What it does
Pencil2D is free, open-source software for hand-drawn 2D animation. It combines drawing layers with a timeline, editable keyframes and onion-skin reference views.
Make a drawing move
On a bitmap layer at frame 1, select the Pencil tool and draw a small circle. Move to frame 2, press Add key-frame and draw the circle slightly farther across the canvas. Repeat on another frame, return to frame 1 and press Play. Changing the spacing between drawings changes the motion.
Onion skin can show previous and next drawings, with the number and transparency set in Preferences. The timeline control can switch between neighbouring keyframes and neighbouring frames, which matters when a drawing is held for several frames. Double-click the camera layer to set the output dimensions.
Save an editable PCLX project, then use File > Export > Animated GIF for a shareable animation. Save the project manually before relying on autosave. Pencil2D is free for commercial work on Windows, Mac and Linux, with FreeBSD also available.
Use bitmap layers for serious projects: the current release notes warn that the vector engine is unfinished. On Windows, Space plus pen-drag is the suggested workaround if middle- or right-button pen panning behaves unexpectedly.
Strengths
- Onion skin makes neighbouring drawings visible while animating.
- PCLX keeps the editable project separate from an exported GIF.
- Commercial use is free.
Watch out for
- The vector engine is still unfinished and is not recommended for serious projects.
- Some Windows pen-panning gestures need a keyboard workaround.
Best for
- Learning drawn animation
- Short frame-by-frame cartoons
Sources
- Pencil2D Animation (Oct 27, 2026)
- Pencil2D: User’s manual (Oct 27, 2026)
- Pencil2D: Frequently asked questions (Oct 27, 2026)
- Pencil2D v0.7.2: Stability and polish (Oct 27, 2026)
- Pencil2D: GNU General Public License version 2 (Oct 27, 2026)