10 Best whiteboard animation software features you need in 2022.
In this article we explore what features you should be looking out for when it comes to choosing and using whiteboard animation software. This is by no means everything, but we explore animation video features that you really should be looking at included in 2022. So sit back, and enjoy the ride.
- How easy is the whiteboard animation software to use
- How much does the whiteboard animation software cost
- Import your own artwork into the whiteboard animation software
- A library of images you can use
- Keyframe animation to draw in and out your artwork
- Rotate, scale and move animation tools
- Group artwork together and animate
- Import sound files into the whiteboard animation software
- Add text to the whiteboard animation canvas
- Export to either MP4 Video, PNG formats
1. How easy is the whiteboard animation software to use
This is obviously quite a broad topic for discussion, as some people find certain things easier than others. This also depend son the your previous experience of using video animation tools and whiteboard video software. For example if you have previously used whiteboard video software such as Videoscribe or Vyond or even Doodly. You will have gained some working knowledge and experience of how these whiteboard software packages work.
That said, any whiteboard animation software you choose should be intuitive. From the moment you first download and install the software, this process should be quick and simple.
If it requires that you open an account to use the software, how simple is this process? For example scribbleo uses Microsofts secure login features, so in most cases it can be a simple 1 click authentication to create an account and start using the whiteboard animation software.
The early steps when using a new whiteboard animation software can really change your opinion, and perhaps even affect whether you even bother to explore the features once opened.
Consider also when choosing a whiteboard animation software whether they offer a Free trial period, or whether they require payment details up-front.
2. How much does the whiteboard animation software cost
Costs are not everything, in fact you need to balance what something costs with the value you feel you get back form the whiteboard animation software itself. For example if you are paying upwards of $65 a month for a subscription, you would certainly expect to be using a feature rich, powerful software solution. In the same way if you are paying only $5 a month or FREE, you should expect some limitations.
Some whiteboard animation software companies charge a one-off fee, some charge annually and some monthly. There is no right or wrong here, you really have to go with what you feel comfortable with. Scribbleo for example is available for free with no subscription at all. Of course the free version has limitations, but it’s a perfect opportunity for you to become familiar with the software, create animated videos and explore how easy to use scribbleo is, without any commitment or handing over payment details.
Also consider whether you are tied into a long term agreement. Once you start paying are you tied in to 12 months? Or is it a month-by-month agreement. This is especially important when you are unsure whether you can live long term with the whiteboard video software. After all there is a learning curve with any new software, so it takes some time to get comfortable and feel the benefits.
3. Import your own artwork into the whiteboard animation software
Something that becomes quite noticeable with regards to whiteboard videos, is they can all start to look the same. Software such as Vyond for example uses an extensive library of ‘assets’ that users can use, which all start to look the same. Similar can be said of any system that provides a library of artwork that be used. And for the most part this is fine to get people started. But if you want to stand out form the crowd, then creating or commissioning your own artwork to be used int he animation, is key to setting you apart from the competition.
Here you can make use of freelance services such as Fiverr or People Per Hour, or with system like scribbleo, you can ask the growing art community of scribblers, who can provide the artwork you need, as and when needed.
If you did want to import your own SVG artwork, usually you will need to make sure this is formatted correctly. So make sure you check out any tutorial videos on ‘how to’ create artwork and import this. Most whiteboard animation software companies would provide tutorial videos, and Google is always your friend.
4. A library of images you can use
Having access to a library of illustrations and artwork is ideal when first starting out using whiteboard video software. It means you can quickly create a video project, choose a library image and drop this into your video and start animating straight away. Longer more established whiteboard video software providers may have a large image library to choose from, but eventually you may find yourself wanting something a bit different.
The downside to using image libraries from he platform provider is that after a while the videos that are being produced can all start to look the same. For obvious reasons, they draw upon a limited number of illustrations.
Something scribbleo does to try and avoid the whole issue of repetitiveness and videos looking the same, Is that they offer a growing art community. This is where artists or ‘scribblers’ as we like to call them are able to add their own artwork and make this available for you to use. This means the images available for you to use are constantly growing and evolving. This helps to keep things fresh and provides more variety and styles to make animated content.
5. Keyframe animation to draw in and out your artwork
This is where many of the whiteboard video software differs. Each software provider approaches the way you can animate art in very different ways.
