Daly notes a difference in the way they (traditional 2D animators) animate compared to those trained only in 3D. She says, “I think often times, 2D people come from a deep art background. So what we’re seeing is that there’s a different level of artistry in their animation once they master 3D. Not to say that people who have been 3D animators are inferior, but the 2D animators are able to translate their art really effectively in a 3D medium in a way that, generally speaking, a lot of people didn’t think they’d be able to.”
Animator and director Don Bluth (Titan A.E., Anastasia) echoes Daly’s statement. Don Bluth Films most recently made its first venture into 3D with cinematics for the Namco video game I-Ninja. He says of 2D animators, “They understand the principles of animation better than anyone. When we were doing I-Ninja, there was one guy among all the animators, an older guy who had done 2D his whole life long. It’s the difference between night and day when you see what he animates compared to the other guys who have never really drawn with a pencil. His animation is very spicy, very alive.”
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