Ever checked animation studios demo reel and animation portfolios on a yearly basis? Have you noticed a significant difference in the style, content or techniques? Every year, something becomes a trend in the animation industry. This trend forces artists to go with the fellow and adopt new techniques and styles in their works. animation wouldn’t get engagement or attention unless they follow the trends. Whether we want it or not, this is happening and nothing lasts forever.
Why trends are important in the animation industry?
Since technology is growing fast and every moment something new is invented or produced, trends in animation change at the same pace. Visual artists bring their aesthetic vision into technology and produce 3D and 2D animation that grabs people’s attention, grow the business market and enhance learning everywhere from schools to universities. 2018 Trends Whiteboard In the past year, one of the observable videos in most 2D and 3D animation portfolios was whiteboard animation. Whiteboard is an explainer video which tells a story and connects with its audience. This kind of animation became a trend because of its lower cost, explicit and simple approach in providing information. Thus it wouldn’t be surprising if whiteboard animation becomes a trend this year, too.
Isometric animation
Another trend was isometric animation. Isometric animation is a subtype of axonometric animation. In this animation, a 3D object is rendered using 2D effect. Therefore, it creates an attractive and amusing animated video. This technique was popular in the 90s. However, it is regaining its popularity in game art. Hence, in 2D animation portfolios and 3D animation portfolios, there were a number of works with isometric technique.
Techniques that were mentioned before may be seen this year too. Animation portfolios are changing but they follow the same theme. This theme is the trends.
What are the probable trends in animation portfolios this year?
VR/AR
This year, the entertainment industry is working so hard on the use of animation in AR and VR. Although virtual reality and augmented reality are not brand new, they were not accessible for everyone in past years. So, as the power of virtual reality and augmented reality grows, new features are added to these worlds. Therefore, it’s time to tell stories in AR and VR and unplug ourselves from reality. Many business owners are now considering the use of animation in VR and AR to deliver their message and make a sale.
Time Travel; Vintage style
Many artists today are willing to work in vintage style and enhance their animation portfolio. 3D animation studios made 3D animated videos a trend for several years. however, today artists decide to create 2D animated videos and styles like retrofuturism. Retrofuture art shows how people in past, imagined future. Today everything from the past gained a lot of attention. It worths to mention that the choice of color pallets is becoming different today. High Contrast and vibrant colors are often used in commercial videos and teasers. It seems like that as we walk into future, we become more interested in the retro style.
Hybrid Animation
Another trend in animation is hybrid animation which is using the combination of 2D and 3D animation. In this technique, one thing that artists do is that they give the 3D object a 2D effect and look. Another thing that they would exert, is that they use 2D and 3D assets in an integrated way. Therefore, the videos get the artistic look and attract audiences’ attention. This technique can be used in commercial, educational, and promotional videos to deliver clear messages.
Why 2D animation is getting popular again?
Appealing Look
As mentioned earlier, most of the trends this year, are about two-dimensional videos or retro techniques. It seems like the reason for this occurrence would be the increase in the use of mobile phones, tablets, and laptops. People prefer following video content that is attractive and comprehensive.
3D stereotyped animation
Another reason for following this trend is that in former years 3D animation production got stereotyped in the film industry and creativity in content and techniques decreased grossly. Therefore, the need for producing 2D animation is increasing. Each year big animation studios produce the second or third part of one animation that got attention in the past like Toy Story and Incredibles. This is considered as a wake-up call for action. And the action is producing creative video content. Hence animation portfolios may look two dimensional in the proceeding years. In the animated movie “Spiderman; into the spider vest”, that is the 2019 Golden Globes animated feature film award winner, the hybrid animation is used. In this animated movie, the 3D world and characters got 2D effects and each frame of this movie is like a comic book.
Why the wind of change blows?
The animation was born when people understood that they could draw doodles and move them. And it was formed when simple computers with simplex graphics software were invented. If you look at the animation portfolios thoroughly, you understand the changes. Changes occur due to technology advancement and artistic vision evolution in different eras. People in mid-80s had different issues than today. So as their produced animated videos must have been different. Furthermore, trends in the animation industry change in concordance with people’s demands too. So anytime something new pops up in this industry, it means that people are in need of something new. In this case, studios and business holders should respond to these needs. Hence, it’s no wonder to see 2D animation assets touch in animation studios’ animation portfolios.