3D animation refers to animations that are meant to resemble the real world. While often seen in big budget films, they can also be great storytelling tools for companies and brands. Learn about 3D graphics and how this animation style can bring your next project to life.
In this article, we’ll cover:
What Is 3D Animation?
3D animation refers to animations that are meant to resemble the real world.
How does 3D animation work? 3D animators make characters that mimic the way objects move through three-dimensional space.
Also referred to as CGI, this type of animation has been appearing in films and television shows since the 1970s.
Today, 3D characters are used by a number of businesses as part of their marketing strategy.
Although 3D animation can be a labor-intensive process that requires a team of specialists, it’s a creative and fun way to elevate your brand’s message.
Types of 3D Animation
3D animations are regularly seen in big-budget films and television programs, but they can also be helpful storytelling tools for companies and brands.
These graphic animations can either be passive, interactive, or immersive.
Passive 3D Animation
Passive 3D animation is anything that a viewer passively watches. Examples include films and television shows, but can also be found within corporate presentations, social media videos, or product tutorials.
This is the most common type of animation used by businesses.
Interactive 3D Animation
Interactive 3D animation includes things like video games and training simulations. In this type of animation, the user has the ability to interact with the virtual 3D world around them.
Immersive 3D Animation
Immersive 3D animations are used in creating VR (virtual reality). This style of animation typically requires some kind of headset to be properly viewed.
Although there are tons of examples of immersive 3D animations in the gaming world, certain professions are beginning to use this type of animation as a training tool.
What Is the Difference Between 2D Animation and 3D Animation?
In a 2D animation, images and characters appear flat. The majority of early cartoons are examples of 2D animations. These animations are created on a flat plane with an x and y-axis.
3D animation mimics the look of the real world because characters and objects are moving across three planes. The addition of the z-axis is what gives a character or environment depth.
To create the illusion of movement in 3D animation, images need to be displayed at 24 frames per second. 2D animations are often played at 12 or 15 frames per second.
The Simpsons‘ “Treehouse of Horror” episode, where Homer tries to avoid his sister-in-laws, is a great visual example of the differences between these two animation styles.
The episode begins in the traditional flat 2D animation style, but when Homer slips into a mysterious opening behind the bookcase, everything switches to 3D. Genius.
Who Uses 3D Animation?
3D animation is a versatile tool that’s used beyond the world of television and movies.
Today, you can find 3D graphic animations in corporate presentations, on medical websites, by architectural firms, and in the marketing materials of Fortune 500 companies.
Shutterstock Studios is a good example of a company that regularly works with major brands to help bring 3D animations to life.
Examples of 3D Animation
Television: Rugrats
Although the original Rugrats cartoon was all 2D animation, the 2021 reboot of the series featured all the Rugrat babies as 3D animated characters.
Movies: Toy Story
While 3D animation started appearing in movies in the 1970s, Pixar’s Toy Story was actually the first feature-length film to be fully computer animated.
It eventually grossed $373 million worldwide, received three Academy Award nominations, and is still considered one of the best animated films ever made.
Video Games: The Last Of Us
The Last of Us uses 3D graphic animation and third-person perspective as the two characters travel through a post-apocalyptic United States.
It’s the first video game to get an HBO-adaptation and it was acknowledged as being one of the best ever adaptations of a game.
The visual effects team on the show said they regularly referenced the 3D animations in the game while editing the first season of the show.
Advertisements: Mucinex
The 3D-animated Mucinex snot monster is a great example of how these types of graphic animations can exist within the real world.
Shutterstock Studios and TurboSquid worked with the gross, but kind of cute, anti-hero in a campaign that encourages customers to use DoorDash to get those meds delivered to their doorstep fast.
Immersive Art: Cannes Lions
Shutterstock Studios created an immersive art experience at Cannes Lions Film Festival in 2022 that allowed visitors to use their smartphones to explore the collection of Shutterstock’s 3D animations.
This type of animation has become a popular element in many experiential art activations.
How Is 3D Animation Made?
3D animations for Fortune 500 companies, film studios, and television series all have one thing in common—they are made by a team, rather than an individual person.
The process of producing 3D animations involves developing a concept, scriptwriting, art creation, voice casting, and post-production—and each step requires specialists to keep the project moving along.
Although it’s a creative medium that requires a fair amount of time and a team with specialized skills, 3D animations are a great way to introduce an element of fun into your brand’s messaging.
Need a little help getting started on this journey? We’ve got you covered.
Shutterstock Studios is made up of talented professionals who can help you get your 3D graphic animation ideas out into the world.
Tools
Really, the most important tools are a fast computer and a fast hard drive with a large storage capacity.
A tablet and pen to digitally draw can also be helpful tools for 3D animators.
Software and Programs
Animators use specific software to bring their digital animations to life. These are some of the most popular pieces of software for creating 3D animations.
Methods and Techniques
There are a ton of ways to create 3D animations and the method you use will ultimately affect the way the final product looks.
Determining what style is best for you will depend on what you are hoping to accomplish and how much you are willing to spend.
CGI
CGI, or computer-generated imagery, is the most common form of 3D animation and refers to animations that are made using a computer.
Examples of CGI animations are found everywhere, like this cute little guy.
Sports broadcasters use them for game visualizations, it’s how the dragons were made in Game of Thrones, and it’s the style of animation used in nearly every animated advertising campaign.
Interactive 3D
This type of animation is often used in video games, but it refers to any kind of 3D animation that you can interact with, thus the name.
In addition to the gaming world, interactive 3D animations can be found in teaching simulations and immersive art experiences.
Virtual Reality 3D
Virtual reality 3D animation often pops up in video games—anything that gets played using a VR headset is likely utilizing this form of animation.
It is also often used as a teaching tool.
Stop Motion 3D
One of the oldest forms of 3D animation, stop motion 3D animation is when you take a series of still images played very quickly to create the illusion of movement.
The claymation series Wallace and Gromit used stop-motion to create a 3D animation. This animation style is really beautiful, but it’s a time-consuming process that requires a meticulous eye.
Motion Capture
Motion capture 3D animation uses a variety of special sensors that are attached to the body of an actor to create animated characters.
This technique is most commonly used in big-budget films and television shows.
Gollum from Lord of the Rings and Na’vi Neytiri in Avatar are two characters that were turned into 3D animations by motion capture.
3D Animation FAQ
What is meant by 3D animation?
3D animation refers to computer-generated animations that move through a three-dimensional plane. These animations emulate real-life scenerios because of how they move through space.
They can appear in illustrated worlds, but a 3D animated character can also appear alongside actors in the real world.
Is 3D animation easy?
3D animation is a specialized skill that requires patience and an eye for detail. Animators use specific programs to bring their animations to life, but they also need to have a general knowledge of physics so that the animations will move in a realistic way.
Big-budget projects generally have a production team to help keep 3D animation projects organized.
What makes a good 3D animation?
While a good 3D animation should move through space as if it were moving through the real-world, there are other elements to consider.
Remember, it’s a storytelling tool, so the best animations feature well-developed, eye-catching characters and a story with a beginning, middle, and end.
For some great video productions in action, check out these posts next:
License these cover images via Roman3dArt and okeykat.
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