The Art of Storytelling Through 2D Animation
There is a timeless element about 2D animation that transcends generations. From classic Disney movies to much-loved anime, 2D animation brings some storylines to life that no other medium can. So what is it about this flat, hand-drawn style that can so believably bring out real characters and make stories so powerful?
In this blog, we shall uncover the storytelling excellence of 2D animation, how this works, and why people keep coming back in droves.
Why 2D Animation Is So Powerful as a Form of Storytelling
Simple and sweet, 2D animation lets a storyteller almost speak to the viewer in an almost direct manner. Using little care about the realism of a thing existing physically in the world or as much setup done on 3D models as one can have, artists are able to work on a clean slate, mold, shape, and reinvent at will according to how the story goes along. This gives rise to stories that often involve high imagination and high emotions, where the viewer will feel that they’re part of a living, breathing picture book.
2D Animation Techniques That Bring Stories to Life
2D animation particularly uses special techniques that bring magic in visuals each playing a role in enhancing storytelling. Here are a few:
Squash and Stretch
Squash and stretch is one of the most important principles in 2D animation and helps in the development of fluid and dynamic movement. For example, a bouncing ball might squash when hitting the ground and stretch as it moves upwards. This technique is often used with characters, too, and seems to give them a bouncing quality and a sort of leaping, alive quality to their personalities.
Anticipation and Follow-Through
Anticipation is the setup, preparing the audience for an action, think of a character winding up before they throw a punch. Follow-through is when, after an action, a character’s hair moves after they have stopped. These techniques lend a quality of weight and timing to movements that will make them appear more realistic and even satisfying.
Staging
Staging controls where the eye of the audience pays attention. In traditional 2D animation, this can be very control-conscious compositions, backgrounds, and lighting which lead the viewer’s eye exactly to where the action is or precisely the emotions. Hence, with characters and objects placed here and there, animators never let viewers miss out on what is supposed to matter in a story, which forms an intelligible and engaging visual story.
Exaggeration
Such exaggeration in 2D animation might be extreme in terms of emotions or action, but at the same time, makes it feel normal. The overreaction of a character in the feelings and its expressions can make the moment important.
For example, a person’s eyes might become more significant than his face when he is surprised, or a person’s body shudders when he is angry. Such exaggeration helps directly see the emotion of the character, which feeds the audience’s emotional response to the storytelling in animation.
Why 2D Animation Is Fantastic for Imaginary Worlds
One of the most appealing narrative arguments for implementing 2D animation is its ability to transport audiences into spaces that are as fantastic and whimsical as the human imagination can dream up. With 2D, artists are not confined to the strictures of physics, which allows them to create spaces that are impossible in reality or even impossible to attain in 3D.
Breaking All The Rules Of Gravity
2D provides an opportunity to flex the rules of gravity, scale, and space to accommodate the needs of the animation storytelling. A character can shrink down to the size of a mouse or grow large enough to tower over mountains without compromising the flow of vision.
Bending Abstract Ideas to Life
Abstract concepts can be successfully animated through this same medium, so that emotions become forms, dreams blend with reality, and imagination finds its visibility. That’s why Adventure Time sounds like something that should exist in the world or movies like Spirited Away. ________________________________________
The Enduring Power of 2D Animation in Storytelling
However, 3D technology and live-action CGI notwithstanding, 2D animation is still the most potent storytelling medium. Simple and adaptable, these features allow artists to create expressive and fantastical worlds and memorable characters. Techniques such as squash and stretch, exaggeration, and staging bring narratives alive in a variety of ways that simultaneously feel very intimate and limitless.
At Brinysoft, we specialize in the art of 2D animation where simplicity meets creativity in telling your brand’s story. We feel that 2D animation is somewhat timeless and can encapsulate and capture moments and emotions through imagination that no other medium can. Each frame gives us the chance to bring about colorful, expressive visual identity and genuineness to the identity of your brand. Whether it is connecting people by a heartwarming story or a simple, character-driven message, our 2D animation techniques assures that your storytelling animation connects and resonates.
