The choice between 2D and 3D graphics and animation is not limited to the beauty of the picture and the customer’s budget. There are much more nuances, and some amateurish stereotypes can completely hack your advertising campaign. So an answer on question what is the difference between 2d and 3d animation is complicated.
What is 3d animation?
In the wake of the popularity of 3D formats, the demonstration of video with this effect, and advertisements for TVs, monitors and projectors that promise a “presence effect”, many people get lost in fantastic shots that take the viewer directly to the stage. Meanwhile, 3D graphics are far from a new product, used for many years not only and not so much in cinematography as in printing. The majority of people think about 3D is limited to colorful glasses in the cinema, and about 2D rarely anyone can say anything definite.
What is 2d animation?
The letter “D” (dimension) literally means “dimension / plane / face / direction” in English. Visually, 2D is a flat 2D picture because it only has a length (X) and a width (Y), and 3D is a 3D picture with a height / depth (Z), so there is volume and perspective in animated explainer video.
Why is everyone so obsessed with 3D?
Historically, the video advertising industry has always been considered the younger sister of the film industry. Not only new trends in graphics, artistic techniques, but also global meanings flow from big cinema to us. Modern commercially successful cinema is, first of all, an attraction. If you want big fees, show a mind-blowing picture and special effects.
In reality, as always, everything is much more complicated.
Myth # 1: 3D graphics are always more expensive than 2D
This is most often the case. Creating and animating a 3D model takes more time from the designer and is therefore more expensive. But the devil, as always, is in the details. And in our case, this is not a metaphor. The total cost of the video depends on a number of factors:
- the level of detail of objects and characters;
- the number of objects, characters and small details in the frame;
- video duration;
- the complexity of the animation.
At the output, a premium quality 2D movie can cost several times more than simplified 3D graphics. And it will look as much more beautiful.
Myth # 2: A 3D video is an indicator of the level of a company. 2D for startups and simpler companies
Don’t forget to share this with companies like Apple or Microsoft, Google and Amazon, which regularly release iconic 2D videos and get millions of views.
The 3d video explainer will work great where it is appropriate. But the position “3D will always suit the viewer better than 2D” is erroneous and even harmful. Even the Disney studio burned out.
Arguments that 3D is better and more solid than 2D is the brightest marker of an amateur. No one is better or worse. It’s just different. Like fruits and vegetables. Fruits are better for dessert, vegetables are better for borscht.
If you have a third dimension in the frame, then with the help of it you can visualize the object in a way that cannot be done in 2D graphics. This is where a whole host of differences and applications are born.
Myth # 3: New generation prefers 3D
In the summer of 2019, a new version of the cult cartoon “The Lion King” was released. From the point of view of computer graphics, this was a new height – the animals on the screen looked and moved exactly like real ones. But critics and viewers did not appreciate the novelty. Rating on Rotten Tomatoes 53%.
Suddenly it turned out that even the modern viewer does not like it when he has already carefully chewed food. Leave him room for imagination.
Myth # 4: 3D graphics give more room for creativity
In practice, the situation is exactly the opposite. Classic 2D graphics gives the artist much more freedom. Think of the classic Disney children’s cartoons, or at least “Tom and Jerry”. Sims may have unnaturally stretched limbs, eyes bulging out of their sockets, jaw falling off to the floor, etc. The author can get up with the mimicry and motor skills of the characters as they please. And it will look funny.
