OpenToonz

OpenToonz
Name	OpenToonz
Developer	Digital Video S.p.A.; Dwango
Released	2016
Programming language	C++
Operating system	Windows, macOS, Linux
Genre	2D animation software
License	BSD-3-Clause (original), modified

OpenToonz is an open-source 2D animation production software derived from a professional package used in commercial studios. It combines raster and vector tools for traditional and cutout animation workflows and integrates features for digital painting, compositing, and effects. The project intersects with multiple software ecosystems, hardware manufacturers, and animation studios, and it has been adopted in education, independent production, and broadcast contexts.

History

OpenToonz originated from a commercial package developed by Digital Video S.p.A., which was used by studios including Studio Ghibli for films such as Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. In 2016, the codebase was released as open source by DWANGO Co., Ltd. and Digital Video S.p.A. under permissive terms, aligning it with other releases from organizations like Mozilla Foundation and The Linux Foundation. The release expanded interest among contributors associated with projects like Blender Foundation and Krita Foundation, and drew comparisons with legacy packages such as Toonz (software) and contemporary tools like Anime Studio and Toon Boom Harmony. Subsequent development saw contributions from volunteers, academic labs at institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Tokyo, and corporate partners similar to Weta Digital and Industrial Light & Magic in their collaborative models.

Features

OpenToonz provides a suite of features for traditional and digital workflows: raster painting comparable to Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter, vector drawing akin to Vectornator and Inkscape, and a node-based effects system reminiscent of Nuke (software) and Blackmagic Fusion. It supports scanning and cleanup pipelines used in studios such as Sunrise (studio) and MAPPA, and integrates tweening, skeleton rigging used by teams like Laika (company) and Aardman Animations, and bitmap-to-vector conversion similar to tools from Autodesk and Affinity (software) product lines. The software includes color model capabilities aligning with standards from International Color Consortium workflows employed by broadcasters like NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) and streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video for deliverables.

Workflow and Interface

The interface organizes production stages found in studio pipelines at Walt Disney Animation Studios and DreamWorks Animation: exposure sheets analogous to traditional pegbar timing, stage and camera controls similar to Stop-motion rigs at Laika and motion control tactics used by Industrial Light & Magic, and a timeline with keyframe manipulation comparable to Adobe After Effects and TVPaint Animation. The Xsheet and timeline tools are used in workflows also practiced at Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network Studios, while the node graph and compositing stack reflect practices at Pixar and Blue Sky Studios. Plug-in and script integration follow patterns seen with Python (programming language) scripting in Blender and Maya (software) pipelines.

Development and Licensing

Development has been coordinated by entities including Digital Video S.p.A. and Dwango with contributions from community members and organizations resembling governance models from KDE and Apache Software Foundation. The initial open-source release used a BSD-style license, encouraging integration in commercial suites similar to relationships between Qt Project and corporate vendors. Forks and third-party distributions mirrored historical forking patterns seen with LibreOffice and GIMP, raising discussions about compatibility and branding analogous to debates around MySQL and MariaDB.

Reception and Use in Industry

OpenToonz has been received as an accessible entry point for studios and educators, drawing attention from animation departments at California Institute of the Arts and School of Visual Arts and independent creators who previously relied on proprietary tools like Toon Boom Harmony and RETAS Studio. Broadcast and streaming producers at entities such as NHK, Netflix, and Crunchyroll noted its utility for certain pipeline tasks, while veteran animators from studios like Studio Ghibli and Gainax commented on adaptations from traditional workflows. Reviews compared it to open-source and commercial alternatives including Blender, Krita, TVPaint, and Adobe Animate, noting strengths in production-oriented features and areas where commercial packages provided more turnkey support.

Notable Projects and Examples

OpenToonz and its predecessors have been associated with high-profile productions and studio toolchains: work by Studio Ghibli on films like Howl's Moving Castle and artists influenced by that studio's pipeline, independent shorts showcased at festivals such as Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Ottawa International Animation Festival, and university projects presented at conferences like SIGGRAPH and Annecy. Smaller studios and freelance productions for networks including Cartoon Network and Nick Jr. have used it for episodic content, education projects at institutions such as Royal College of Art and Tokyo University of the Arts, and experimental animation pieces exhibited at venues like MoMA and TATE Modern.

Category:Animation software Category:Free and open-source software