Whenever we scroll through social media or browse a website, 2D animation videos as ads appear in our feeds. These videos look awesome sometimes (except the promotional ones, we sometimes hate it too). However, have you ever wondered where these 2D animations came from? What did they look like in the past? What are the iconic names in history that have marked a memory throughout our previous generation?
Well, running a digital marketing agency in Kolkata, we thought of exploring the roots of 2D animation and penned it down in case you also find it interesting.
The Evolution of 2D Animation Techniques
From flipbooks to AI and different software-generated videos, 2D animation has covered a very interesting journey so far. As explained below,
1. The Dawn of Animation: Flipbooks and Zoetropes
Before the big studios and fancy technology, animation had humble beginnings. The flipbook was one of the first ways people could create the illusion of movement. By flipping through pages with drawings, each one slightly different, the human eye would blend them into motion.
Example: One of the earliest flipbooks was created by John Barnes Linnett in 1868, where a horse appeared to gallop as the pages were turned. Even in the Taare Zameen Par movie, we have seen flipbooks as a creative art.
The zoetrope came around in the 1830s, a spinning drum with images inside. As it spun, you could see animated images through slits. It was like a prehistoric movie projector!
2. The Birth of Traditional Animation: Hand-Drawn Cel Animation
Hand-drawn cel animation was where animation took off. Artists would draw each frame of an animation on separate sheets of transparent celluloid, known as “cels”. These “cels” were then layered on top of static backgrounds, making the movement look fluid.
Example: Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) was the first full-length feature film created with this technique. It required over 250,000 hand-drawn frames!
3. The Golden Age of Cartoons: Disney and Warner Bros.
The 1930s to the 1950s were the “Golden Age” of animation. Big names like Walt Disney and Warner Bros. made animated films and shorts a cultural staple. Traditional cel animation was used here, with many animators working together to create individual frames.
For iconic cartoons like Mickey Mouse, studios used synchronized sound with animation, making the movement feel more lifelike.
Example: Mickey Mouse first appeared in Steamboat Willie (1928), one of the first cartoons with synchronized sound. On the other hand, Looney Tunes introduced classic characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, which shaped American cartoon humor.
4. The Rise of Limited Animation: Exploring New Styles
As demand for animated content grew, studios needed ways to cut costs. Limited animation was born out of necessity. Instead of animating every frame, only the essential movements were animated, (for example, a character’s arms or legs might stay still while only the head or torso moves) making characters appear more “jerky” but saving a lot of time and resources.
Example: Shows like The Flintstones (1960) used limited animation techniques. While the movement was less fluid than earlier Disney films, the style became a popular and cost-effective way to create TV cartoons.
5. The Computer Age: Digital Ink and Paint
The 1980s saw a breakthrough in animation with the introduction of digital tools. Digital ink and paint replaced the traditional method of painting each cel by hand. This made the process faster and more accurate. Animators started scanning hand-drawn artwork into a computer and then digitally painting it.
Example: Disney’s The Little Mermaid (1989) was one of the first animated films to use digital ink and paint, making the colors richer and more vibrant than ever before.
6. The Digital Revolution: Software and Tools
By the 1990s, animation was fully embracing computer technology. Software like Adobe Flash and Toon Boom allowed animators to create animations faster and with more flexibility.
Animators were empowered to create vector-based animation which means the images could be resized or altered without losing quality. This opened up new possibilities for animated series and movies, pushing the limits of creativity.
Example: The Simpsons (1989-) used early computer tools in some of its production, combining hand-drawn art with digital technology to speed up the animation process.
7. The Rise of Vector Graphics: Clean Lines and Scalability
Vector graphics, which use mathematical equations to create images instead of pixels, became popular in animation. This made it possible to scale images without losing quality and kept the animation clean and smooth. Here, artists use paths, lines, and points, and the computer calculates how to animate these shapes.
Example: South Park (1997-) is known for using vector graphics. The show’s simplistic, cut-out style makes it easy to animate quickly, and the use of vector-based animation ensures crisp lines in every scene.
8. Rotoscoping: Tracing Live Action for Realistic Movement
Rotoscoping is an animation technique where animators trace footage of live-action scenes frame-by-frame to create realistic movements. This method can blend the line between reality and animation, giving a very lifelike look to the animation.
Example: A Scanner Darkly (2006) used rotoscoping to create a surreal, animated look over live-action footage, with actors like Keanu Reeves appearing in animated form.
9. Cut-Out Animation: Bringing Paper to Life
Cut-out animation involves moving pieces of paper or other flat materials frame by frame to create movement. Each frame would involve repositioning the shapes slightly to simulate movement, similar to traditional stop-motion. While this may sound simple, it requires precision and creativity.
Example: South Park (1997-) originally started as a stop-motion cut-out animation before moving to digital techniques. The show’s characters were made from paper cut-outs, which were moved slightly between each shot.
10. 2D Animation in the 21st Century: Hybrid Techniques and Innovation
Today, 2D animation is a mix of traditional methods and cutting-edge digital tools. Animators combine hand-drawn techniques with software to create more dynamic and fluid animations. There’s also a blending of 2D with 3D elements, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
Example: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) uses 2D and 3D animation techniques in a groundbreaking way, creating a visual style that feels like a comic book come to life, with depth, texture, and movement blending seamlessly.
Watch out for the infographic below for a shorter and comprehensive brief history of 2D animation video techniques.
By day I create engaging content along with infusing high-volume, low-competition keywords strategically so that it gets loved by you and Google Crawler. Off the clock? I scroll for fresh ideas. (Don’t judge, gotta fuel the creativity!)