Points that Differentiate 2D and 3D Animation

Points that Differentiate 2D and 3D Animation

The hand-drawn 2D animation had its own old-school charms, whereas the seamless manipulation in 3D animation has made it the preferable option to create motion pictures. Both techniques are being used to engage the target audience. Both are appealing and have successfully generated traffic for brands that used animated videos on their websites.

Before you pick an option to craft your marketing strategy, let’s discuss, how to differentiate between the two.

What is 2D animation?

The illusion of a movie is achieved via a drawing sequence in 2D animation. In this technique, the animators draw frame by frame pictures of the characters.

There are 12 frames per second or 24 frames per second to give the illusion of movements. The two-dimensional movements are highly popular for art-based video production.

What is 3D animation?

The animation is created in a digital environment, which involved 3D modelling of the characters. It is a complex procedure where software programs are used instead of hand-drawn images.

What are the differences between 2D and 3D?  Purpose: 2D animation is preferably used in cartoons, advertisement and educational videos. 3D animation is mostly used for video games and movies.  Production: The scripting and storyboarding are crucial phases of a 2D animation. During this phase, the creatives manually draw every frame, which are then converted into digital drawings and animation in the production phase.

3D animation is quite complex, where 3D modelling is done prior to the production phase. During this step, the textures, overlays and manoeuvres are defined. To make the characters feel real lightings and FX are added during the production phase. At the post production phase, rendering is done, which is not needed in 2D animation.  Cost: 2D animation is cheaper when compared to the complex process of 3D animation.  Time: In the production of 3D animated movies the animators have to work on the pre-production, production and post-production steps, which are time consuming and complex in nature. 2D animation is mostly manual work that is pretty simple, straightforward and can be done faster than 3D.

Which one is better?

In terms of experience, 2D animation looks like a drawing whereas 3D is closer to reality. Obviously, the traditional drawing methods are not going to look as polished as the modern age more complex modelling and rigging methods. For infotainment, 2D is better, whereas 3D animation is must when you are aiming for a realistic experience.

Bottom line Animated videos are widely popular to create a buzz. 2D or 3D, the choice depends on your taste, preferences and budget. To learn more, contact VCM Interactive which is a highly recognized 2D and 3D animation studio.