3D animation is the art of using motion to bring characters, vehicles, props, and more to life within TV shows, films, and games. 3D Artists are often involved in several early steps of the VFX pipeline in order to ensure they deliver an animation-ready model.

The 2.5D animation stands in the middle ground between 2D and 3D animation. In this type of animation, we use 3D objects in a 2D environment. We base the background in 2D, but the characters and hero objects are 3D. We can emphasize objects in this type of video as they are the center of attention.

Just like traditional animation, the goal of 3D animation is to make it appear on screen as if the images are actually moving when in fact, they are simply a series of consecutive images which are shown on a very fast sequence. The same principle is used in 2D or stop animation.

2D animation comprises of characters or objects only in height and width. 3D animation comprises of objects in height, width, and depth. In other words, characters are going to be more a realistic contrast to 2D characters. 2D animation objects are created by traditional drawing method.

Different Types of Animation:

• Traditional Animation.
• 2D Animation (Vector-based)
• 3D Animation.
• Motion Graphics.
• Stop Motion.

2D Animation costs less than 3D, due to the technical difficulty of 3D, cost of software and the lengthy time scales needed to produce 3D Animation. The 2D Animation process is easier than 3D. There is more demand for 3D Animators than 2D. 2D Animation is considered more traditional than 3D.

Should I even bother learning 2D animation? And the answer is YES. There is still plenty of work for 2D animators, it’s just less in films and more in the huge market of mobile gaming, commercials or TV series (for kids and adults). They all still use a ton of 2D animation and don’t seem to be slowing down.

The animators don’t redraw everything for every frame. Instead, each frame is built from layers of drawings. The cartoon characters are drawn on clear film, so the background shows through. The part of the character that is moving – the mouth, the arms – may also be drawn as a separate layer.

Difficulty of 2D One is that with 2d animation, it needs a repeated and arduous effort of drawing the character from different angles. In 2D animation, it’s almost impossible to animate with a rotating perspective and keeping the proper volumes and perspectives correct on the objects within the scene.

If you want to get into 3D animation, then the answer is very simple: You don’t need to be a great artist to be a great animator. As long as you have a strong understanding of the 12 principles of animation, your animations are going to be excellent, regardless of whether or not you know how to draw.

Animation is absolutely a good career choice! Just look out at all of the cartoons that are being made daily! Channels like Cartoon Network, Disney, Nickelodeon, etc. etc.

TL;DR: It’s worth if you think it is, in 2d animation you learn a lot of skills that are easily transposable to other fields of the art industry, so as long as you are willing to be flexible you will be just fine! 2D is not going away. Maybe hand-drawn cell animation will be the fad some day in the future.

It’s fairly hard to break into animation, but once you are in, as long as you can play nice with others, you are ‘in’. Most jobs animators get are because of referrals from other animators. If there is a posted spot, there will be a lot of competition.

Demand for 2D animated programs is at an all-time high By 2022 Netflix is expected to invest almost $5 billion in animated content, and Amazon Prime is committing $1.86 billion according to Loup Ventures.

Choosing between the two styles will primarily come down to personal preference. It’s not really a matter of 2D vs 3D animation; it’s what you find most enjoyable. Though it is by no means a hard rule, 2D tends to suit people who are more artistic in nature, whereas 3D often suits those with a more mechanical mind.

2D animation budget vs 3D animation cost. 2D animation is generally considered to be more affordable than 3D because 3D requires more resource-heavy software and hardware, as well as a lengthier creation process.

We are 3D creatures, living in a 3D world but our eyes can show us only two dimensions. The depth that we all think we can see is merely a trick that our brains have learned; a byproduct of evolution putting our eyes on the front of our faces.

Disadvantages

• Animation requires a lot of effort and time to create. It works well from a technical perspective.
• It cannot judge the level of every student in a class.
• The animation technology is created to interact with the students.
• Animation technology uses more storage and memory space.

10. Pros and Cons of animation

It’s easy for live action film, such as talking head clips, to appear imposing and heavy in information. An animation disarms your audience, makes them feel anything but threatened by the new knowledge being bestowed upon them. It’s more engaging, which results in a greater retention of information.

Full-time animators and multimedia artists usually earn benefits such as sick leave, paid vacation, and health insurance. Self-employed animators and multimedia artists must provide their own insurance.

Is animation a stable career? Employment of multimedia artists and animators is projected to grow 8 percent from 2016 to 2026. This is about as fast as the average for all occupations. Projected growth will be due to increased demand for animation and visual effects in video games, movies, and television.

How many years does it take to get an animation degree? It takes four years to complete a typical animation program leading to a bachelor’s degree. Some schools offer programs that allow students to complete their degree in three years by limiting the number of required courses outside of the core animation curriculum.

Even tough you may be limited in your creativity, being an animator is an awesome job (at least for me). I love the craft that there’s behind every animation, the fact that you give life to various characters and interpret many roles is extremely satisfying to me.

Most animators don’t even see an entry level job at his company. For every successful applicant they rejected over 250. So again; no, You will not become a billionaire from being an animator.

Being an animator is hard work… very hard compared to many office jobs. It requires discipline and focus, skills hard won over long hours of practice, self criticisim and acceptance of outside criticism, etc. Make no mistake, animation is a very tough industry with long hours and many difficulties.

BLS data lists the 2017 median pay for animators at $70,530 a year. Glassdoor has the national average a bit higher at $74,000. Like many other fields, compensation for animators also depends on experience: it’s not uncommon for senior-level animators or art directors to earn well into six figures.

The World’s Richest Cartoonists

• Hanna-Barbera – $300 Million.
• John Lasseter – $100 Million.
• Stephen Hillenburg – $90 Million.
• Tim Burton – $80 Million.
• Mike Judge – $75 Million.
• Seth MacFarlane – $55 Million.
• Terry Gilliam – $40 Million.
• Sources.

Animation is a satisfying and lucrative profession and is attracting youngsters in droves towards it. Professionals new to this industry generally work in the capacity of junior animators in animation studios and production houses. The starting pay package of these animators can be in a range or Rs. 10,000 to Rs.

Working in the animation industry is undoubtedly very rewarding, although it can be stressful as well. As long as you make an effort to reduce your stress levels where possible, you will be able to manage your career with ease.