Animations can be a great way to bring your website to life. But here’s the million-dollar question: what types of animations are there, and how can they be best used in your business? There are many different animations, and each has its own set of benefits. If you’ve ever wondered how animators create lively cartoon characters, that journey begins with understanding these animation types. In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of animations, and not just that, but we will also cover some interesting facts about each type! So, without further ado, let’s dig into what animation is & how it all works.
The Five Different Types of Animations
Traditional Animation
Traditional animation is a type of animation where each frame is drawn by hand. The term “traditional” refers not to the technique but to the fact that it was once done on paper with ink and paint. The following style gives you more control over your artistic vision as opposed to computer animation.
For those who’ve already guessed, here’s a fun fact about traditional animations: It was a Catholic priest by the name of Giovanni Batista Della Porta who actually invented the art of animation back in 1584. While classical animation can be defined as the art of painting character images and backgrounds frame by frame, it differs sharply from other forms, such as the frame-by-frame method or cutout animation, in terms of the level of exertion and scope of imagination involved.
What he actually did was mix water and oil paints to create a semi-transparent film. This technique allowed multiple sequential images to be painted on the same sheet of paper and then viewed through a peg-box, which gave them movement. It is also interesting that his animations didn’t involve humans or animals – instead, they were all made up of faces and furniture!
Now isn’t that interesting?!
Two-dimensional (abbreviated as “two-D” or “toon”) animation is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision. In a scopic regime where pictures still come from a flat surface, movement is produced by displaying a sequence of slightly different images which are then perceived as moving images.
Two-dimensional animations can be hand-drawn or they can be computer-animated using frame animation techniques. The many layers and objects in each scene give an illusion of depth to the characters and scenery on one layer so that they appear to exist within their own environment.
Two-dimensional animations are often referred to as “cartoons” in the global sense of the word, but this term has developed a largely specific meaning in American English where it refers to animated features for mature audiences whereas everything else is called an “animated cartoon”.
Here’s another fun fact though – two-dimensional animations have been around for a lot longer than you may actually think! The first animations were pretty much just drawings on white backgrounds that seemed to move, but one of the earliest 2D animations dates back to Egyptian hieroglyphs from back in 3800 BC.
3D Animations
Three-dimensional animations are animations that possess a third dimension in addition to the depth and width of the figure. One of the main methods of their creation is called polygonal modeling, where items are represented as groups of vertices connected by triangular or rectangular panels forming a complete shape.
The first computer animations were simple wire-frame drawings with no textures or lighting effects. These animations were created by the computer itself, but they quickly evolved into having their own distinct style which was fully rendered with textures and shaders to produce very realistic images. Do you want to learn more on polygonal modeling, then check out this blog post?
Here’s another interesting fact on 3D animations for you!
It wasn’t until 1982 that a film called “Tron” came out and completely changed animations as we know it. The movie was made entirely using computerized special effects, but what’s more, is the fact that the entire story revolved around computers! With its groundbreaking 3D animations and special effects, “Tron” showcased how animation styles could evolve and adapt to new technologies, offering a glimpse into the variety of techniques that shape the art form. It’s widely considered to be one of the best animations ever created and was also a commercial success, grossing over 20 million at the box office!
Motion Graphics
Motion graphics are animations that combine both motion and graphics, which are designed so that it’s not only a standalone visual but can also be complemented with a moving component.
This style of animation is usually created using computer software such as Adobe After Effects or The Foundry’s Nuke. Motion graphics animations are typically used for television, films, or to convey information. Understanding how such animations fit into the broader spectrum of animation techniques can be fascinating, especially when you explore the process of creating animations from start to finish, as discussed in a detailed guide on 2D animation production.
By the way, do you wish to know an interesting fact about motion graphic animations? – In the late 1960s around when paper cut-outs were used to create animation, the animators stood in front of a light source! Each cutout was shifted an inch per second, which combined gave an animation that looked so realistic, blaming people.
A point worth mentioning is that rotoscoping was invented by Max Fleischer, who is also an animator, and this method uses animation to trace images to achieve realistic movement. This is prevalent in the field of animation even today, and numerous video games such as “Prince of Persia” have incorporated this approach.
Stop Motion
Some animations are termed as stop motion animations and these are created by taking real objects and moving them to different locations to then give the illusion of motion in the animation.
Stop animations can be filmed frame-by-frame, or they can be captured using a stop motion camera. This technique requires taking pictures and moving an object slightly between each shot so that when played back at normal speed, the object appears to be moving.
These animations are then edited together and played back at a high speed which gives them their characteristic jerky movement. There are several examples of Stop Motion picture technique in films such as “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Coraline” and so many others.
Read Also: 5 Different Video Animations Which You Can Use to Promote Business
Concluding Thoughts
I chanced upon writing something as marvelous as this is, and it was so good that skimming through it felt nice, if only for a while, so I hope all of you got the same experience as me! As I stated previously, there is a variety of types of animations but the ones I provided are the ones that are mostly used these days. Next time, if someone asks you what sort of animation should be used or inquires whether or not it’s a motion graphics animation, then at least you will be able to respond to that!
When planning your next animation project, understanding the use of appropriate animation tools would aid in easing your task, be it basic or sophisticated techniques, because it would maximize the quality and extent of your workflow.
As far as what animations would work best for your business? That’s something you’ll need to figure out on your own. But make sure that whatever animations do go in, they match the overall theme of your website. Are you planning to use animation on your website? Prolific Studio is a video animation company which can offer you the best animation service.
