Keyshape: Empowering Animated 2D Vector Graphics Creation
Keyshape is a remarkable tool that has been making waves in the realm of graphic design, specifically when it comes to creating animated 2D vector graphics. It offers a plethora of features that make it stand out from the crowd.
Overview
Keyshape provides users with the ability to draw resolution independent 2D vector graphics. This means that regardless of the output size or device, the graphics will maintain their quality. It also comes with useful elements like path editing, text-on-path functionality, color swatches, gradients, symbols, and the option to work with bitmap images. Grids and guides are available to assist in precise placement and alignment of elements, ensuring a polished look for the final output.
Core Features
- Animation: Keyshape truly shines when it comes to animation. Users can animate spinners, progress indicators, splash screens, and motion graphics. The keyframe based animations, along with easings and auto-keyframing features, make the process of creating smooth and engaging animations a breeze. Time markers are also available to help in organizing and timing the different elements of the animation. Additionally, interactivity can be added to make the animations more interesting. For example, SVG animations can be started on click or on pointer enter, or when scrolled into view. Hyperlinking is another useful aspect that allows for seamless integration within web pages or other digital platforms.
- Exporting: One of the great advantages of Keyshape is its versatility in exporting. The same animation can be exported to multiple file formats. This includes SVG Animations for web pages, Animated GIFs, PNGs and WebPs for online sharing, MPEG-4 movies for platforms like YouTube and other video sites, image sequences and sprite sheets for games, and even Lottie animations for native Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and React Native apps, as well as animated vector drawables for native Android apps (available as a plugin).
- Importing: Keyshape also allows for the import of graphics created in other tools. Users can open SVG files exported from Affinity Designer, Adobe Illustrator, Sketch or Figma. It also offers limited support for opening and editing existing Lottie animations, although not all Lottie features are fully supported.
Basic Usage
Getting started with Keyshape is relatively straightforward. Newcomers can begin by exploring the various drawing and editing tools available for creating the initial vector graphics. Once the basic graphics are in place, they can then move on to adding animations using the intuitive animation controls. When it comes to exporting, users simply need to select the desired file format based on their intended use of the animation.
Compared to some existing graphic design and animation tools, Keyshape offers a more focused approach to animated 2D vector graphics. While other tools might have a broader range of capabilities but lack the in-depth features specifically for this type of graphics, Keyshape fills that niche by providing a comprehensive set of tools and features dedicated to creating high-quality animated 2D vector graphics.
