From the iconic Mickey Mouse to the Lion King and The Iron Giant, 2D animated movies and series were once considered the pinnacle of the animation industry. They took us on adventurous journeys that would not have been possible without the blood, sweat and tears poured into this wonderful medium by talented artists and animators who pioneered 2D animation. But have you ever wondered what 2D animation actually is from a technical standpoint? Let’s dive deep into the mesmerizing world of the popular animation style.
2D animation is essentially displaying a sequence of images over time on a two-dimensional flat surface to create the illusion of movement. Have you ever seen one of those flipbook videos where animators flip through the pages of a notebook and suddenly still images drawn on them seem to be moving? That is exactly what happens when a computer renders consecutive frames and stitches them together to create 2D animation.
What is the Role of Frames in 2D Animation?
In order to understand how 2D animation is made, we first need to clarify the concept of frames. Let’s start with the flipbook analogy again. Think of a frame as a single page in a flipbook. If you flip 30 pages in one second, you have shown 30 different drawings in a second. If you hear a 2D animated video has 30 frames it means one second has been divided into 30 parts for that 2D animation.
When starting a 2D project animation using 2D animation software, you can choose your preferred frame-rate. In 2D animation usually 24 is the industry standard. But whether all those 24 frames contain unique drawings depends on the 2D animation method the project has been made with.
Different Types of 2D Animation
There are different types of 2D animation in 2D animation indusry. Here is a list of 2D animation types with examples for you:
Traditional Frame-by-Frame 2D Animation
2D Frame-By-Frame animation achieved its glory in the 20th century when using computer generated imagery (CGI) in animation was not yet mainstream. Traditionally and for most of the 20th century, 2D animation was brought to life by drawing each frame by hand. The frames were then photographed and compiled into a film reel. This method is known by various names such as traditional, hand-drawn or frame-by-frame 2D animation.
With the advent of graphics and editing software in the 80s and 90s, 2D animation went through a major shift. Images were not drawn on paper anymore, instead drawing tablets were used to directly draw images on the computer and then sequenced and edited with video editing software. As of today, some 2D animated films are still being made with the same technique. The only difference is that pen and paper, cameras and film reels are not used anymore but the underlying technique is the same.
Examples of Popular Traditional 2D Animation:
- The Lion King (1994)
- Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- The Little Mermaid (1989)
- Aladdin (1992)
Cut-out Animation
Cut-out animation is a technique where characters are made from several physical pieces and then moved every frame. Cut-out animators place puppet-like characters and objects under a camera. They then take photos of each key pose and move on to the next. This process is repeated until the final clip is created. While this type of animation is not used widely today due to the difficulties of creating physical pieces, the idea of creating animation without having to draw characters every frame paved the way to the rise of a new wave of animation software.
Digital 2D Cut-Out Animation
The costly and time-consuming process of drawing and animating characters and objects each and every frame, scarcity of hand-drawn animation talent and difficulties of maintaining drawing consistency and the idea of moving character body parts instead of drawing the whole thing every frame were the driving force behind the invention of Digital 2D animation software in early 2000s.
With the advent of 2D animation software like Adobe Animate (Formerly known as Flash), Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe After Effects, Moho and others a new way of animating became popular.
Digital Cut-out animation software’s ability to draw vector graphics, joining them together and animating them with rigging systems opened the door for creating 2D animation faster and with very few drawings.
Characters’ body parts are drawn and divided into different pieces mostly using vector graphics. Body parts are then grouped and rigged together. A cut-out animator then moves each body part and other objects over time.
Exactly like traditional Cut-out animation where puppets were moved body parts were moved with strings attached to their limbs, Digital Cut-out characters are moved with rigs attached to different body pieces that are essentially vector graphics. Vector graphics allows artists to create an image that maintains high-resolution while scaling, making it ideal to transform various parts without having to be redrawn.
Digital 2D animation software allows animators to transform parts and morph them into different shapes mid-animation thanks to vector graphics.
Examples of 2D Digital Cut-out Animation
- Rick and Morty
- South Park
- Final Space
- Peppa Pig
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2D Digital Cut-out Animation Vs. 2D Traditional Frame-by-Frame Animation
Deciding which style of 2D animation to opt for is not an easy task. You might have an art style in mind that may not be able to be implemented by every 2D animation studio. While 2D digital Cut-out animation seems like the cost-efficient option at first glance, achieving dynamic movements and character poses drawn from different angles is very challenging to achieve using this animation technique. Rigged 2D characters used in 2D digital cut-out animation have constraints and are good for doing simple two-Dimensional movements such as walk-cycles, running, conversations and simple mechanics.
Traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation on the other hand allows for animating any type of dynamic movement from combat scenes to various body mechanics like body turns. If you are opting for a more cinematic look, 2D traditional animation is what you should go for even though the costs are definitely higher due to the complexity of the technique and the scarcity of skilled traditional animators.
The Process of Creating 2D animation
Although 2D animation seems less complex compared to 3D animation, the 2D animation pipeline involved in creating 2D animation is a complicated one and it usually does not start with animation itself. A 2D animation project usually involves three major phases. Pre-production, which includes scripting and storyboarding. Production, that involves character creation, rigging and environment design and last but not least the Post-production, that usually consists of visual effects, compositing and editing.
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Scripting
Scripts decide the core idea behind any 2D animation project. The importance of an interesting script is often overlooked. Without an engaging story, even the best visually attractive animations feel boring. This pre-production stage also outlines the complexity of the project and is crucial for planning how timely and labor-intensive a 2D animation project will be.
Storyboarding
A storyboard is a visual representation of different shots that are going to be animated. Think of it like a comic version of your script. It specifies camera angles, character placements, settings and the overall look of animations. It acts as an organizer that helps animators and directors know exactly what is going to be drawn or animated. Storyboards are not finished and clean drawings. They are usually rough sketches meant to facilitate planning and idea validation.
Character Design
The next step in creating 2D animation usually involves character design and environment design. The scenes are drawn and colored and set as backgrounds for 2D animations. Based on the style of animation, 2D characters are also then drawn, layered and rigged in this stage.
Animation
The next step is setting up scenes and animating 2D characters via 2D animation software. This step is where all the fun begins. Animators set keyframes for key poses and let the software interpolate between them, a process also known is tweening. The animation stage is probably the most time-consuming process in a 2D animation pipeline.
Video editing and Visual effects
The final step in creating 2D animation is mixing, editing and compositing animation clips into the final video. This step also involves adding voiceovers, various visual effects, lighting, music and applying final visual touches. These activities are known as post-production in 2D animation and shape the final feel and atmosphere for your project.
Closing words
Reminiscent of the golden age of Animation, 2D animation is a nostalgic art form that appeals to almost everyone. 2D animation is still used in many creative projects, whether a 2D game that reminds us of the early 90’s when 3D graphics were not yet mainstream or a 2D animated TV series or 2D animated feature films.
There are various reasons one might opt for 2D animation instead of 3D. Producing high volumes of animation for an animated TV series like Rick and Morty and South Park with 3D is very time-consuming and expensive. Furthermore, the stunning aesthetics of 2D frame-by-frame animations are difficult to recreate via 3D graphics. 2D animation is also a more cost-efficient option for low-budget businesses in need of an animated motion graphics or an explainer video
Overall, In contrast to the belief that 2D animation is dying due to advances in 3D animation, it is still a flourishing animation style with plenty of dedicated technologies to facilitate its creation.
