Compared to just a few years ago, these days, various types of cartoon styles give marketers more room for creative freedom. But with so many options out there, it can get difficult to land on just one style for your next animation project. Whether you’re refining your artistic approach, experimenting with texture detailing, or starting your journey to mastering cartoon animation techniques, understanding these styles is key.
This article explains what 2D animation is and explores the different types of animation styles, helping you choose the right style for your marketing campaign.
So let’s get into it.
What is 2D Animation?
Moving more than two images in two-dimensional space at a rapid pace creates animation and visually tells a story. Each character, object, or background must be created on a flat surface and then moved in frame-by-frame fashion to show motion, similar to cut-out animation for its detail orientation.
Initially, this style was done using hand drawing techniques, but with time, it can now be done digitally, increasing the freedom of expression. Today, various animation styles are incorporated into cartoons, which helps reduce the effort and increase marketing results. With tools that simplify frame-by-frame creation, digital animation has become more accessible to artists looking to bring their ideas to life.
Different Types of Animation
With so many forms of animation out there, including the popular five foundational styles, it can be hard to understand the specifics of 2D animation.
In this section, we’ll break down the different types of animation, their advantages, and what makes them effective.
Traditional Animation
Traditional animation is one of the first types of animation styles. In this animation, artists draw characters, backgrounds, and scenes on paper or transparent celluloid sheets. Which are then photographed or scanned and played in sequence.
This style has a timeless and artistic appeal. Which is perfect for projects wanting to evoke nostalgia or a classic aesthetic, like early Disney cartoons.
Traditional animation allows animators to have highly detailed and expressive character movements. This handcrafted art adds a touch of the artist’s personality, which results in unique and emotionally rich animations. The process becomes even more efficient and refined when combined with a structured workflow, from initial sketches to final frames.
Kinetic Typography
Kinetic typography is written to persuade an audience and support ideas and actions through animated text. Changing words’ movement, color, size, and positions results in static, emotionally arousing experiences. They are often featured in music videos, advertisements, and informational videos.
The use of kinetic typography makes text easier to read and remember. Both artists and businesses can utilize this unique approach towards efficiently creating impactful animations, akin to implementing the driven process discussed in mastering animation workflows.
Frame-by-Frame Animation
The frame-by-frame animation technique entails designing each frame separately and digitally, hence controlling motion and timing more accurately. This technique works best when detailed and complex animations are required.
It excels in producing smooth, realistic movements, making it suitable for character animations in games or intricate motion sequences in films.
Frame-by-frame animation is unmatched in terms of animation control. An animator can spend as much time as needed on each detail. The results are always astonishing, allowing for perfectly crafted animations that are meticulously timed and moved for maximum realism and detail, perfect for any project with complex animation requirements.
Infographic Animation
Data visualization through animation and movement is referred to as infographic animation. It uses graphs, charts, iconography, and text most effectively to convey deeply complex ideas or data sets.
This style makes information digestible and visually appealing. Commonly used in corporate presentations, educational videos, and marketing materials.
Infographics help translate and make complex statistical data, processes, and concepts entertaining and easy to understand, making kids and adults enjoy the content more. It increases retention and comprehensiveness by simply turning data into animated visuals.
Motion Graphics
Animation and motion design of objects is known as motion graphics. Texts and shapes can be animated in any form or technique of design. Motion graphics can be found in advertisements, explainer videos, transitions, and title sequences.
One of the most important features of motion graphics is their flexibility in use across various areas, as they are most commonly used in branding, logos, colors, and other brand features, which are added as design elements.
Branding, marketing, and many different industries use this style in its purest form to create professional animations that send a message while building the brand identity. Motion graphics in amazing ways summarize the key message by presenting and creating content that looks beautiful, ideal for engaging and professional presentations.
Stop Motion
In stop motion animation, the animator moves an object, skeletal figures, puppets, or ordinary objects, and captures them one frame at a time to create motion. In every sequence, the character or puppet is moved a little so that it will appear to move in the next shot.
Stop motion offers a unique, tactile visual style, standing out from other animation forms. Its tangible nature adds charm, making it ideal for creative projects aiming to capture imagination.
This highly personal style invites experimentation and creative expression in animation design. Stop motion is used when one needs to add a dash of creativity, vintage charm, or artistry into the project and creates an unparalleled, unique look that surprises the audience.
Top 5 Animation Tools and Workflow
1. Adobe Animate
Adobe Animate comes with a user-friendly interface, efficient drawing tools, and advanced frame-by-frame options, which come in handy in creating cartoons of different kinds.
Its format flexibility makes it easy to work on different types of projects. For amateurs venturing into animation, knowing which program to use and its functions is equally important as knowing the skill of animating itself.
Workflow: Start by creating your characters and backgrounds using the drawing tools. Use onion skinning to animate frame by frame, and then export your animation in the desired format.
2. Toon Boom Harmony
This industry-standard software provides a comprehensive toolset for drawing, rigging, and animation. It’s widely used by major studios for its extensive libraries and templates.
Workflow: Design characters and assets, rig them using Harmony’s advanced tools, and animate your scenes. The software supports both traditional frame-by-frame and rig-based animation, allowing for flexibility in workflow.
3. Synfig Studio
Synfig Studio is an open-source, vector-based animation software with advanced controls like a bone system and bitmap support.
Workflow: Create vector artwork and rig characters with the bone system. Use Synfig’s timeline to animate, ensuring smooth transitions and movements. Export your animations for various platforms.
4. Moho (Anime Studio)
Moho combines vector-based animation with bone rigging tools, suitable for both beginners and advanced users.
Workflow: Start with character design using vector tools. Rig characters with bones for smooth animation. Animate using keyframes and Moho’s intuitive timeline. Export animations for web, video, or other media.
5. OpenToonz
OpenToonz, an open-source software used by Studio Ghibli, offers extensive customization and supports both vector and raster graphics. Draw or import artwork into OpenToonz. Use its versatile tools to animate frame by frame or with keyframes. Customize your workflow with plugins and scripts, then export your final animation in various formats.
Create an Impact with Different Types of Animation
With 2D animation and types of animation styles available, marketers possess the creative freedom to create powerful and impactful campaigns. And make their dream project become the next success.
Need assistance in reaching your next milestone using 2D animation? We at Prolific Studio, one of the best animation studios in LA, house a world-class animation team ready to help you achieve your goals. Contact now.
