What is animation? It’s more than just making simple
sketches in a book and flipping the pages. Contrary to popular belief,
animation is not the process of making images move–animation is the process of
drawing movement or manipulating images to make them appear to be moving when
shown in succession. A sight to behold, animation takes a great deal of skill
and time to perfect.
Animated content is now more popular than ever,
appearing in commercials, video, and feature-length films, putting animators in
high demand. Because of the versatility of animation, more businesses are
incorporating it into their marketing strategies as well. Video delivers
powerful results, giving way to high levels of customer engagement and the
potential for going viral.
Those who are not animators, don’t give animation
much of a thought. Most people don’t know about the different types and styles,
and are likely unaware that there are not one, not two, but six different types
of animation. Amateur and professional animators can agree on one thing–each
style has its similarities and differences, and everyone has their own unique
preference.
Learn more about the 6 different types of animation,
and what they look like. You’ll enjoy trying to spot them when you watch
various TV shows and movies!
6
Types of Animation: An Overview
With so many different types of animation available,
illustrators and animators have a variety of different methods they can use to
tell their story. Artists have their own preferred methods and style, with the
end goal of creating memorable art; art that captivates audiences.
Traditional animation–traditional animation is
perhaps the most popularly known, the style most people envision when they
think of animation. This is also known as hand-drawn or cell animation, and
it’s been around for more than a century. In its infancy, artists drew
individual images by hand onto sheets of acetate, creating cells one at a time,
frame by frame. Since every cell was drawn separately, each one was drawn to be
slightly different from the previous cell. Cells were then photographed
separately onto individual frames of film. When pieced together, these
individual cells created the illusion of movement. Disney popularized this
technique, giving their films a realistic and instantly recognizable look.
Traditional
animation–stop motion animation is easy to create, but
time-consuming and tedious. These videos are shot frame-by-frame, where the
objects are moved slightly for each individual shot, which are then pieced
together to create the illusion of movement. Many stop-motion animations
incorporate everyday objects into the mix, like clay, paper, or toys. Stop
motion can consist of one of three sub-types, including Claymation (using clay
as the primary object in each shot), cut-out animation (using paper cut-outs
for characters or objects), or pixelated (taking photos of real people and
environments).
2D animation–2D
animation, or vector-based animation is one of the most popular animation
styles today. Animators use computer programs like Adobe After-effects, Flash
or TV Paint to create digital animations that can be easily adjusted or
changed. This process is generally faster and more precise than hand-drawn
animations. Though a less popular method for commercial animated films and
shows, businesses are using 2D video extensively to explain concepts and sell
products.
3D animation–3D
animation is more complex, using computer technology to create realistic
characters. 3D animation is considered the most realistic, allowing artists to
show things like a real working human heart or actual facial expressions. 3D
animation can be as intricate or expansive as a person’s imagination will
allow.
Motion graphics animation—
this process strives to make 3D animation as realistic and lifelike as
possible. An actor is fitted with special cameras and sensors on their body and
face. A digital character is then created, which the animator controls. This
technology has been popularized by films such as Avatar and Planet of the Apes.
Here a real actor doesn’t necessarily have to be rigged, it can be created on
computers as well.
Whiteboard
animation–this process shows someone drawing images and words
onto a whiteboard, while they tell the story about the objects being drawn.
Whiteboard animation is typically used for educational purposes. But lately
businesses have used them to explain concepts, services, products or ideas in
an engaging, interesting way to hold the user’s attention. These videos are an
excellent way to teach someone a new task, and build engagement over a short
period of time. These videos do a great job of taking a complex concept and
making it easy to understand.
Animators now have access to more tools than ever before to create their art. If you are looking to hone your skills, or just learn a new method of animation, there are a variety of tutorials available online. Like other fellow artists, animators are always seeking the next big thing to elevate their art.
Learning new animation skills may require you to obtain more training, by way of continuing education or taking college courses, or through on-the-job training. The possibilities are endless.
You
Need to Be Using Video
If your business still hasn’t integrated video into
your marketing strategy, now is the time to start. Video is perhaps the most
effective method for telling your story and keeping your users engaged. If your
company does not have access to a team of animators but you want to create
video content, choose Ripple Animation. Our team has created winning videos for
companies all across the globe, like Amazon, Samsonite, Hewlett Packard and
many more.
No comments:
Post a Comment