What Is Onion Skinning?
Onion skinning is one of those animation features that sounds weird until you use it—and then you wonder how you ever animated without it. It’s a tool in many 2D and 3D animation programs that lets you see your previous and next frames faintly over your current one. Imagine laying semi-transparent paper over your drawing so you can see the past and future in one glance. It’s perfect for keeping motion smooth and making sure poses line up without guesswork.
Why Onion Skinning Matters
Whether you’re animating a bouncing ball or a complex fight scene, onion skinning gives you instant context. You can see how far you’ve moved a character from one frame to the next, adjust spacing, and keep timing consistent. Without it, animators often find themselves flipping back and forth between frames—slowing down the workflow and introducing small mistakes that add up. This tool acts like a visual safety net for your animation.
How to Use Onion Skinning
Most animation programs have a toggle button or menu option for onion skinning. In software like FlipaClip, it’s an icon that looks like two overlapping pages. In Krita, you can find it in the Animation Docker panel. Turn it on, and you’ll see faint outlines of frames before and after your current frame. You can usually adjust the number of frames visible, the color of the outlines, and the transparency.
Onion Skinning in Krita (Video)
Here’s a quick, clear demo focused specifically on onion skinning in Krita so you can see the feature in action before you try it yourself.
Watching the Krita workflow once or twice makes the concept click—use onion skinning to plan spacing, then toggle it off during clean‑up for a crisp final read.
Onion Skinning in FlipaClip (Video)
Prefer mobile? This tutorial walks through FlipaClip’s onion skins and frame controls so you can practice on your phone or tablet.
Try a simple loop—like a bouncing ball—while the onion skin is on, then play it back to feel how much smoother your spacing becomes.
Best Software for Onion Skinning
- FlipaClip – Beginner-friendly and perfect for mobile animators.
- Krita – Free, open‑source, and packed with customization options.
- Bloop Animation Courses – While not software, their tutorials walk you through using onion skinning effectively.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Onion Skinning
- Limit how many frames you show—too many can make things cluttered.
- Adjust onion skin opacity so you can still focus on the current frame.
- Use different colors for past and future frames to avoid confusion.
- Turn it off when polishing final details to see your animation cleanly.
Want to see how pro animators use tools like this to speed up their workflow?
Master Animation Faster with Bloop Courses
Learn the Art of Animation— Step by Step
Final Thoughts
Onion skinning isn’t just a “nice‑to‑have”—it’s a foundational feature that can help you animate faster, with more consistency and fewer errors. Once you get used to it, you’ll rely on it as much as your undo button. So go ahead—switch it on, experiment, and watch your animation flow more smoothly.
