Getting Started

1. Create a New Project

From the home screen, tap "+" to create a new project. Enter your character's name — each project represents one character that can have multiple animations.

2. Import Your Character

Tap "Character Editor" on the project page, then "New Animation" to start the Animation Wizard.

Parts Setup

Name the body parts of your character using the predefined buttons (Head, Neck, Torso, Arm Left, etc.) or create custom parts. Use "Split into Upper/Lower" for parts that need separate upper and lower segments.

Tip: Save your part selection as a template for future characters with similar anatomy.

Importing Parts

You can import parts two ways:

PSD File: Import a Photoshop file and the app will extract each layer as a separate part. Use "Auto Assign Matched Names" to automatically match layers to parts by name.
Individual Images: Import each part as a separate image file.

Tip: For PSD imports, name your Photoshop layers to match your part names (e.g., "Head", "Arm Left Upper") for instant auto-assignment.

3. Set Up the Skeleton

In the Character Editor, switch to the Skeleton tab. Select the Draw tool to start placing bones.

Drawing Bones

Tap to place the first joint (start of the bone)
Tap again to place the second joint (end of the bone)
Name the bone and optionally attach it to a part and set a parent bone

Tip: Start with the root bone (e.g., Torso/Hips) and work outward. The root bone is the anchor that everything else moves relative to.

Attaching Parts to Bones

Use the bone hierarchy panel (right side) to attach each bone to its corresponding sprite part. Open the bone's three-dot menu and select "Attach Part".

Testing with Pose Mode

Switch to the Pose tool to test your rig. Drag bone joints to rotate them and verify parts move naturally. Save useful poses for later use in animations.

Saving Your Skeleton

Save your skeleton as a template via the Skeleton dropdown menu. This lets you reuse the same bone structure for other characters with similar anatomy.

4. Create an Animation

Return to the project page and tap "New Animation". Name your animation (e.g., "Walk Cycle", "Idle", "Attack") and you'll enter the Animation editor.

Posing and Keyframes

Use the Rotate tool to pose bones by dragging their joints. Each pose change automatically creates a keyframe at the current frame. Navigate to different frames using the timeline scrubber at the bottom.

Interpolation

The app automatically interpolates between keyframes. You can change the interpolation type (linear, ease in/out, stepped, or custom bezier) by selecting a keyframe and using the interpolation options.

Playback

Use the play controls to preview your animation in real-time. Adjust frame rate and total frames in the animation settings. Enable onion skinning to see ghost frames before and after the current frame.

5. Export Your Animation

When your animation is complete, go to the Export screen from the project page. Choose your export format:

Spritesheet: All frames on a single image (horizontal, vertical, or grid layout). Ideal for game engines.
Individual Frames: Separate PNG files for each frame.
GIF: Animated GIF for sharing or previewing.

Tips & Tricks

Use Undo/Redo freely — most operations support multi-level undo.
The Anatomical tab in the parts list lets you organize parts into groups (Body, Left Arm, Right Leg, etc.) for easier management.
Set Default Zoom in the View menu to save your preferred zoom level.
The root joint translates the whole character — use it for walk cycles and jumps.
Part templates and skeleton templates save time when creating characters with similar anatomy.
Use Directions to create multi-angle characters (front, back, side views).