Halftone 2 - $1.99 (full set $6.99)
Pros:
If you like creating comics and creating movies with Animoto, then this app is for you. Halftone 2 allows students to create comic strips by snapping pictures from their photo gallery into a page template – you can select the number of frames in each template then add some pizazz by adding stickers and text. I have used a lot of comic apps, and much like the others, it is user friendly so most students, even the youngest of elementary can use this app.
What makes this one stand out? Haftone 2 has a super simple interface that feels like you are creating a PowerPoint, which allow you to format each ‘slide’. Like PowerPoint, each page has a selection of templates complete with color backgrounds, style and fonts but instead of creating a PowerPoint, you really feel like you are building your own comic book! Once your ‘book’ is put together, you can access awesome tools and add stickers, speech bubbles, text boxes and a nice selection of writing onomatopoeias! SPASH! BOOM! There is also an edit option where you can jazz up your pictures with filters to add brightness, color and more.
When you are finished, add music! You can chose from their selection or upload your own.
Sharing is easy. You can upload to your social network, print, email or even send it to your dropbox account!
Cons:
The free toolset that comes with Halftone 2 is a tease. It’s just enough to create something fun, but leaves you wanting more. The freebie only allows you to make one and two-page panel comics with a limited variety of stickers and colors. Yes, you can unlock individual bling sets, but it’s worth it to buy in bulk and just pay the $6.99 for the whole enchilada.
The bottom line. Halftone 2 is win,win in the fun factor and ease of use. Of all the comic creation apps I’ve used with my students, this is by far one of their favorites.
Features:
Captions and Balloons
• Over 30 unique caption and balloon styles (speech bubbles, thought balloons, banners, scrolls, and more)
• A powerful 3D perspective feature lets you tilt your captions and balloons
• Includes six professional comic-themed fonts (plus everything on your device)
• Optional drop shadows add depth with configurable color, opacity, blur, and location
• Custom fonts can be added by opening a TrueType (TTF) or OpenType (OTF) font in Halftone 2
• Control over font color, size, line spacing, and alignment
• Ability to add multiple colored outlines to text
Stamps
• Over 80 professionally-designed graphical shapes like WHAM, BAM, and POW
• Optional “Action Pack” in-app purchase adds over 50 more stamps designed by comic design company, Blambot
• A custom stamp feature allows you to add your own images (with support for alpha channels)
• A powerful 3D perspective feature lets you tilt your stamps to make them more dynamic
Photo Panels
• Photos can be imported directly from your photo library, Facebook, and Flickr
• Full control of the scale and rotation of each photo
• A configurable Juicy Bits “Toon” filter turns your photos into comic-styled artwork
• Comprehensive photo editing tools from Aviary that include automatic enhancements, filter effects, brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, redeye, whiten, blemish, and selective focus
Video
• Video is exported at up to 720p high-definition and can be saved to the camera roll for later use or sent directly to Facebook, Dropbox, or other compatible apps (like iMovie)
• 50 licensed sound effects are included that can be assigned to each photo panel
• A “Sound Pack” in-app purchase adds 50 sound effects, including growls, crashes, instruments, vehicles, background ambience, and more
• Each panel has a customizable transition that controls the incoming speed and movement of the virtual camera
• An optional soundtrack can be added by choosing a song from your music library
• A unique “auto stretch” feature automatically shortens or lengthens the video to match the length of your soundtrack
If you like creating comics and creating movies with Animoto, then this app is for you. Halftone 2 allows students to create comic strips by snapping pictures from their photo gallery into a page template – you can select the number of frames in each template then add some pizazz by adding stickers and text. I have used a lot of comic apps, and much like the others, it is user friendly so most students, even the youngest of elementary can use this app.
What makes this one stand out? Haftone 2 has a super simple interface that feels like you are creating a PowerPoint, which allow you to format each ‘slide’. Like PowerPoint, each page has a selection of templates complete with color backgrounds, style and fonts but instead of creating a PowerPoint, you really feel like you are building your own comic book! Once your ‘book’ is put together, you can access awesome tools and add stickers, speech bubbles, text boxes and a nice selection of writing onomatopoeias! SPASH! BOOM! There is also an edit option where you can jazz up your pictures with filters to add brightness, color and more.
When you are finished, add music! You can chose from their selection or upload your own.
Sharing is easy. You can upload to your social network, print, email or even send it to your dropbox account!
Cons:
The free toolset that comes with Halftone 2 is a tease. It’s just enough to create something fun, but leaves you wanting more. The freebie only allows you to make one and two-page panel comics with a limited variety of stickers and colors. Yes, you can unlock individual bling sets, but it’s worth it to buy in bulk and just pay the $6.99 for the whole enchilada.
The bottom line. Halftone 2 is win,win in the fun factor and ease of use. Of all the comic creation apps I’ve used with my students, this is by far one of their favorites.
Features:
Captions and Balloons
• Over 30 unique caption and balloon styles (speech bubbles, thought balloons, banners, scrolls, and more)
• A powerful 3D perspective feature lets you tilt your captions and balloons
• Includes six professional comic-themed fonts (plus everything on your device)
• Optional drop shadows add depth with configurable color, opacity, blur, and location
• Custom fonts can be added by opening a TrueType (TTF) or OpenType (OTF) font in Halftone 2
• Control over font color, size, line spacing, and alignment
• Ability to add multiple colored outlines to text
Stamps
• Over 80 professionally-designed graphical shapes like WHAM, BAM, and POW
• Optional “Action Pack” in-app purchase adds over 50 more stamps designed by comic design company, Blambot
• A custom stamp feature allows you to add your own images (with support for alpha channels)
• A powerful 3D perspective feature lets you tilt your stamps to make them more dynamic
Photo Panels
• Photos can be imported directly from your photo library, Facebook, and Flickr
• Full control of the scale and rotation of each photo
• A configurable Juicy Bits “Toon” filter turns your photos into comic-styled artwork
• Comprehensive photo editing tools from Aviary that include automatic enhancements, filter effects, brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, redeye, whiten, blemish, and selective focus
Video
• Video is exported at up to 720p high-definition and can be saved to the camera roll for later use or sent directly to Facebook, Dropbox, or other compatible apps (like iMovie)
• 50 licensed sound effects are included that can be assigned to each photo panel
• A “Sound Pack” in-app purchase adds 50 sound effects, including growls, crashes, instruments, vehicles, background ambience, and more
• Each panel has a customizable transition that controls the incoming speed and movement of the virtual camera
• An optional soundtrack can be added by choosing a song from your music library
• A unique “auto stretch” feature automatically shortens or lengthens the video to match the length of your soundtrack
