Moho Adds Features Directly For Microsoft’s Surface Studio and Surface Dial

The appeal of Microsoft’s Surface Studio to creative professionals looks set to widen with the announcement that animation software Moho has implemented direct support for the Surface Studio and the accompanying Surface Dial peripheral.

Moho (previously known as Anime Studio Pro) is a vector-based 2D animation tool distributed by Smith Micro Software and is currently in version 12.

Here are some of the new features developed specifically for the Surface Dial and Surface Studio:

• New overlay timeline (when the Surface Dial is on the screen) that allows artists to navigate in time and animate using the entire screen
• Enhancements to rigged character functionality using Moho’s Smart Bones feature and Surface Dial
• A rotating canvas feature that enables artists to change canvas orientation by turning the Surface Dial left or right, making free-hand drawing easier
• Frame-by-frame animation made easier with Surface Dial by quickly adding frames with a double-click, and rotating the Dial left and right for playback

“Moho 12 is already the most complete drawing and animation solution on the market,” said Fahim Niaz, director of product management for Smith Micro. “Now with the power of the new Microsoft Surface Studio, and the ease and creativity afforded by the new Surface Dial, Moho turns the tedious work of traditional animation into a faster, more streamlined digital experience.”

Moho 12 (in both Pro and Debut versions) is available to purchase now on Amazon.

While not conventionally recognized as a tool for mainstream production, Moho has been growing in popularity for ambitious productions. It was used to create parts of Cartoon Saloon’s Song of the Sea, and more recently, Fabrice Luang-Vija used it to create his Oscar-contending short He Who Has Two Souls. Watch the trailer below: