A quick and speedy demonstration of a string of images of 2D or 3D artwork so as to create an illusion of motion can be understood as animation. The skill of building moving objects with the usage of computers is known as computer animation and is also sometimes referred to as computer-generated imagery or computer-generated imaging (CGI). A motion picture is one of the forms of presenting animation, as is also a video program and a number of other forms of presenting animation exist. The cartoons that one watches on television are also an example of animation. Animated objects can be turned and moved around just like real objects.
This article highlights some points of difference between 2D and 3D animation. For starters, 2D animation (hand drawn) happens on a 2 dimensional platform and hence, images are flat and only one angle can be seen. 3D animation (CGI) happens on a 3 dimensional platform and therefore images have depth and numerous perspectives similar to real life can be seen.
In general, 2D animation calls for drawing or movement on, say, a flat surface or in the horizontal and vertical (X and Y) planes respectively. On the other hand, 3D includes modeling, that is to say, creating images in 3-dimensions using computer software. 3D gives the image the ‘Z' dimension and this third dimension permits rotation of the image.
Additionally, 2D and 3D animation can be differentiated by comparing them to a painting and a sculpture respectively. The difference can also be seen by understanding that since 3D animation offers a depth perspective, we can not only see a rectangle (2 dimensional figure) but also a cube, which is a 3 dimensional figure.
Also, there is a difference between 2D and 3D animation with reference to the usage of tools to build 2D and 3D images, the effort involved, the cost encountered and the quality of the final product. 2D animation is a hands-on course of action and requires hand-drawing hundreds to thousands of individual frames. These are then transferred to clear plastic cels, hand-painted, and then filmed in a series over a painted background image. The amount of time, labor, and tools involved in this entire process can be incredible. In contrast, in case of 3D computer animation, the need for many of the additional tools required to create an animation is minimized and also the time and effort involved is cut down to a great extent.
In a nut shell it can be said that basically 2D and 3D animations mean the dimension in which the animation is crafted and that 3D animation makes objects or images look more realistic when compared to 2D animation.
The advantages of 3D animation:
You might have wondered why we should go after the 3D animation, when the whole process itself takes a number of stages and appears to be very complex. Apart from the complexities involved, it does offer a lot of advantages. Once the modeling process is completed, the 3D software allows very flexible control over the scene and animation. You can rotate the model in any angle you want (unlike 2D). 3D animation software also gives a rich collection of tools that aid the process of modeling and animation. You can choose from a wide variety of modeling techniques based on your requirement. Lighting and camera setup is the exact replica of a real world movie shooting environment. Apart from all these, the ultra realism offered by the 3D rendered scenes makes 3D graphics the best solution for the emerging animation industry.
