Data Loading...
A ST UD Y O N H Y B R I D A N I M AT I O N ’ S VISUAL OUTCOME
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, the researcher would like to express her sincere gratitude towards her module lecturer, Dr. Noorhayati for providing her invaluable guidance and suggestions throughout the course of 14 weeks with much patience. She is immensely thankful for the constructive criticism and feedback that was given that greatly helped her dissertation. Secondly, the researcher would also like to extend her deepest thanks to all her friends and course mates that have played a vital role in giving help and supporting her throughout the course of completing this dissertation. Not to forget she is incredibly grateful as well to have her cat, Daisy, who has been the greatest companion anyone could ever ask for. Lastly, she would like to thank her parents for the endless support and motivation given. Their words of encouragement have remarkably helped push the researcher to complete this dissertation.
ABSTRACT
Due to the technological advancements that exist in our modern era, there are numerous softwares and systems being developed to produce a specific art style of an animation. Throughout the years since the first animation created in 1908 which is in traditional hand-drawn style, the list of animation genres is becoming more and more diverse, bringing in new approaches that could significantly manipulate the visual outcome of the characters, environment, objects and various more. The subject of animation usually focuses on the storyline such as the plot, and most audiences believe that this is the most vital part of a successful animation. While that may be true, what many tend to ignore is the impact of the art style and visual appeal that exists in animation. In this research, the researcher will be exploring and learning whether combining 2D and 3D animation will create a visually appealing outcome. Additionally, to further explore and analyze the methods and processes of combining the two mediums. The researcher will also touch on the softwares and systems used to achieve either 2D or 3D style animation. Findings from the researcher’s methodologies will be discussed throughout the dissertation in detail.
CONTE
01 02 03
INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research theme 1.2 Research Topic 1.3 Research Problem 1.4 Research Objectives 1.5 Research Questions 1.6 Problem Statement LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Combination of 2D and 3D animation’s visual outcome 2.2 Methods and process of combining 2D and 3D animation 2.2.1 Matching 3D elements with 2D elements 2.3 Systems or tools used to achieve 2D or 3D style animation 2.3.1 Different styles of animation achieved by using a software RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research Design and Methodology 3.1.1 Pros and Cons of a Questionnaire 3.1.2 Pros and Cons of Visual Analysis 3.1.3 Pros and Cons of an Online Interview 3.2 Participant 3.3 Sampling 3.3.1 Quantitative Method: Questionnaire 3.3.2 Qualitative Method: Visual Analysis 3.3.3 Qualitative Method: Expert Interview 3.4 Instrumentation 3.4.2 Qualitative Method: Visual Analysis 3.4.3 Qualitative Method: Expert Interview 3.5 Data Collection and Analysis 3.5.1 Quantitative Method: Questionnaire 3.5.2 Qualitative Method: Visual Analysis 3.5.3 Qualitative Method: Expert Interview
ENTS
04
05
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 4.1 Quantitative Method: Questionnaire 4.1.1 Demographic 4.1.2 Participants’ background 4.1.3 Visual appeal of an art style 4.1.4 Hybrid Animation’s Visual Appeal 4.2 Qualitative Method: Visual Analysis 4.2.1 Visual Observation 4.2.1.1 2D Animation 4.2.1.2 3D Animation 4.2.1.3 Hybrid Animation 4.3 Data Analysis 4.3.1 Similarities and Differences Between Participants 4.3.1.1 2D Animation - Anastasia (1997) 4.3.1.2 3D Animation - Toy Story 2 (1999) 4.3.1.3 Hybrid Animation - SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) 4.4 Qualitative Method: Expert Interview 4.4.1 Data Analysis of Expert Interview 4.4.1.1 Interviewee’s Opinion Hybrid Animation 4.4.1.2 Making An Animation Visually Appealing 4.4.1.3 Implementing the Technique of Combining 2D and 3D animation 4.3.1 Similarities and Differences Between Participants 4.4.1.4 The Success of An Animation DISCUSSION 5.1 The Visual Outcome of Combining 2D and 3D animation 5.2 The Process and Methods of Combining 2D and 3D animation 5.3 Software/systems or tools used to achieve 2D or 3D style animation 5.4 Limitations 5.5 Project Recommendations
CONT
06
07
08
CONCLUSION
PROJECT RECOMMENDATION
REFERENCE LIST
TENTS
09 10
PICTURE CREDITS
APPENDICES
01
INTRODUCTION
In hybrid animation, 2D and 3D animation arecombined to produce a particular visual outcome. The characters in the animation could be in two-dimensional while the environment could be in three-dimensional space. 2D elements such as lines might exist in a 3D setting as well. With the existence of hybrid animation, there is a way to include hand-drawn or computer generated elements in an animation. The result of the combination of 2D style and 3D could be stunning. Successful and popular animated films such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the short animated film Paperman proves there is a high interest for 2D style in 3D animations (Kivistö, 2019). In terms of methods and techniques in achieving this type of animation, there are various approaches on how to implement the technique of combining two-dimensional and three-dimensional style together. The researcher aims to find out whether combining 2D and 3D animation will create a visually appealing outcome.
