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Course 136 · Create course 16

Animate a Two-Second Drawing Loop

Turn simple original drawings into a short loop by changing poses, spacing and timing.

Before you start

Use a desktop computer that can run free Pencil2D. A mouse or trackpad works; no drawing tablet or account is required. Installation and optional video time are additional.

See everything you’ll need

Practice materials and a worked example · Free download. Download the starter pack

What you’ll leave with

A two-second ball loop, its editable Pencil2D source, a timing plan and a before/after revision note.

Start course Start without an account. Sign in to save lesson progress across devices.

Your project

Start with the practice files. Build your project one lesson at a time.

Practice files are free without an account. Sign in to save your project record in My Proof: a description, checklist, and optional work link. Keep the original files in your own app or notebook; saving a project record does not upload them.

  1. Get your materialsDownload practice filesStart with the supplied materials, follow the lessons, and compare your work with the annotated example.
  2. Make your projectView the project checklist Work in your own notebook, document, or software. Use the supplied practice examples when you prefer.
  3. Keep a private recordSave a project record Sign in to save a description and checklist, then return to update them.
Optional course overview

Watch an introduction.

This overview from TJ FREE introduces ideas you’ll practice in the lessons.

Watch directly on YouTube
TJ FREEPencil2D | Learn 2D Animation Tutorial OverviewYouTube
Course handbook

Know the route before you begin.

Here’s what you’ll need and what you’ll make. You can return to this guide during any lesson.

Who this is for

Learners ages 14+ who want practical creative and technical skills.

Prepare before lesson one
  • Use a desktop computer that can run free Pencil2D. A mouse or trackpad works; no drawing tablet or account is required. Installation and optional video time are additional.
  • Be able to save local files and divide frame counts by frame rates.
Your final project

Finish with proof you can use.

A two-second ball loop, its editable Pencil2D source, a timing plan and a before/after revision note.

Save a project record in My Proof
See project checklist and review criteria

Keep your working files in your own notebook or software. Save a private description, checklist, and work link in My Proof.

What to include

  • A 320×240 silent scene lasting 24 frames at 12 FPS.
  • Six planned poses developed into 12 distinct drawings.
  • Separate moving-ball and static-ground layers.
  • A playable GIF or 24 ordered PNG frames with a playback-rate note.
  • PCLX source and a short timing comparison.

Review and revise

Use these criteria to check your work and choose what to improve.

  • The action and contact moment are readable.
  • Frame count, rate and range agree with the timing plan.
  • The scene stays inside the camera field.
  • The export and revision note preserve inspectable work.
Three ideas to help you along the way
Three useful ideas

The rules behind the steps.

01

Plan the motion

Choose one action and locate its important poses.

02

Control the time

Distinguish drawings, holds and frame rate.

03

Review the export

Inspect the delivered frames as well as the editor preview.

What do these words mean?
Key words

Key terms worth knowing.

Frame
One time slot in an animation.
Keyframe
A frame where a new drawing or keyed value begins.
Hold
Time slots displaying the same drawing.
Onion skin
A faint editing view of neighboring drawings.
Camera field
The part of the canvas included in the export.
Your route

6 lessons.
One useful project.

Work in order the first time. Each lesson makes something the next lesson can use.

  1. 1
    Up next

    Plan a two-second loop

    Map one clear motion onto a short timeline.

  2. 2
    41 min

    Draw the key poses

    Create separate bitmap drawings at named times.

  3. 3
    31 min

    Control holds and timing

    Compare the same drawings at two playback speeds.

  4. 4
    46 min

    Add in-between drawings

    Use neighboring poses as guides without exporting the guides.

  5. 5
    36 min

    Separate the background from the motion

    Keep a static ground on its own layer and confirm camera framing.

  6. 6
    36 min

    Export and review the loop

    Deliver a playable loop and its editable source.

Use the tools

Tools to help you practice.

See all tools
ZIP · practice files

Animate a Two-Second Drawing Loop practice files

Start with the supplied materials, follow the lessons, and compare your work with the annotated example.

Text worksheet

Your course project worksheet

A downloadable text worksheet with each lesson’s working output, space for your answers, and the shared final-project checklist. Save your own copy.

Source transparency

Sources and further study.

Explore the references behind the lessons and take your learning further. Source notes explain access and reuse.

Pencil2D user manual
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Read camera field, bitmap drawing, timeline keys, playback and onion-skin controls.

Access: Public reading without a paid account; reviewed September 12, 2026.

Reuse: Link only. Lessons and practice assets are original; free access does not grant permission to copy the provider's material.

Pencil2D frequently asked questions
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Read camera size, initial save/autosave, selection copy-paste, GIF export and PCLX explanation. Legacy operating-system lists are not used as current requirements.

Access: Public reading without a paid account; reviewed September 12, 2026.

Reuse: Link only. Lessons and practice assets are original; free access does not grant permission to copy the provider's material.

Pencil2D export troubleshooting
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Read export options, even-number camera dimensions, frame-rate issues and missing exporter guidance. No bypass of device security is required.

Access: Public reading without a paid account; reviewed September 12, 2026.

Reuse: Link only. Lessons and practice assets are original; free access does not grant permission to copy the provider's material.

Ready when you are

Start with the first useful move.

You’ll always know what to do, what to make, and where to go next.

Start lesson one