Over the decades, animation has been an integral part of storytelling as we know it. Whether it’s our favorite childhood masterpieces like The Lion King or a modern awareness documentary-like Sitara, It has always been successful in touching our heartstrings. And that’s the reason why it’s an integral part of modern marketing.
No matter if It’s a startup, one of the Fortune 500, or just a new unicorn in the game, you’ll see every single company using animation in some form. It could be an awareness campaign, commercial ad, or anything that falls in the spectrum of marketing.
So whether you are here just out of curiosity, looking for a perfect fit for your next marketing ad, or considering a career in the field, the following are the 10 different types of animations that you should know in 2022.
Although there are many more types of animations, the following list is selected after carefully analyzing the past and current animation trends.
So let’s jump in without any ado!
1. Cut-Out Animation
Remember those four foul-mouthed friends who made us laugh with their witty and, well…pretty controversial jokes? Yup, I’m talking about one of the most awkwardly iconic shows from the 90s, The South Park!
What If I told you that Stan, Kyle, Eric, and Kenny were actually just artistically designed pieces of cardboard? Weird, right?
Well, this is what we call cut-out animation. As the name suggests, all the characters in cut-out animation are basically “cut-out” smaller segments from paper, cardboard, or any other material and then pieced together.
Each part is then moved and captured in different pictures, arranged chronologically to create an illusion of smooth movement. You can also call it a combination of stop-motion and 2D animation.
2. 2D animation
2D animation laid the cornerstone for every other animation type we know today. In fact, the history of 2D animation dates back to the 1800s, when images were watched with as much enthusiasm as movies today.
2D animation is all about making the movement of images in a two-dimensional space. In the starting phase of 2D animation, these images were drawn on paper. But thanks to the advancements in technology, now we have many software to do the job.
Anyways, what hasn’t changed is the chronological arrangement of these images to create an optical illusion. A single second can contain as many as 24 frames.
The best examples of 2D animation include some of the all-time classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Sleeping Beauty, and even some video games, including Super Mario! Moreover, it’s also used as a powerful marketing tool these days. You see it in the form of explainers every now and then on your feed!
3. Stop Motion Clay Animation
Stop motion clay animation or claymation is a type of animation that relies on plasticine clay models or characters while staying confined to the conventional rules of stop motion.
In other words, plasticine or clay-made bodies are manipulated as per the requirements, and each pose or movement is captured with the help of a camera. These images are then arranged in a way that they create an optical illusion of movements.
Although stop motion clay animation isn’t as popular as it used to be back in the days, many brands still use it in their marketing campaign while targeting an adult audience to connect with them at a deeper level, usually by triggering nostalgic feelings.
Some of the best examples of claymation include Tim Burton’s Coraline and Peter Band’s The Pirates! Band of Misfits.
4. Industrial Animation
Well, industrial animation is just what the name suggests; it’s making animations for describing different industrial and mechanical processes, tools, and services.
Often, when a company introduces a new, or let’s say, revolutionary machine, the potential client is generally unfamiliar with the technicalities involved in running the device or its potential benefits.
Plus, explaining it through conventional means like slides, etc., is quite a tedious task, with fewer chances of getting the true message across compellingly.
Industrial animation solves this problem. It explains the minute intricacies of a specific product and gives you a chance to integrate your brand message into it.
An industrial animation can be 2D, 3D, or any other type that you find suitable for explaining your product or service. However, since mechanical explanation requires great attention to detail, 3D animation is often preferred.
For more information about industrial animation, check out this helpful article!
5. Typography Animation
You always see some form of kinetic typography in music videos, movie tributes, motivational videos, and YouTube ads. Typography refers to the moving text you see on videos. It can be for multiple purposes.
In general videos, kinetic typography is used to emphasize specific points. However, in marketing, it is basically used to strengthen the brand message throughout the explainer by creating emphasis on certain points.
What’s best about kinetic typography is its versatility. You can use it in a live-action video, a 2D animation, 3D animation, or even on its own. However, if you choose to rely merely on text, you’ve got to have a solid copywriter since you’ll have a tough time catching attention.
6. Motion Capture
Motion capture is tracing live footage and then converting it into computerized form through different programs. In creating a motion capture animation, trackers are fixed on the body of a real-life individual or actor.
These trackers record the movements, which are mapped on the computer screen in real-time as a virtual skeleton. Animators then overlay information on these movements, creating magic that we all see on the big screens.
In relatively complex projects, the actors put on a full suit to record minor details, including facial expressions. The character of Smaug, played by Benedict Cumberbatch in The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, is an excellent example of motion capture.
7. 3D Animation
3D animation takes the concept of 2D animation a step ahead and adds another layer of detail to it, the width. This brings the animation much closer to real life and gives a more immersive experience to the viewer.
Unlike some forms of 2D animation and stop motion, 3D animation is entirely made with the help of digital programs and 3D models are created within the digital environment. These models are then manipulated accordingly to produce picture sequences that give the illusion of movement.
Modern brands deliberately use it to educate and connect with their target audience as it adds more depth to the video than any other animation type. It’s one of the biggest reasons we see 3D explainers popping up on our feeds, in the movies, or wherever effective storytelling has an integral role.
8. Cel Animation
Remember when we mentioned hand-drawn animations while talking about 2D? That is what cel animation is all about; drawing images on a transparent sheet and then arranging them to create an optical illusion.
All the images are drawn with a pencil, and each one is different from another. Afterward, they are filled with the desired colors and photographed one by one sequentially, with a consistent background image.
Thanks to the advancement of technology and software, cel animation can be done using digital software today. However, cel animation isn’t as prevalent as it once was. Some animation companies still have it for a very selective group of clients in their services.
Some of the best examples of cel animation are Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Sleeping Beauty.
9. Rotoscope animation
Rotoscope animation is also called the predecessor of motion capture as motion capture animation derives all its principles for Rotoscope. Rotoscoping is a technique used to trace the live-action footage frame by frame and then turn it into an animated sequence.
Despite being a relatively older and time-consuming method, it produces animated movements that are more real than any other form of animation. In fact, Rotoscoping is single handedly responsible for creating one of the most iconic cinematic weapons, the lightsaber.
Some of the most popular rotoscope animation films include Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), and Fantasia. Although rotoscoping is now replaced by motion capture with advancements in technologies, it is impossible to deny its role in paving the path for modern animation.
10. Motion Graphics
Motion graphics are simple graphics in motion. It involves the movement of graphics in a digital space to tell a story. All the elements are placed in a sequence of frames like other animations to create an illusion of motion.
Motion graphics are consistently used in explainers because of their ability to break down complex topics in an easy and understandable way. Plus, a motion graphics video is usually straightforward and doesn’t require a long story to get the message across, promoting maximum user engagement.
Wrapping Up
Modern marketing is incomplete without a video, and animation occupies a considerable chunk of it. You can confirm this from the fact that about 87% of marketers are using it to increase their online presence, with 65% of users claiming to buy a product more likely after watching a video.
That being said, you must be living under a rock if you aren’t using animation, or video, to boost up your visibility and conversions.
In this article, we have discussed some of the most important animation types you must know about in 2022.
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