2D animation is, broadly speaking, the bringing to life of images, shapes, characters. The first things we associate with animation are mainly cartoons, which we still remember from our childhood. However, technology does not stand still. It is moving forward very dynamically and today animation looks completely different to what it did a dozen or so years ago. There has also been a significant increase in use of animation. Nowadays, it is no longer only used as entertainment but also as promotional or marketing material for companies and corporations. How did the life of animation begin? How much has it changed over the years? Here is some interesting information that may surprise you!
A bit of animation history
The first attempts to create animation were made by Peter Roget. His first attempts were, admittedly, completely unsuccessful. However, he eventually brought the drawings to life with the creation of the "flipbook". The aforementioned flipbook became a breakthrough in animation, which was then based on this method for a long time. It is a page/book with a series of images that vary gradually on each page. Thus, when you scroll through them quickly, they give the impression of movement and animation.
Georges Méliès is also an important figure for animation. It is to him that we attribute the creation of the stop-motion style, or stop-motion animation. This is a technique that uses photographs of real objects, props. For each frame (photo), objects are slightly transformed. When the frames are combined, thanks to their repositioning, they give the impression of movement.
Today, the vast majority of animations are created using computers. Newer and newer equipment, programmes, gadgets dedicated to the creation of animation - all this makes the production of animation look completely different than it used to. Entire studios are being set up to produce animation. The potential of animation is growing, and so are its applications. The flipbook or time-lapse technique is mainly used by hobbyists or for occasional projects.
2D animation today
Modern 2D animation is usually created in an animation studio. Modern equipment, sophisticated software, gadgets for creating objects and characters. As a result, the range of 2D animation styles and its use is enormous! Animation is no longer just entertainment and cartoons for children but also a range of other projects. Which ones?
Animation works well as:
- all marketing activities for companies
- w advertising and promotion
- instructions for use of the products
- simulations of events
- educational materials
Animation in Simple Frame
Our Simple Frame studio has been creating animation for over a dozen years. We can see how much has changed over the years. We continuously implement new technologies and take advantage of novelties offered by the market. We have used 2D animation techniques for campaigns for Eurobank, among others. The complex work, from creation and script to execution, was carried out in our studio. The colour scheme, the style of the characters and the character of the entire animation - each stage was carried out in-house, on state-of-the-art equipment.
But animation has more than one face and character! This is brilliantly demonstrated in another project that came out of our studio's wings. The animation for WSiP has a completely different style to that of Eurobank. Dynamic, colourful, more detailed with an emphasis on image detail. A different way of transitions and moving objects. By juxtaposing these two projects, you can see how many combinations and possibilities animation has today.
We always take a very individual approach to the client and each project. The studio equipment and the quality of the equipment we have allow us to create very advanced and creative animations. The same technique, yet each animation is different, each has a different style and character. And we still haven't discovered everything yet....