This dissertation aims to analyze and ex-
plore various aspects of hybrid animation as well as focusing on the methods and processes of it. The researcher chooses this specific topic within her specialisation of animation and visual effects as she firmly believes that the topic of hybrid animation is an interesting and unique topic in the animation field which is a field that she hopes to be a part of in the future of her career. With the lack of research done on this field by other professionals and students, she has decided to further study and explore this particular aspect. A research problem, questions and objectives have been raised to tackle this topic at hand. Journal articles will be critically evaluated in the literature review section, followed by a research methodology section based on a mixed-methods conducted by the researcher. The researcher will then present her findings in various data collection formats such as tables and diagrams which will be analyzed and discussed thoroughly and in depth. Results drawn from her research will be discussed in the discussion section and the study will end with a final conclusion.
1.1 RESEARCH THEME Hybrid animation
1.2 RESEARCH TOPIC The Production of Hybrid Animation
1.3 RESEARCH PROBLEM Behind the screen of a final image of an art and aesthetic drawing
1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 1. To learn if combining 2D animation and 3D animation will create a more visually attractive outcome. 2. To explore the process and methods of combining 2D animation and 3D animation 3. To learn how 3D animation technology is used to achieve 2D style animation
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. How does combining 2D and 3D animation create a more visually attractive outcome? 2. What are the methods and process of combining 2D and 3D animation? 3. How is 3D animation technology used to achieve 2D style animation?
1.6 PROBLEM STATEMENT In the past, prior to the development of computer-generated imagery (CGI), animation was a form of art.“Foremost among the technological developments that have affected animation in the past quarter-century is the merging of computing and image-making technologies.” (Stabile, 2013). According to Tina O’Hailey, “Hybrid animation is the combination of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) animation media. 2D and 3D animation media can be used, and are used, independently of one another.” (O’Hailey, 2010). Animation movies have moved from hand drawn to computer generated 3D animation over the last few decades. The decline of 2D in the film industry is apparent as every new animated film is released, audiences expect a higher performance of CGI renderings (O’Hailey, 2010). 3D animation is best at portraying the feel of realisticness in imagery (Schoonen, 2015). However, the rise of 3D does not mean the end of hand-drawn animation. Hybrid animation is achieved by giving a 2D appearance to a 3D object or by combining them (Mohammadi, 2019). “To find a way to not leave the drawings behind in the final image,” (Kahrs, 2012, 1:21). Therefore, this research will look deeper into the process and methods on how 2D animationand 3D animation can be combined using 3D animation technology that is available today.
