In traditional 2D animation, things that you see are created by hand, or by frame. In 3D animation, you animate your characters and objects in a 3D environment using 3D animation software, where you can manipulate those characters and objects. Although drawing is an added advantage, it is not essential in 3D animation.
In 2D animation, animators2 sequence individual drawings over time to create the illusion of movement within a two-dimensional space using characters, VFX, and backgrounds.
In 2D animation, the characters and objects used for manipulation consist only of height and width, while 3D animation involves the manipulation of characters and objects with 3 dimensions, height, width, depth, and 2D characters.
2D/3D animations
Use cases
A complex category of 2D is 2D game animation. Unlike 3D video animation where characters interact with each other, characters have to respond to user input and perform corresponding actions in 2D game animation, which means the characters can be seen from many different angles. It has to look perfect.
2D animation is used in cartoons, but in the 21st century, it is used in the majority of social media video content such as documentaries, videos, product demos, explainer videos, and animated whiteboard videos.
3D animation is a modern art form and is used in movies, cartoons, and video games to create more realistic visual effects.
Top 3D Animation Software Programs
3ds Max
Autodesk’s computer graphics program is most popular among TV commercial studios, architectural visualization studios, and even game developers.
It can be used to create 3D animations, models, and images for anything from movie effects to movie pre-visualization.
It also boasts the most robust animation and modeling tools of any 3D program, offering dynamic simulation, global lighting, shaders, particle systems, a customizable user interface, radiosity, and more.
Unity
From mobile games and next-gen titles to upcoming virtual reality experiences, Unity has seen a huge rise in popularity among game developers.
Its application comes is very easy to use, offering abundant features and art assets, and providing a free personal edition to try before considering the pro edition. Notable games made with Unity include Lara Croft Go, Battle Worlds: Kronos, and Asian Rift.
Autodesk Maya
A 3D computer graphics software is used to create interactive 3D applications for visual effects, movies, TV shows, and video games.
It provides everything you expected from a professional program, including fluids, particle effects, peeling, modeling, ropes, and more. Maya was used to creating several films that went on to win Academy Awards.
A 2D and 3D comparison
In 2D animation, animators use characters, visual FX (VFX), and backgrounds to create the illusion of movement within a two-dimensional space by arranging individual drawings throughout the spell.
In contrast, 3D animation involves manipulating characters and objects along three dimensions: height, width, and depth.
Use cases
A complex category of 2D is 2D game animation. Unlike 3D video animation where characters interact with each other, characters have to respond to user input and perform corresponding actions in 2D game animation, which means the characters can be seen from many different angles. It has to look perfect.
2D animation is used in cartoons, but in the 21st century, it is used in the majority of social media video content such as documentaries, videos, product demos, explainer videos, and animated whiteboard videos.
3D animation is a modern art form and is used in movies, cartoons, and video games to create more realistic visual effects.
Top 2D Animation Software Programs
Autodesk Sketchbook Pro
Digital painting and drawing applications are known for allowing artists to work faster than other programs.
Useful tools in the latest version include a Perspective Guide that renders perfect 1-point, 2-point, 3-point, and fisheye perspectives, a Distort Transforms tool for adjusting perspective and positioning, a Flipbook animation tool, an improved Layer editor, and more.
Adobe Photoshop
A program that has become a household name among professional artists, is being used by many entertainment and digital art companies. It helps 2D artists and animators alike by allowing you to edit and compose raster images in multiple layers while offering many features.
If there’s one program that all animators should be familiar with, it’s Photoshop.
Tone Boom Studio
This program, which has been used for countless movies and shows, is one of the best for any aspiring 2D animator new to the art. Known for being easy to pick up and master, Tone Boom Studio also has many features like animation effects, bone animation tools, and a library of useful content. From mobile games and next-gen titles to upcoming virtual reality experiences, Unity has seen a huge rise in popularity among game developers.
2D and 3D animation training
We hope you now understand the difference between 2D and 3D animation. Are you interested in creating 2D or 3D animation graphics? Or, maybe you’re interested in a career in motion graphics. You can go the four-year university route which takes a lot of time. But in online training, you specifically study the principles and advanced motion graphic animation to learn without any fluff.
Differences between 2D and 3D animation processes
In traditional animation, the more complex of the two is considered 2D animation rather than 3D animation. It needs animators to draw 24 frames per second and have a deep understanding of animation principles, the anatomy of movements, and the physics behind those activities. Animators must manipulate each frame in 2D animation, which makes it more time-consuming and slightly more complex than in 3D.
2D animation is generally cheaper than 3D animation, although this can vary from project to project. Typically, a 60-second long traditional 2D video costs between $1,000 – $5,000, while a 60-second-long 3D video costs between $7,000-$9,000. This is because 3D animation requires complex software and platforms, while 2D animation is mostly done manually and can be compiled using free 2D software.
The most important difference between 2D and 3D animation is in their video animation process. If we break the process down into three stages pre-production, production, and post-production, you can see how 3D animation is more complex and time-consuming.