2D vs. 3D animation
When couple first 3D animations came out (mostly by Pixar) they were something fun and they really felt different. As a kid i enjoyed them more than normal cel/2D animations which were still popular but little by little my attitude towards 3D animation changed.
They are horrible.
Why?
1. Because they killed 2D cartoons.
2. They are graphically boring.
3. All of them look the same.
4. They feel cheap.
5. Nearly with no exception every animated movie is 3D.
6. Something else...
I don't say that they're totally annoying. Back then it was OK when couple 3D animations came out once in a while, but today it is the only way animations are created. To me 2D and stop motion animations feel more artistic when everything is done traditionally. It's a nice surprise when films like Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wallace & Gromit and Tim Burton's animations comes out. Sure they have similiarities to 3D but i really appreciate them more because they look better and require the same effort to create frame by frame as 2D does.
3D animation seems less creative because it's difficult to achieve a distinctive style whereas 2D has as many different styles as there are different ways to draw (unlimited actually). When new 3D animation comes out i know excactly what it will look like. No matter how detailed and fluid animation is but it feels so synthetic that i don't care. When the same is achieved in 2D, it is just breathtaking.
What are your thought about 3D and 2D animated films and TV-series?
They are horrible.
Why?
1. Because they killed 2D cartoons.
2. They are graphically boring.
3. All of them look the same.
4. They feel cheap.
5. Nearly with no exception every animated movie is 3D.
6. Something else...
I don't say that they're totally annoying. Back then it was OK when couple 3D animations came out once in a while, but today it is the only way animations are created. To me 2D and stop motion animations feel more artistic when everything is done traditionally. It's a nice surprise when films like Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wallace & Gromit and Tim Burton's animations comes out. Sure they have similiarities to 3D but i really appreciate them more because they look better and require the same effort to create frame by frame as 2D does.
3D animation seems less creative because it's difficult to achieve a distinctive style whereas 2D has as many different styles as there are different ways to draw (unlimited actually). When new 3D animation comes out i know excactly what it will look like. No matter how detailed and fluid animation is but it feels so synthetic that i don't care. When the same is achieved in 2D, it is just breathtaking.
What are your thought about 3D and 2D animated films and TV-series?
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I actually feel Disney is doing a great job with its recent 3D animations, like Brave and Tangled. To me, they incorporate the best of both worlds: the fluidity and dynamism of 2D animation, and the realism that 3D animation affords. With 3D animation they haven't compromised a single bit on the animation quality that made the original 2D films so appealing (all the squash and stretch, and not being afraid to exaggerate actions to give them more life, for example.) What really amazed me about them both is how Disney succeeded in incorporating a very traditional, painterly feel into them, particularly in the art direction, through the environment and character designs. They're gorgeous! Even though many of them are modelled and not painted they still manage to look like they're part of a painting as a whole, much like it was in the older 2D animated films like Sleeping Beauty and Pocahontas.
Sure Disney/Pixar and DreamWorks are doing good job! But what about other studios?
The thing about 3D is that they're really expensive to produce so if production quality isn't good enough, it really sticks out. In those cases I wish the studios had stuck to 2D instead. I especially hate it when 2D animations suddenly insert a 3D sequence somewhere to... I dunno, spice things up? But they don't fit with the rest of the 2D sequences. Those irk me so much. I guess the important thing is quality art direction, to me... as long as it's good, medium doesn't matter.
3D is complete overkill right now. Its just not at the point, technologically, where movies or shows can be made efficiently and not look tacky. 2D looks how it is intended, but 3D looks off, because it just can't look perfectly as its intended. Pixar movies are fantastic, but nothing else seems to come close. Especially for television.
I just look at films and shows and think, did this need to be 3D? Sometimes, it is the better medium if executed well and the characters/environment can actually benefit from it, but usually its just 3D for the sake of being 3D, riding the hype and making money.