L I T E R AT U R E R E V I E W
This section of the dissertation critically evaluates relevant articles that establishes the significance of the research topic. With a total of 7 articles used to conduct this study with 2 articles discussing visual outcome of two types of animation combined which is 2D and 3D animation, 3 articles exploring the methods and process of hybrid animation, and 2 articles giving their insides on how 3D technology is used to achieve 2D style animation. The review will be discussed in three categories, which are: 1) Combination of 2D and 3D animation’s visual outcome 2) Methods and process of combining 2D and 3D animation 3) 3D animation technology used to achieve 2D style animation
2.1 COMBINATION OF 2D AND 3D ANIMATION’S VISUAL OUTCOME The result of the combination of 2D style and 3D could be stunning. Successful and popular animated films such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and the short animated film Paperman proves there is a high interest for 2D style in 3D animations (Kivistö, 2019). This review aims to draw attention to the visual outcome of the combination of 2D and 3D animation. In this section, two research articles were selected to be compared and contrasted. The first paper was written by Jerina Kivistö and the second paper written by Christine M. Lukmanto.
These two articles discussed hybrid animation but each with different objectives, for the first paper (Kivistö, 2019), the author discussed whether merging 2D and 3D animation would be useful or favorable in producing a visually attractive outcome without compromising the work performance and productivity costs. The second paper (Lukmanto, 2018) discussed finding a way to make an animation by exploiting 2D and 3D medium as the most suitable visual style as it shows emotions the best with some aspects of realism to engage with the viewers. The first paper (Kivistö, 2019) was well written and structured, it can be understood easily and it was very informative with both the explanation and benefits and limitations of the main topic included. The writer managed to put her opinion regarding the combination of 2D and 3D animation’s visual outcome in the article which was really helpful to get to read her perspective on hybrid animation. The second paper (Lukmanto, 2018) was very detailed as it included all the steps during the production of the documentary. The author has done well in formatting the information in terms of gradually diving into the steps by first taking into consideration the different elements that affect the visual aspect of the animation.
The first paper titled “Hybrid Animation: The Process and Methods of Implementing 2D Style in 3D Animation” (Kivistö, 2019), aimed to look into the combination of 2D and 3D animation’s visual outcome and whether the end result could be enhanced while maintaining a reasonable workload. To examine this, the author carried out a practical demonstration of the two mediums combined. Results of the demonstration suggested that the merging of hand-drawn and 3D animation can successfully produce a visually attractive outcome while keeping the workload achievable. However before carrying out the demonstration, to gain a better understanding on the topic, the author looked into both 3D and hand-drawn techniques to gain a better understanding on the pros and cons of the two mediums and how they can counteract each other in a production. A research on several types of hybrid animation methods were carried out as well for a more detailed comprehension on the topic. In contrast, the second research paper titled “Visualization of an Animated Documentary with a Hybrid Animation Techniques” (Lukmanto, 2018) argues that by implementing a combination of two mediums was slightly difficult in a technical sense. She deduced this by producing a 3D character with 2D lines included. Nonetheless, the author stated that the hybrid animated style documentary is the best option for the visual style as it shows the toughness of reality by using 2D lines and a 3D low polygon character to represent its rigidity.
Even with the conclusion that Lukmanto (2018) has drawn, the making of the animated documentary came with certain limitations. Specifically, the author claimed that it was challenging to apply 2D lines that represent facial expressions with the 3D model. Nonetheless, it was feasible using a 3D software. Similar to Lukmanto, with the help of a software, Kivistö’s demonstration was successful by using a computer software to help in the hand-drawn process. Nevertheless, it is evident that both articles agree that the combination of 2D and 3D medium can produce a visually attractive outcome and it would be suitable to implement the technique for a specific purpose. It is essential to recognize the best method and medium to create an animation (Kivistö, 2019) and choose a specific visual style to deliver the message of the story (Lukmanto, 2018). Hybrid animation can produce a visual outcome that could assist in conveying a particular message. Despite the limitations mentioned, the articles reviewed have contributed greatly in this field and the results from their demonstration and documentary have proven the success of hybrid animation’s visual outcome.
