Which style is better, 2D or 3D animation? What are their advantages and disadvantages?

　　If you were to imagine a dragon in your mind, what would it look like? Would it be a colorful and anti-physical beast similar to a Disney cartoon character, or a realistic and textured moving monster like those in "Game of Thrones"? 2D and 3D animation is almost everywhere, and this miraculous achievement is undoubtedly due to animation's talent in capturing our imagination and depicting real and fictional things in ways that filming cannot achieve.

　　Although 3D animation only became popular and widespread about 40 years ago, it has become an indispensable part of the global animation industry and accounts for a large portion of the total amount of animation created each year. For example, if you are a movie fan, you may have noticed how many 3D animated films are released each year, some of which have earned billions of dollars during their screenings. Given this dynamic growth of 3D animation, you might wonder where 2D animation stands. Is it being replaced by 3D and fading into the history books, or is 2D more enduring and powerful than some believe? How does the difficulty of 3D animation compare to 2D animation? We will explore these questions and delve into the situation between the two animation styles.

　　What does two-dimensional mean?

　　The simplest way to understand 2D is to imagine a square on a piece of white paper. The square has 4 sides, width, and height, but no other dimensions or depth to speak of. Because it has a width (1) and a height (2), this is considered a two-dimensional (2D) object. Naturally, 2D animations usually have other characteristics, such as color and movement, but they generally do not change the "flat" appearance of the object and animation.

　　So how exactly does 2D animation work?

　　2D animation is achieved through sequencing. First, the artist must come up with the animation concept and create all the unique drawings that will be part of the animation. This set of drawings is then sequenced (connected in order) to create one second of animation; longer animations require a proportionally larger number of drawings. Typically, one second of animation contains 24 frames, with each of the 2 frames containing different drawings. At this speed, the switching between frames happens so fast that the movement of objects within the frames appears smooth and uninterrupted to the human eye. Most people associate 2D animation with television cartoons and animated films, but the use of this style is much faster. 2D animation is used in advertising, mobile and desktop applications, video games, websites,

　　The Evolution of 2D Hand Animation

　　The earliest forms of two-dimensional animation appeared in the 19th century, where drawings were all hand-drawn and implemented in different instruments to achieve fast sequencing. Notably, the kineograph (now known as a flip book) was invented in 1868. The tradition of hand-drawing animation drawings persisted until the 1990s. During this period, it became common for animators to use computers, and they began to utilize the first animation software. Thus, the first computer-created 2D animation appeared, and because the movement in the animation was controlled by vectors, it was called vector-based animation. Eventually, live-action 2D animated films produced using this method were released.

　　Today, most animations are created through computer software because it is cheaper and faster than hand-drawing. The most popular 2D animation programs today include Adobe Animate, ToonBoom Harmony, CelAction 2D, and Synfig. Many 2D animation programs are free and easy to use, so spending just 10 minutes tinkering with such a program can easily convince anyone who questions "Is 2D animation easier than 3D?".

　　Advantages of 2D Animation:

　　Simple and easy to learn

　　Relatively low production costs

　　Faster creation speed compared to 3D

　　Greater artistic freedom

　　Disadvantages:

　　Difficult to achieve high levels of realism

　　Heavily reliant on creativity and originality

　　Relatively small demand

　　3D Animation: What is it?

　　As you may now understand, 3D stands for three-dimensional. While 2D uses the width and height dimensions of an object, 3D adds another dimension—depth (sometimes also called length). If the analogy used to explain 2D is a square, then the accurate analogy for 3D is a cube. A cube (as one of the examples of 2D vs 3D animation) is not visualized as flat, has perceived depth and volume, and seems to occupy space, although the surface on which it exists is flat. 3D animation allows for the addition of very realistic visual effects, such as lighting effects, minute details, textures, which is considered the main difference between 2D vs 3D animation.

　　How Real 3D Animation Works

　　Creating 3D animation is not easy, and there is no universal method. However, we can describe it by looking at two main approaches. First, there is a hand-drawn method. Like 2D, 3D animation can be drawn frame by frame and connected through sequencing, but this method is rare. Usually, some computer software is used, and this method includes 3 basic steps:

　　1. Modeling

　　At this stage, all the 3D objects that appear in the animation are created in a 3D animation program.

