5 Types of Animation

Animation has a unique way of telling stories. These stories provoke your mind and take you to a land of imagination. You have ecstatic feelings and goosebumps all over you. You begin to imagine the beauty of the universe, and you appreciate the wonder of the creation. All this before you realize they could just be a fiction.

Good animation evokes emotion. All these emotions are dependent on the creativity and prowess of the animator. However, they are different types of Animation that various animators can utilize to achieve their distinct purposes.?

Here are 5 types of animation

3D Animation?

3D animation is the type of animation with a three (3) dimensional view of the character in a digital environment and it can be rotated like a real object. 3D is also referred to as CGI (Computer Generated Imagery).?

In 3D, the animator uses a digital puppet to position the character. The animator poses the models on certain keyframes, the software used will perform an interpolation between those keyframes to create movement.

Here are some software designed specifically for 3D animation:

• Autodesk Maya?
• Blender
• Cinema 4D

Traditional Animation?

Traditional animations are often 2-dimensional animation. In the early 20th century, objects were drawn on frames which were later transferred on celluloid transparent paper or acetate sheets paper. A number of traditional animators in the 21st century now use some software on their tablets for animation.

Here are examples of software used by Traditional animators:?

• Toon Boom Harmony?
• TVPaint

2D Animation

2D Animation is a vector-based animation. Beginners do not need to worry about drawing skills to be proficient in 2D animation. In vector-based animation, animators can create character rigs, move single body parts without constant redrawing of characters. People use 2D animation in telling stories in movies, commercials, TV shows, and so on.

Here are some software used for 2D animation

• Toon Boom Harmony
• Toon Boom Storyboard Pro
• Adobe Animate CC
• Adobe Character Animator
• Adobe After Effects
• Adobe Photoshop
• Flash
• Encore

Stop Motion Animation

Stop motion animation uses photographic content and real objects to make an illusion of movement. The illusion of movement is made by capturing a frame at a time with real objects moved between these frames. In other words, the artists take a photograph or scene and subtly move the objects before introducing another photograph or scene.

Examples of Stop motion animation include Claymation and Cut-Outs

Here are some Software used for Stop motion animation

• Boinx iStop-Motion?
• Stop-Mojo
• Filmora
• Eclipse – Stop Motion
• iKITMovie

Motion Graphics

This is the movement of graphic content or text to achieve a creative purpose. Motion graphics are commonly shown on Television, in adverts, and movies. A Motion graphic artist can tell a story with the creative use of text and abstract objects.?

A lot of businesses are making use of animated logos, especially media firms. According to recent research, Intel Corp reported that animated content was 400% more attention-grabbing than static image.?

The following are some examples of software use for motion graphics

• Illustrator
• Photoshop
• After Effects
• Cinema 4D
• Red Giant software

To wrap up

According to research, the Global Animation Market will reach an expectancy of $640 Billion by 2030. The 3D animation global market size is estimated to reach an expectancy of USD 39.96 billion by 2028, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.7% from 2021 to 2028. A lot more opportunities are arising for artists and creators in the Animation industry.?

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