As mentioned before, hybrid animation is known as the combination of 2D and 3D animation. It is a well-known technique implemented by numerous animators to make short animated films, movies and various more (Asraf et al., 2020). In this section, the researcher will be analyzing and explaining the methods and process of combining 2D and 3D animation through three articles. The first paper written by Doug Cooper. The second article was written by Keech, K., Bibb, R., Whited, B., & Achorn, B. The third article was written by Syed Muhammad Hazry Asraf, Nazreen Abdullasim, and Rusnida Romli.
2.2.1 MATCHING 3D ELEMENTS WITH 2D ELEMENTS Analyzing these workflows or processes between 2D animation and 3D animation has expanded the way for continued research into hybrid animation (Keech et al., 2017). An article titled “2D/3D Hybrid Character Animation on “Spirit”” (Cooper, 2002) delves into this subject. This paper focuses on the hybridization of 2D and 3D production techniques for character animation. To begin with the work process, the author stated that a 3D animated version of the character was printed to be used as reference in terms of perspective, scale, and volume when producing the hand-drawn drawings. To transition from 3D to 2D style, the animators started by animating the whole shot in 3D animation. After that, the 3D animation was then rendered and printed onto animation paper. The hand-drawn animators would then accurately match the frames of the 3D animation as drawings before animating the close-up scenes. As it was time to transition back to 3D style, the animators would match the 3D style for a few frames. In certain shots in the animation, both 2D and 3D techniques are implemented to significantly save cost and time rather than animating the whole shot traditionally using hundreds of drawings. They carried out this technique in one of the scenes, it started off with a 3D version of the character “Spirit” and as the camera zooms into a close-up of the Spirit, the medium of the character changes into a fully hand-drawn version. The result suggested that this technique undoubtedly assisted the animator in saving time and cost.
Similarly, an article titled “The Role of Hand-Drawn Animation in Disney’s Moana” discussed the use of hybrid animation techniques as well. The article revolves on the topic of a mainly 3D animated film interacting with 2D elements. The author mentioned that the purpose of the usage of the technique is because of the art direction that the animated film calls for. The work process was divided into two sections. In the first section, the article focuses on one of the main character’s tattoos which interacts with the main character while the second one touches on the tapa (a type of cloth made from the bark of Mulberry trees) process. The tattoos are found in 12 regions on the body and a 2D template is found on each region. Identical to Cooper (2002), the elements that are to be animated were roughly animated and printed on paper and scanned. Afterwards, the tattoos are rendered and projected onto the main character’s body. A baking method took place for interactive visualisation in a 3D software. This method provides interaction between 3D animators and the tattoos (Keech et al., 2017). An example of this method was carried out, the animation work process starts with the 2D and 3D animators exchanging views on the blocking and timing. Firstly, the 2D animation is completed first and only then projected onto the 3D character so that the animator can match the interaction between the two mediums for consistency. Equivalent to the first section, the second section which touches on the tapa process begins the exact same way as the tattoo. However, the similarities end there. An animation system called “Meander” was used to assist in cleaning-up the final drawings. Furthermore, the third article titled “Hybrid Animation: Implementation of Motion Capture” (Asraf et al., 2020), also acknowledged the need for consistency when merging 2D and 3D elements together. The purpose of this article is to use hybridization techniques for the animation. Additionally, the authors gave a very thorough explanation on why hybrid animation techniques are preferred rather than using traditional methods. The limitations of 2D animation production were also touched on briefly to be compared to the work process of 3D animation. However, the article was lacking in a detailed and informative step by step process to produce the animation. Asraf et al. (2020) later on stated that the results of implementing hybridization techniques are more advantageous as the process to create and control objects are more manageable and easier. Taking everything into account from the three articles, a common conclusion that they all came to is that implementing hybridization techniques saves costs, time and makes the workload more achievable. Moreover, the existence of hybridization techniques helps 2D or 3D animation’s workflow more attainable. Although there were limitations in each article, the researcher firmly believes that each article has provided sufficient material and information regarding the methods and process of combining 2D and 3D animation.