Trends in Animation

Animation has been enriching and revolutionizing film, videos, video games, computer programs, advertisements, and more for over 100 years. Today, it continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of those who use animation for their projects and campaigns. The most recent trends promise to provide clients with ever more creative, useful, and realistic ways to enjoy the benefits of animation.

Use in mobile apps Animation has extended into almost every corner of the technological field. Animation studios can now offer clients cartoon production, animated advertising, video game animation, educational animation, and many other applications of the art form. Now, it is beginning to make an appearance in mobile applications as well. In particular, animation is beginning to make headway in the user interfaces provided through mobile devices such as smartphones.

One reason that animation provides such a promising tool for appealing user interface is because it adapts itself easily to the different screen sizes offered on various mobile devices. Text cannot adjust easily to different screen sizes, creating an obstacle for designers who want to create products that work across all mobile devices. Animation, on the other hand, can be designed to fit any screen size, making it easier to use.

In addition to its practicality, animation is more engaging than other forms of user interface. It also provides a smoother and more realistic appearance and a more realistic experience for the user. As a result, applications that use animation in their user interface enjoy a broader appeal than do other applications. As the use of mobile devices continues to expand, the use of animation to improve user experience on these devices is set to expand as well.

Combined styles Another recent trend in animation has to do not so much with where the animation is used but with what types of animation are utilized. Specifically, the practice of combining styles of animation has become increasingly popular recently, as animators discover the benefits of melding various styles into one appealing visual production. An example of this practice is the movie Big Hero 6, which utilizes both traditional animation and Eastern techniques to bring the story to life. Other productions combine live action with animated features. Alternatively, 2D animation in Austin may combine with stop motion techniques. The goal of the mingling of styles is to create an entirely new, carefully melded look that meets the needs of the particular project affected by these combined techniques.

This new combination of styles expands the already broad creative options that animation offers. It also expands the possibilities for clients who want to use animation, because literally anything they

can imagine can be executed on the screen using either a single style or multiple styles combined. It also means that the shortcomings of one particular style or technique can be balanced by the strengths of another technique. The combined strengths of each technique results in even better animation than could have been achieved by using just one style.

Popularity of traditional animation techniques One of the results of the rise in combined styles in animation is the resurgence in the popularity of traditional animation techniques. For instance, Austin animation studios are now including traditional animation, such as hand drawn animation, in their CGI or 3D animation projects, because these techniques add interest and fluidity to the relatively greater rigidity of 3D animation. Other productions have successfully mixed stop motion animation with 3D animation to produce stunning and appealing effects.

Another technique of traditional animation that has been gaining traction since at least 2012 is the use of hand drawn animation. This type of animation is especially appealing to many because of the details and styles that it can create that cannot be mimicked by 3D animation. While traditional animation can be a bit more labor intensive than 3D or digitally created animation, it has the ability to produce detailed, natural, and fascinating animated pieces that are suitable for everything from animated ads to animated cartoons.

Realism Finally, realism is becoming increasingly popular in the animated world today. The drive to create characters and worlds that are as close too lifelike as possible is underlying more and more animation efforts today. For instance, the ability to create realistic characters has become so advanced that the makers of Mockingjay Part 2 were able to include a CGI-created animated character to replace an actor who had died partway through the filming of the movie. Even when animators are working with 2D animation instead of 3D animation, the tendency toward realism remains. This is part of the reason that animation is being used more and more in mobile applications: Because it can provide a smoother, more natural experience for the user than other options for the user interfaces, and that realistic feel is extremely important to consumers and animators alike. As animation continues to evolve, the trends and styles that dominate the field will continue to evolve as well. Each change, however, will have one thing in common: To more effectively provide each

animated project with the characters, worlds, and styles it needs to reach its target audiences, and to expand the creative and technical capacities of the animator. As a result, in cooperation with an animation partner, you should be able to harness the recent trends to create the type of animated project that will suit your own particular needs and reach your target audience. For more information, visit http://www.powerhouseanimation.com/