If you have decided to get into 2D animation, you will definitely have a question about which program to choose. TVPaint and Toon Boom Harmony are probably the most popular software in the industry right now. For a beginner, the functionality of these products may seem indistinguishable. Still, there is a difference, and one program may be better suited for a particular task than the other.

In this article we will look at the differences between these programs to find out which one is better for a beginner's work.

TV Paint

Entered the market in 1991 to work with 2D and digital animation. French company TVPaint Developpement tried to do everything to make the program ideal for almost any purpose.

But still TVPaint is used more for hand-drawn frame-by-frame animation. This tool is best suited for full-length and short animated films in traditional styles. Here are just a few examples of cartoons created in TV Paint:

Why TVPaint is loved

The main feature of TVPaint is the advanced features for drawing in raster. Almost any tools are available in this program, which allow you to reproduce the picture as well as Photoshop or Procreate. It is this flexibility of functionality that fans of hand-drawn animation appreciate.

Another plus of this software - storyboard. In the package Professional Edition there is a whole set of tools for detailed work with each frame. For example, you can draw separate frames and export them to PDF or animate frames together with sound and then add them to the finished video sequence.

TVPaint allows you to work with each frame conveniently.

Why not all animators choose TVPaint

Many users find the TVPaint interface difficult to understand on an intuitive level. A beginner will need time and additional guidance to understand the basic workflow. Externally, the software differs significantly from other popular products in this field (from the same Adobe), but it is enough to understand the basic drawing tools and brushes to feel free here.

 

The non-standard interface of the program is unusual for Adobe users.

It is also worth noting that the program has no vector drawing tools. Therefore, the process of final cleaning of animation may require more time.

Price and terms of purchase

There is good news and not so good news in the price point. The good news is that you only have to buy the software once, and there are only two versions of the software: standard and professional. The professional package wins out due to several useful features:

• several automatic tools and the handy storyboard we mentioned above;
• accelerated colorization process;
• the ability to deform objects instead of redrawing a new pose;
• layer overlay modes.

In "not so good" news: the price and difficulty of acquisition. As of June 2020, the standard version of the software costs - 500 €, the professional version - 1250 €. At the same time it is impossible to get an electronic copy because of the need to use a USB security key. If you buy a DVD with a copy of the program on the official website.

Toon Boom Harmony

A program with a wide range of functionality, which appeared thanks to Canadian developers in 1994. The software is popular in 130 countries, including the largest animation studios: Warner Bros. Entertainment and The Walt Disney Company. Toon Boom Harmony is a powerful software, which is used mainly to create TV series, as well as commercial animation, feature-length films and even video games.

Why Toon Boom Harmony has earned the trust of major studios

Vector drawing tools are one of the most noticeable differences between Toon Boom Harmony and TVPaint. They allow you to draw a clean line without random artifacts or easily modify it at any stage of your work. As for storyboarding and working with each scene separately, there are no significant differences from TVPaint in this program. Everything depends on your preferences and habits.

The ability to rigging characters is another feature that separates Toon Boom Harmony from its opponent. Using rotation points and deformers, the animator can easily change the character's pose and give additional effects when moving. This feature greatly speeds up the work process, as the animator no longer needs to redraw the character for each frame - it is enough to change his movement. The program also allows you to work with hundreds of layers, textures, masks, which gives high-quality visuals.

 

Pirate Rigging: on the left is a preview of the character, on the right is the structure and logic of movements.

Work with composition is much more powerful than in TVPaint. The functionality includes the ability to customize the scene in a multi-level 3D space with a virtual camera, add special visual effects and precisely control how each element interacts with the rest of the composition. It is also possible to create deep scenes by combining 3D elements with 2D animation.

"Large studios choose to work with Toon Boom Harmony because the program contains a huge potential for frame-by-frame animation. The 3D space capabilities, the camera view like in specialized programs, the ability to combine linear and volumetric components, X-Sheet and many other features are why Harmony is loved by all animators"

"Harmony has cool tools for character customization. Work with rigging is constantly being improved: in version 17, the master controllers have been developed so that it takes a couple of seconds to achieve a 3D effect in the character's movements while keeping the animation smooth.

The program also has its own training portal, where everyone can take a training course in the program from zero level to Advancement absolutely free of charge".

Are there any disadvantages?

All these advanced features will be available only to an advanced user. The interface itself is not complicated, but some deep manipulations will require the development of certain technical skills. Therefore, it may be difficult for a beginner at the beginning of working with the program to navigate through the variety of tools.

One of the main disadvantages of this program is the lack of good functionality for drawing. The set of tools for vector in Harmony is limited, and creating an image in it is almost impossible. But the program is open for transferring files from any other software: raster, vector images, video of any formats, proxy files - all this can be imported into Toon Boom to work. At the same time, the possibilities of frame-by-frame animation are limitless, which makes the software so popular.

For detailed work with storyboards in Toon Boom tools are not as many as in TVPaint. For this part of the process, the developer suggests using a separate software - Toon Boom Storyboard Pro.

Artist Michael Morris (The Simpsons) does not consider a separate storyboarding software a disadvantage of Toon Boom. In his interview for the Harmony blog, he tells us why.

Cost.

As of June 2020, the price of Toon Boom Harmony depends on the package, there are three in total:

• Harmony Essentials - basic package, includes vector tools and storyboarding;
• Harmony Advanced - added raster drawing and support for scanning drawings from paper;
• Harmony Premium - has additional features for working with composition and character rigging.

Users can purchase subscription packages and a one-time license. Toon Boom Harmony offer different subscription options with payment for a year or monthly.

Which is better: TVPaint or Toon Boom Harmony?

 

The functionality of Toon Boom Harmony and TVPaint are very similar, and in many cases their tools are interchangeable. But when choosing one or the other software, it is worth considering that TVPaint is more designed for manual frame-by-frame animation in classic art styles. Whereas Toon Boom Harmony is more suitable for overlapping animation.

TVPaint's strengths:

• Extensive drawing capabilities directly in the program;
• storyboarding and detailed work with each frame.

Strengths of Toon Boom Harmony:

• vector drawing functionality;
• character rigging;
• advanced tools for working with composition.

That said, the cost of the full software package is about the same. But at the expense of TVPaint's inconvenient purchase and Toon Boom's monthly subscription option, the advantage is on Harmony's side.

"When choosing a program, think about what kind of projects you would like to work on: series and full-length cartoons with vector animation or bitmap works. Switch from one program to another, if desired, is not difficult, the main thing is to master the basic principles of animation. Perhaps people who do not know the classics, it will be a little more difficult to switch to raster animation in TVPaint, as there is no character rigging, and the animation process itself is a little more complicated. Conversely, those who know how to draw will find it easier to navigate Harmony. In any case, you can learn to draw animation both there and there. The only question is what you want to do.