beginners (No Drawing Skills Needed)
* **Blender (Grease Pencil) – Free**
Blender offers a Grease Pencil tool for 2D animation.
- [Blender 2D Animation Tutorial (YouTube)]
A great free option instead of paid software.
* **Pivot Animator (Free Stick Figure Animator)**
Very simple for beginners.
- [Pivot Animator Website](http://pivotanimator.net/)
* **Synfig Studio (Free, Open-Source 2D Animation)**
Uses vectors, so perfect drawing isn't necessary.
- [Synfig Tutorials](https://www.synfig.org/category/tutorials/)
* **Krita (Free Drawing & Animation Software)**
Ideal for frame-by-frame animation.
- [Krita Animation Tutorial](YouTube)
**YouTube Channels for Learning**
* **Alan Becker (Beginner-Friendly Animator)**
- [Animation for Beginners](https://www.youtube.com/AlanBeckerTutorials)
* **Howard Wimshurst (Smooth Animations)**
- [2D Animation Tips](https://www.youtube.com/c/HowardWimshurst)
* **Toniko Pantoja (Professional Techniques)**
- [Toniko’s Animation Tutorials](https://www.youtube.com/c/TonikoPantoja)
2. Affordable Paid Courses (Under $50)
For structured learning:
* **Udemy (Sales for $10−15)**
- [2D Animation for Beginners (No Drawing Needed)](https://www.udemy.com/course/2d-animation-for-beginners/)
- [Learn to Animate with Adobe Animate](https://www.udemy.com/course/adobe-animate-course/)
* **Skillshare (Free Trial Available)**
- [2D Animation in After Effects (No Drawing)](https://www.skillshare.com/)
- [Motion Design for Beginners](https://www.skillshare.com/)
* **Domestika (Cheap Spanish/English Courses)**
- [Introduction to 2D Animation (~$20)](https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/1073-introduction-to-2d-animation)
1. Free Websites & YouTube Channels
For Absolute Beginners (No Drawing Skills Needed)
* **Blender (Grease Pencil) – Free**
Blender offers a Grease Pencil tool for 2D animation.
- [Blender 2D Animation Tutorial (YouTube)]
A great free option instead of paid software.
* **Pivot Animator (Free Stick Figure Animator)**
Very simple for beginners.
- [Pivot Animator Website](http://pivotanimator.net/)
* **Synfig Studio (Free, Open-Source 2D Animation)**
Uses vectors, so perfect drawing isn't necessary.
- [Synfig Tutorials](https://www.synfig.org/category/tutorials/)
* **Krita (Free Drawing & Animation Software)**
Ideal for frame-by-frame animation.
- [Krita Animation Tutorial](YouTube)
**YouTube Channels for Learning**
* **Alan Becker (Beginner-Friendly Animator)**
- [Animation for Beginners](https://www.youtube.com/AlanBeckerTutorials)
* **Howard Wimshurst (Smooth Animations)**
- [2D Animation Tips](https://www.youtube.com/c/HowardWimshurst)
* **Toniko Pantoja (Professional Techniques)**
- [Toniko’s Animation Tutorials](https://www.youtube.com/c/TonikoPantoja)
2. Affordable Paid Courses (Under $50)
For structured learning:
* **Udemy (Sales for $10−15)**
- [2D Animation for Beginners (No Drawing Needed)](https://www.udemy.com/course/2d-animation-for-beginners/)
- [Learn to Animate with Adobe Animate](https://www.udemy.com/course/adobe-animate-course/)
* **Skillshare (Free Trial Available)**
- [2D Animation in After Effects (No Drawing)](https://www.skillshare.com/)
- [Motion Design for Beginners](https://www.skillshare.com/)
* **Domestika (Cheap Spanish/English Courses)**
- [Introduction to 2D Animation (~$20)](https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/1073-introduction-to-2d-animation)
Loved reading this, thanks!
maspn
Jose Valeriano Maldonado
2
Answers
Updated
Jose’s Answer
Hi Maspn, great to see your enthusiasm for animation and your clear plan for formal study. The truth is, many successful animators started exactly where you are now, and you don’t need to be a brilliant illustrator to tell great visual stories.
I recommend starting with Krita and OpenToonz — both free and beginner-friendly. Platforms like Skillshare and Udemy also offer affordable, structured courses you can follow at your own pace. And don’t underestimate YouTube tutorials; channels like Howard Wimshurst and Toniko Pantoja are gold for learning fundamentals.
My advice: Focus first on mastering movement, timing, and storytelling with simple shapes. The drawing skills will improve naturally over time, but great animation is about how things move and feel, not how perfectly they’re drawn.
Stay curious, stay consistent and you’ll be surprised how far you can go.
I recommend starting with Krita and OpenToonz — both free and beginner-friendly. Platforms like Skillshare and Udemy also offer affordable, structured courses you can follow at your own pace. And don’t underestimate YouTube tutorials; channels like Howard Wimshurst and Toniko Pantoja are gold for learning fundamentals.
My advice: Focus first on mastering movement, timing, and storytelling with simple shapes. The drawing skills will improve naturally over time, but great animation is about how things move and feel, not how perfectly they’re drawn.
Stay curious, stay consistent and you’ll be surprised how far you can go.