I’ve always been envious of people who can draw, especially coming from someone whose go-to doodle is a 3D box (and not a very good one at that). Luckily, through the magic of technology, I can use software intervention to help make my drawings look more realistic–and I can even animate them.

A new program just came out called Anime Studio Debut 8, which is an easy (somewhat) way to make your drawings virtual, add color, movement and bring them to life. When I say somewhat easy, it is a software program that involves a bit of a learning curve. There are a lot of tools and commands that you have to get familiar with, but there’s also a helpful accompanying guide that details what each tool does.

You can create original content or just practice using some of the figures already included in the content library. There’s superheroes, animals, aliens, nature scenes and more, which makes me think this would be great for tweens and older kids with a love of anime. When they’ve created the cartoon of their dreams, it’s easy to share on YouTube or Facebook directly from the software.

Now, off to finish my own cartoon, The Adventures of Super Jeana. Her superhero power is going to be the ability to draw people whose heads don’t look too small for their bodies. -Jeana 

Anime Studio Debut 8 is available from the website for $49.99 but is currently deeply discounted for $19.99 until June 12. A Pro version is available as well, now discounted at $129.99.