News2D vs. 3D Animation: The Difference Between Them, Which One is Better...

2D vs. 3D Animation: The Difference Between Them, Which One is Better for Video Marketing?

Photo by Ion (Ivan) Sipilov on Unsplash

Confused about 2D and 3D animation? Find out which of these styles works best for your brand marketing strategy!

There’s a reason why the animation industry rakes billions yearly, and it’s not hard to see. Coming across an animated video can awaken different emotions in you ranging from awe to amusement, surprise, intrigue, and passion. And such content has experienced huge traffic numbers, with the global market size for these videos hitting $394.6 billion and expected to reach $528.8 billion by 2030.

Among the many animation styles available, 2D and 3D seem to gain the highest demand. No wonder they’re so popular in marketing and brand videos worldwide. But if you run a business and are interested in using animation, you may be confused about which will work best for your products and services. Well, read on to find out what they are and which to choose.

2D vs. 3D Animation: Definition

Both 2D and 3D animation presents an extensive range of opportunities for creating unique content. And most styles available fall within either of both categories. 2D animation simply refers to animating characters and environments in two-dimensional space. This style is vector-based, meaning it employs pathways connecting start and end points with lines. It’s why you’ll find a 2D explainer video looking more like comic books in motion.

But 3D animation is much different and features characters and environments rendered in a three-dimensional structure. Instead of vectors, 3D animation uses pixels to create an effect of weight and presence. Many 3D subjects originate from scans of real-life objects, which are then passed through software that renders them into animated structures. It’s also why many projects are overlapped with VFX pipelines and effects.

2D vs. 3D Animation: Differences

Both 2D and 3D animation share a similar core, which is placing and manipulating subjects in a space to generate an illusionary motion. They also involve computerization and detail orientation, the latter of which is crucial to getting accurate results. It’s why animators from both sides need to understand the principles and physics of motion, to create convincing movements in digital objects.

But they also possess distinct features which set them apart, such as;

  • Start Point: While 2D animation mostly begins with drawings, 3D animation video services use either computer-generated images or scans of real-life objects.
  • Detail: 3D animations bank on the x, y, and z-axis, while 2D focuses on just the first two. It’s why 3D images seem more present than their 2D counterparts.
  • Production Process: 2D animation mostly involves stages such as storyboarding designing, in-betweening, coloring, painting, tracing, and finally, rendering. But 3D involves modeling, layout and animation, and finally rendering.
  • Cost: Because they involve more detail and attention, 3D animation videos are generally more expensive than their 2D counterparts.

Generally, it’s safe to say while 3D animations often require modeling, 2D animations require lots of drawing, which in many cases, is done by hand. 3D animation also offers characters with more depth and detail than 2D. But 2D animations are easier to make and offer fluidity in concepts and style.

Plus, the hand-drawn nature of most 2D animations gives them a wider artistic advantage. As one of the oldest techniques, it also features more styles compared to 3D. But the latter offers better technicality, mechanical expression, and realism. This makes it best for videos that wish to give stronger conviction through characterization than visuals.

Which Is Better for Video Marketing?

While both offer distinct advantages, there’s no reason to not use both in your marketing plans. While 2D animations are best for short-form videos like ads and corporate content, 3D animation video services are preferred for higher-budget projects like films, TV shows, and video games. Still, both styles can be used interchangeably, depending on the creator and brand involved.

The key is finding where each style suits your video marketing needs. You can always consider 2D animation for quick, short works that require artistic taste, while 3D animations can be used for videos offering practical, demonstrative concepts.

But when making such videos, always employ the services of experts who have mastered the art and principles surrounding these styles, like Zelios Agency. Our years of service in the animated video production business give you a guarantee for the best 2D animated explainer video projects on the market. And you can always trust that our 3D animation video services to deliver the best reactions and engagements from your trusted viewers.

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