I just look at films and shows and think, did this need to be 3D? Sometimes, it is the better medium if executed well and the characters/environment can actually benefit from it, but usually its just 3D for the sake of being 3D, riding the hype and making money.
Right!
I'm an aspiring cartoonist, so I should be happy once I get my Jackal Jeffrey comic published. And I am also hoping that it might possibly be turned into an animated series, but with traditional hand-drawn animation, if you get my drift.
I prefer 2D animations, I guess I got used to them when I was a child. It's hard to explain but I feel like 3D animations don't have a soul. I agree that 3D animations look boring despite that they have all the effects and stuff. I wish they made more 2D animations... I remember when I was younger and felt so disappointed when they started making more 3D movies.
Some 3D movies are also good, like Tangled, How to train your dragon and Wall-e, but I think I would like some of them more if they were 2D movies
(Sorry if my english isn't perfect
)
Some 3D movies are also good, like Tangled, How to train your dragon and Wall-e, but I think I would like some of them more if they were 2D movies
(Sorry if my english isn't perfect
)"I think I would like some of them more if they were 2D movies"
That's true.
Sometimes i think that less known and smaller 3d films could be really good and stand out if they were 2d. But if you're good (or bad) at making 3d films doesn't mean that you're good (or better) with 2d films. Maybe making those 3d models with computers is easier and more appealing to start working with instead of somehow old-fashioned 2d or even cel animation.
That's true.
Sometimes i think that less known and smaller 3d films could be really good and stand out if they were 2d. But if you're good (or bad) at making 3d films doesn't mean that you're good (or better) with 2d films. Maybe making those 3d models with computers is easier and more appealing to start working with instead of somehow old-fashioned 2d or even cel animation.
The thing about 3d is that it appeals less to the intellect and more to the senses. So its popular. Moreover, 3d animation generally takes less time and is more forgiving, and is therefore cheaper - it can be tweaked here and there if characters need to be modified or things need to be taken out or added in, say, due to an unfortunate controversy in the news that relates to the films subject matter or something similar.
But the alternative animation is out there, youve just got to look for it. Heres some of my favourite 2d pieces I came accross while studying it at uni that you might not know.
[link] Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase - Joan Gratz
[link] The old man and the sea - Alexander Petrov
[link] Firebird Suite - Fantasia 2000
[link] Plymptoons - Bill Plympton
[link] Rejected - Don Hertzfeldt
[link] Sloth Perfectra - Wonderglen
But the alternative animation is out there, youve just got to look for it. Heres some of my favourite 2d pieces I came accross while studying it at uni that you might not know.
[link] Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase - Joan Gratz
[link] The old man and the sea - Alexander Petrov
[link] Firebird Suite - Fantasia 2000
[link] Plymptoons - Bill Plympton
[link] Rejected - Don Hertzfeldt
[link] Sloth Perfectra - Wonderglen
Good thoughts! Sure there is always little 2d films here and there but no actual feature films.
Those links were great! Thanks.
Those links were great! Thanks.
All we need is someone to come along and make a sucessful and iconic 2D feature film. Then it will be back in fashion and more people will be doing it. But then it would get over used, with tons of people jumping on the bandwagon looking for their own peice of the 2D feature film profits pie. And then we will have people on DA complaining there isnt enough 3D. 
hehe. Ok well maybe it wont work quite like that. Actually high Definition 3D will always be a favourite of the masses by default I think.
hehe. Ok well maybe it wont work quite like that. Actually high Definition 3D will always be a favourite of the masses by default I think.
Both are great, but 2D gets my vote.
(Most likely because I grew up with it and never worked with 3D)
(Most likely because I grew up with it and never worked with 3D)
both have amazing potential, i dont think they are graphically boring and dont look the same, but the truth is 3d most likely takes more effort and time and also much more expensive to produce.
2D has the advantage of ease, which means there are a lot of things that they can do with it. That, and the budget is looser because it's not as expensive as 3D.
