A quick and rapid demonstration of a series of 2D or 3D artwork images to create an illusion of movement can be understood as animation. The ability to construct moving objects with the use of computers is known as computer animation and is also sometimes referred to as computer generated imagery or computer generated imagery (CGI). A movie is one way of presenting animation, as is a video program, and there are other ways of presenting animation. The cartoons one watches on television are also an example of animation. Animated objects can be rotated and moved just like real objects.
This article highlights some points of difference between 2D and 3D animation. For starters, 2D (hand-drawn) animation happens on a two-dimensional platform, and therefore the images are flat and only one angle can be seen. 3D animation (CGI) occurs on a three-dimensional platform and therefore images have depth and many life-like perspectives can be seen.
In general, 2D animation requires drawing or moving, for example, on a flat surface or in the horizontal and vertical (X and Y) planes respectively. On the other hand, 3D includes modeling, that is, the creation of 3-dimensional images using computer programs. 3D gives the image the ‘Z’ dimension and this third dimension allows for image rotation.
Also, 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 use of tools to create 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 hundreds or thousands of individual frames to be drawn by hand. These are then transferred to clear plastic cels, painted by hand, 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. By contrast, in the case of 3D computer animation, the need for many of the additional tools required to create an animation is minimized and the time and effort involved is also greatly reduced.
In a nutshell, it can be said that basically 2D and 3D animations mean the dimension in which the animation is made and that 3D animation makes objects or images look more realistic as compared to 2D animation.
The advantages of 3D animation:
You may have wondered why we should pursue 3D animation, when the whole process itself takes several stages and appears to be very complex. In addition to the complexities involved, it offers many advantages. Once the modeling process is complete, 3D software allows for very flexible control over the scene and animation. You can rotate the model to any angle you want (unlike in 2D). 3D animation software also provides a rich collection of tools that help in the modeling and animation process. You can choose from a wide variety of modeling techniques to suit your needs. The lighting and camera setup are the exact replica of a real world movie shooting environment. In addition to all this, the ultra realism offered by 3D rendered scenes makes 3D graphics the best solution for the emerging animation industry.
