Inchworm Animation Races Toward Release on Nintendo DSiWare

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgPress Release from Flat Black Films

It's not a game, and it's not for kids, though artists of all ages will enjoy digging into the creative toolbox unlocked by Inchworm Animation.  The much anticipated animation software comes from Bob Sabiston's Flat Black Films, the studio behind the innovative animated films "Waking Life" and "A Scanner Darkly".  It is being released on April 25 on Nintendo's DSiWare service for 500 Nintendo DSi Points.  

Inchworm features a more powerful set of paint and animation tools than you would expect in such a tiny package.  Layers, antialiased and transparent brushes, onionskin, and pattern-making are all included.  Some features like underdraw and real-time animation aren't even available in such high-end desktop programs like Adobe Photoshop or Flash.  

Using the Nintendo DSi Camera, users can easily do short video-recording, stop-motion and time-lapse photography.  They can combine these recordings with hand-drawn artwork.  One super-cool feature lets you draw on animation loops as they play to create mind-blowing visual effects.  Step-by-step interactive tutorials show you the ropes.  Finished work can be exported to an SD card in the form of Flash (SWF) files or BMP image sequence.

"Ever since the Nintendo DS came out, I've thought there should be a nice animation program for it," says Sabiston.  "Inchworm is easy to use but not dumbed-down. That's a fine line to walk, and I erred on the side of 'not dumbed-down.'  Some of the functions will be too complicated for younger kids, but the concepts presented are worth learning, I think. It could be a good tool for teaching animation. "

A companion website will allow users to upload and share the work they have created with Inchworm.  

Five long years in development, little Inchworm is finally crossing the finish line!

For more information, including sample animation and a new trailer, visit
www.inchwormanimation.com