But a well-executed 3D movie can blow 2D out of the water.
My opinion rests with 3D, because I personally like it more. It's where the future lies. It's the marionette on strings to 2D's shadow puppets; it can be worse, but done well and it's a masterpiece.
But a well-executed 3D movie can blow 2D out of the water.
My opinion rests with 3D, because I personally like it more. It's where the future lies. It's the marionette on strings to 2D's shadow puppets; it can be worse, but done well and it's a masterpiece.
Yeah but we're still drawing 2d pictures instead of making 3d models?
In my opinion both should have their places in animation field because they're so different and equally good. like acrylic and digital paintings you know? Different mediums.
In my opinion both should have their places in animation field because they're so different and equally good. like acrylic and digital paintings you know? Different mediums.
I agree that they should make more 2D animated films. Sure 3D was alright, but I personally think that they should go back to using traditional 2D animation again for TV shows and movies. I know that they still use 2D for animated shows, but they do it digitally instead of by hand like they used to in the old days. What the animators should do is study previous animated shows from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s in order to rediscover how to use cel animation again.
Yeah! I specially like cel animations because everything is handdrawn traditionally. Sure i like computer 2d animations as well but specially appreciate it when it's done traditionally.
Well I like some 3D animation movies, like Shrek, WallE and Tangled for example....however, I also see more and more childrens shows that are really cheap ass 3d animation, its so liveless O.o...gosh I hate the look of it, so on some area´s I still prefer good old 2d animation ( although those can be horrible as well ofcourse)
But unfortunatly, my attitude towards 3D animation is also changing....I also feel more of a dislike for it, and I cant really explain why :/ maybe its because of the ugly shows I have seen
But unfortunatly, my attitude towards 3D animation is also changing....I also feel more of a dislike for it, and I cant really explain why :/ maybe its because of the ugly shows I have seen
Horrible 2d animations are better than horrible 3d. You should be quite good if you want to produce enjoyable 3d films/series.
Yeah I geuss so, its still more "alive" and that is my main problem with 3D animations, no details, no atmosphere >.< Indeed, I totaly agree on that 
I am never excited for 3D animation movies...altough I did like Resident evil: Damnation for some reason 
Oh well...
I am never excited for 3D animation movies...altough I did like Resident evil: Damnation for some reason Oh well...There is a lot of detail in 3d animated films but they don't stand out the same way as in detailed 2d movies. In 3d it's like reality in some ways...
If i see that a lot of leaves are falling from a tree it doesn't cause any amazement in 3d and reality. but when same is achieved in 2d it is just astonishing. You understand what i mean? I know that they see a lot of effort to add all that detail to their films but i'm not paying it any attention while watching them.
If i see that a lot of leaves are falling from a tree it doesn't cause any amazement in 3d and reality. but when same is achieved in 2d it is just astonishing. You understand what i mean? I know that they see a lot of effort to add all that detail to their films but i'm not paying it any attention while watching them.
Hm well some do and some dont. Hm I dont think its like reality, but that is what I would like to see, because I think thats why I enjoyed that Resident Evil: Damnation movie
Hm yes I now understand what you mean, but that has more to do with the respect for the way of animation ifself
focusing on the method rather than the looks
Hm yes I now understand what you mean, but that has more to do with the respect for the way of animation ifself
focusing on the method rather than the looks 
They both have their place, period. 2D has another feeling to it than 3D, Anime's are 2D and the featured 3D Full length movies are 3D, both are awesome and I couldn't decide which to go for.
3D animation is still fairly new and most of the full length feature films have been made by either Pixar or Dreamworks so of course they will all look similar. Over time more films will be created by different creators with different artistic styles - a huge variety of styles can already be seen in many video games, such as borderland's cartoony visuals, and team ICOs Shadow of the Colossus and ICO have a distinct artistic quality to both of them. So it's only a matter of time when those kind of visual styles are applied to 3D films.