Over the years, we and our children have enjoyed watching cartoons like Mickey Mouse, Tom and Jerry, and Looney Tunes. The degree of enthusiasm and joy these cartoons brought to us had no parallel and still. People still remember these characters and these reside in the hearts of millions. 

The kids of this era might not find these engaging anymore. But these cartoons and many more originated from 2D animation. But when 3D animation came into existence, it made these cartoons primitive. The onset of 3D animation forged a new path for producing animated characters. 

The boons of both these art forms are still common to see. Due to this reason, different people are associates in this field. Several e-learning platforms are rendering training courses in this regard to give rise to the artists of the future.

In this post, we will consider what’s the difference between 2D and 3D animated videos and other aspects.  

How do you define 2D animation?

2D animation is the most old-school style of producing cartoons. All the primitive cartoons had been produced using the 2D animation process. However, contemporary 2D animated content is much different from the former one.

For instance, 2D animated videos are much more typical these days. These videos are produced by using the technique of CGI. 2D cartoons are basically flat characters that can move and look extremely real. 

Factors like height and width, and the effect of depth are important to consider. These can be achieved by focusing on perspective and flat shades. Aspects like storyboards, backgrounds, and character details are crucial to working on while producing 2D cartoons. 

The best part bout 2D animation is that it is much easier to produce. But the artistic skills are needed to develop the quality of these cartoon characters. 

How do you define 3D animation? 

The 3D animation process uses a three-dimensional space for production. This process also includes the factors like height, width, and depth. It is far more real-looking than 2D cartoons. 

The process of 3D animation allows one to move characters, enhance their details, and develop depth and realism using a 3D scope. There are different useful animation tools available to produce 3D animated videos. These include Cinema 4D, Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, Houdini, and Blender. 

It also works with CGI in some cases. The procedure also permits the artist to adjust the lighting and camera angles during the production. There have been several successful animated movies that used the 3D approach. These include Toy Story, Despicable Me, Madagascar, and Shrek. 

2D vs 3D animation: A comparison

• The former style of 2D animation includes hand-drawn cartoons. While 3D animation uses different tools to produce animated characters. 
• In 2D animation, the illusion is created by Visual FX (VFX) to improve the quality by setting different sequences one after the other.
• The cartoons in 2D animation only predicate heights and widths. On the other hand, 3D animation is much more than this. It works with character-based movements and most importantly depth. 

Why 3D animated videos are different?

The former animation production process was much more complicated than the modern one. But modern 3D animation includes working with 24 frames that develop the required depth for the animated characters.

The characters are more articulated and their realism is uncanny. The character manipulation offered by 3D animation is also engaging to execute. The manipulation is a time-consuming process in the 3D animation production process. 

It is important to know that the 3D animation process is expensive to execute. In this case, 2D animated content like cartoons and videos is affordable. The average pricing of 3D animation is $10,000-$20,000. It depends on the number of characters used and other features. 

The software available for 3D animation are mostly paid and the process is complicated and demands more payment. While 2D animation software are free and makes it a reasonable process. 

Applications of 2D and 3D animation

2D animation is a major process used in the gaming industry. The cartoons of 2D games need to be more precise to keep the gamer’s attention intact throughout. While 3D games are more interactive, unlike 2D animation. 

Another useful application of 2D animation is cartoons. Besides, it is a major asset for producing social media content, explainer videos, and whiteboard content for a better understanding of the audience. 

3D animation is for enhancing the realism of the content. It is beneficial to use for movies, games, and improving visual effects. 

Which animation is best to choose for videos?

This is a never-ending debate. The variables like expertise, passion, type of animation software, production process, deadlines, and collateral effort determine what type of animation would be the best. 

The content produced in both animations is engaging but 3D animation has a little more edge over 2D animation. Despite the fact it is an expensive asset but is all worth it. It is time-consuming as well in terms of video production. 

In this case, the clients need to consult the animation studios that offer 3D animation services if they need to work on an idea. Professional consultation is always beneficial in this matter. 

In a Nutshell

Animated video production is an extensive process no matter the type of animation. Besides the animation used there are different factors like scriptwriting, storyboarding, illustration, voiceover, and sound design that also matter to maintain the quality. 

This post imparts knowledge on the use cases and differences between the two art forms to get the best results. There are different studios that are open to help animation enthusiasts. 

It is important to keep the project requirements and the client’s needs in mind. The best way solution to all the problems of the artists. So that they can keep all their second thoughts at bay while working on the projects. It is one common tip given by expert and seasoned animators and 3D artists.