Difference Between Animation and Visual Effect (VFX)

While so much has been talked about animation and visual effects in today's entertainment world. Both animation and visual effects are similar in their artistic effects in a sense both tend to give life to a static visual. But both have there some differences at the same time. Let's take a look at the difference between animation and visual effect (vfx).

What is Animation and Visual Effect (VFX)?

Animation

Animation is a process in which static image is used to create an illusion of motion by moving those image in a particular sequence. A static image can be animated using image creation software and 3D modeling. In this era of Technology, we have High-Performance Workstation, which helped artists to produce high quality and more realistic animations. Some common examples of animation are the cartoon which you watched in your childhood like Chhota bheem, little Krishna, chamki ki duniya, Ek tha jungle and etc. Animated movies like Lion King, Hotel Madagascar and so many others are best examples of today's animation. 

Click on Below Video: Easy Way to Animate for Beginners 

Different Forms of Animation: 

1. Traditional Animation (cell animation, frame by frame drawings) 

2. 2D Animation (vector animation: a sequence of mathematical statements that place lines and shapes in a given space) 

3. 3D Animation (computer animation) 

4. Stop Motion Animation (Claymation, Whiteboard, cut-outs, etc.) 

Visual Effect 

On the other hand, visual effects is the process of combining the existing image with the computer-generated imagery to create a sense of realism. The process of creating and manipulates such imagery and combines it with live shots. Common use of VFX includes the creation of fire and explosion in action movies that deal with natural catastrophes, explosions, sky replacement, logo removal, fictional characters (dinosaurs, transformers, straight, gentle and sane men, etc.) and creating other environmental effects. 

Different forms of VFX: 

1. Matte Painting 

2. Live Action 

3. Imagery 

4. Digital Animation 

Click on Below Video: VFX Core Concepts 

Categories of Animation and Visual Effect (VFX) 

Animation can be traditional, stop-motion or computer animation. Each category follows different ways of creating, animating and manipulating static images into realistic scenes. 

On the other hand, VFX can be divided into three categories, namely Matte Painting, live-action effects, and digital animation. VFX is one of the most important aspects of film-making, and it comes into play during the post-production stage. But it is choreographed much ahead during the planning stage. 

But just like vfx, animation has also become an integral part of today's entertainment media. 

Conclusion:

Animation is something, where the modelling artists create a non-existing character with computer and story, is framed by some other artists such as the lighting artists, rigging artists, texturing artists and so on. Whereas, Visual effects (vfx) are the various processes by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the setting of the live action shot by artists such as compositors, rotoscoping artists, matte painters, keying artists etc.