For example some whiteboard video software solutions do not actually ‘draw’ out the artwork properly at all. They give the illusion of drawing out the artwork, which is more like a mask or a wipe effects revealing the artwork underneath. In our opinion this looks cheap and tacky, and doesn’t really embrace the true nature of doodle and whiteboard videos.
Videoscribe and scribbleo are probably among the only whiteboard animation software solutions that draw the lines out, like an artist would. Videoscribe has limitations with this, but scribbleo has approached it in a way that adds more realism and flexibility on how things are drawn.
Once an SVG file has been placed into your video project, or canvas as we like to call it. You need to be able to control how and when this is drawn in. As mentioned different software approaches this in different ways. Videoscribe provides basic timing tools in order to animate in a drawing. Whereas scribbleo provides actually keyframe animation, so you can control when a drawing starts and ends, along with other rich animations features.
Being able to time your whiteboard animations are key. Again, some whiteboard video software solutions can be quite limiting with regards to this. Ideally you should be able to move your animated drawing along the timeline as you wish, change the duration and time this to audio in a visually simple way, scribbleo does this well.
6. Rotate, scale and move animation tools
In addition to being able to just set basic draw in and draw out artwork, you should look for whiteboard video software that allows greater control over your animations.
For example, some only allow you to draw in the artwork, then move this out of the scene and move onto the next drawing. This is limited and prevents you from creating really engaging content.
Within scribbleo for example, you are able to draw in, scale, move, change transparency and skew your drawings as art any point and as many times as you like throughout the video animation.
For example, if you wanted to draw a bowling ball and pins, then have the ball knock over the pins! This can all be done within scribbleo, quickly and easily. And that is just the tip of what is possible.
7. Group artwork together and animate
As well as working with your artwork individually and animating this as you wish. Being able to group items together and then control these and even animate these as a group, will give you that extra level of control. Which will really help create a higher level of finished video animation.
Being able to group your artwork together, including the keyframes for timing allows you to better control timing when trying to match with audio. For example if you have created a scene within a group and decide the scene needs to animate in a few seconds earlier. Rather than edit each element to get the new timing right. You should be able to drag the group completely, along the timeline to match the audio exactly as you need.
8. Import sound files into the whiteboard animation software
Talking of sound 🙂 Many of the big name whiteboard animation software companies provide the ability to add sound. Some do it better than others, and we certainly wont start throwing names around to say who is best and worst. But as far as our experience goes, a lot of whiteboard videos rely on good quality voice over sound for the video. SO being able to bring audio into your video is important.
Even more important is being able to time your animations to the audio. How some software approaches this is actually quite clunky. So if you do your research and get a chance to compare whiteboard video software, make sure you look at how the audio is handled.
Great whiteboard videos are often a combination of professional looking whiteboard animations and quality sound, so it’s important you can manage both easily.
9. Add text to the whiteboard animation canvas
Just like with any images you add to your whiteboard video animations, text should be easy to add and manage. Within most whiteboard video software solutions, adding text can be done, albeit that are often approached in different ways.
A good choice of fonts is a must, as you want to add variety to the videos you create. And as with the artwork animation, you want to be able to easily control when the text animates in and when it finishes.
Some whiteboard video software attempts to draw in the text, this can often look clunky and distracting. Software like scribbleo has approached this in a more unique way by only allowing text to be either faded, moved or typed into view. This provides a more natural and professional looking animation. And keeps the focus on artwork being drawn in rather than text, a perfect combination!
10. Export to either MP4 Video, PNG formats
So you have spent many happy hours importing your artwork and animating your scenes. It is time to export your video to use in social media or website.
Most whiteboard video software solutions provide export features. The best format to export your whiteboard animation, is to the video format MP4. This will produce a good quality video file. Normally the resolution is 1920×1080 for HD quality whiteboard videos, so make sure the software you choose is capable of this.
In addition, like with scribbleo, you can also export the whole whiteboard video as PNG image. This allows you to keep a transparent background to your video if you wish, and import this into other video editing software, to make something more abstract perhaps.
Hopefully you have found the 10 points listed above informative. We obviously may share a slight bias to our own whiteboard video software scribbleo. But in reality everything we have listed above we truly believe you should be expecting form your whiteboard video software. And is is true that some of the existing solutions have become limited in functionality, which ultimately effects the quality of whiteboard videos you can produce.
So if you are looking to stand out for the crowd and have access to the most powerful whiteboard video animations tools currently on the market today, give scribbleo a try, after all, it’s free to play with.