　　2. Layout and Animation

　　The background and setting of the animation are implemented, and the mechanisms (movement, changes) are added.

　　3. Rendering

　　The 3D objects, layout, and mechanisms are all combined and captured to create a complete product (animation).

　　Of course, there are many additional steps in making an animation clip (such as adding sound effects, special effects, and compositing), but the above 3 steps are the core requirements.

　　The Evolution of 3D Animation

　　The first computer-generated 3D animation clips appeared in the 1980s, but the technology didn't become popular until 1995, with the release of the first computer-animated feature film—Toy Story. This was also when the term CGI (computer-generated imagery), often associated with 3D, became popular, and the debate between hand-drawn animation and CGI first emerged. Since then, 3D animation has begun to dominate the animation box office, and the use of 3D in other industries has followed suit.

　　Over time, the amount of detail and real-world mimicry in 3D animation has only increased, and today's technology allows us to produce very realistic animations. The most popular programs currently used for these purposes include 3DS Max, Blender, Maya, and Cinema 4D. These programs are also praised for their ease of use, so 3D animators sometimes enthusiastically participate in the debate between 2D animation software and 3D software. It should also be mentioned that 3D animation is used for all the same visual media as 2D, but it is more popular than its counterpart in the creation of animated films, video games, architecture, and virtual reality simulations.

　　Advantages of 3D Animation:

　　Excellent motion visualization and accuracy

　　Can give excellent detail and realism to all animated elements

　　Completed 3D models can be reused and applied elsewhere

　　The prospects for future modernization are good

　　Disadvantages of 3D animation:

　　Production costs can be high

　　More creative limitations on movement and action

　　Takes longer to learn and master

　　Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of 2D and 3D animation

　　Around the world, animators, graphic designers, game artists, and other creative individuals create thousands of 2D and 3D models and animations every day. It's impossible to measure the ratio of total work created in 2D versus 3D animation, but we can compare the two styles in other ways. So let's proceed to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of 2D versus 3D animation.

　　1. 2D Animation Budget vs. 3D Animation Cost

　　2D animation is generally considered more affordable than 3D, as 3D requires more resource-heavy software and hardware, as well as a longer creation process. However, repetitive 2D animation performances may even be more expensive than 3D performances, as 3D performances traditionally reuse models with little effort and cost.

　　2. Demand

　　This is a difficult quality to measure, but we can make an overall assessment by looking at current trends. For example, there is a high demand for 3D animation in video games, films, product demonstrations, and virtual reality. In contrast, 2D animation holds a larger position in television shows, mobile and PC applications, websites, and advertisements. Both 2D and 3D are prominently used in all the aforementioned visual media. When it comes to the demand for 2D and 3D animators, both professions are highly sought after.

　　3. Quality

　　Quality is a very subjective term, so everyone will have their own opinion on which style offers better quality. Obviously, there are significant differences between 2D and 3D graphics, so if you prefer detail and realism, you might find 3D animation is right for you, while those who prefer creativity and out-of-this-world visuals might prefer 2D the most. Ultimately, the quality will depend on the impression of the content, not the medium used to create it.

　　Final Thoughts. 2D vs. 3D Animation: Which is Better?

　　After analyzing the two different styles of animation and their roles in different markets, we can confidently say that there is no clear winner. Furthermore, it's clear that 2D animation is safe and will be around for a long time. 3D may be the newer technology and will certainly have a place in the entertainment industry, but people will always appreciate and continue to use the creativity and ease of use that 2D animation offers. As human technological capabilities advance, we can also expect 2D and 3D animation to continue to coexist and develop. This aligns with industry predictions (2D vs. 3D animation predictions).

　　DCGART is committed to supplying 3D modeling talent to game and film and television companies. Currently, we offer a 2D bone animation employment class, with a duration of five months, and job placement assistance. You heard that right, a job placement course! As long as you don't slack off, you can get a job after five months! There is a high demand for 2D bone animators in the market, and many companies find it difficult to recruit them. The demand is particularly high in the 2D mobile game market, so there is a shortage of talent. Those interested in 2D animation can contact us!