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Hybrid Animation: Implementation of Three-Dimensional (3D) Animation

To cite this article: Syed Muhammad Hazry Asraf and Syed Zulkarnain Syed Idrus 2020 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1529 022094

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JICETS 2019 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1529 (2020) 022094 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1529/2/022094

Hybrid Animation: Implementation of Three-Dimensional

(3D) Animation

Syed Muhammad Hazry Asraf1, a and Syed Zulkarnain Syed Idrus1, b, *1

School of Human Development and Techno-Communication (iKOM),
Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP).

a
hazrysyed@[Link]; b syzul@[Link]; c, *

Abstract. In the 21st century, much progress has been made following the industrial revolution
4.0. Therefore, the field of animation has also been injected into technological advances. The
transmission of information is difficult to convey accurately and interactively to users. In
providing users with more exposure and convenience in a more attractive and convenient way.
Therefore, animation and motion capture are the best options for use today. As a result, the
results of this project can have a huge impact on the animation industry in making video or
animation more interesting 3D animation.

1. Introduction
Animation of Two-Dimensional (2D) and Three-Dimensional (3D) known as hybrid animation is one
of the most popular techniques used by many designers or animators to make cartoons, hybrid
animation short story and many more. The creation and presentation of hybrid animation is not a new
thing in multimedia industry. Hybrid animation is a 2D and 3D measurement of X, Y and Z scale on a
flat plane. It is also the creation of moving pictures in a 2D environment, such as through "traditional"
cel animation or in computerized animation software[1]. Although nowadays, 3D animation is the new
type of animation in industry, yet there are more advantages in using hybrid animation. One of the
advantages is the process to create and manipulate the objects are easier.
Bump mapping, normal mapping and parallax mapping are techniques applied to textures in 3D
rendering applications, to simulate bumps and wrinkles on the surface of an object without using more
polygons (Ander, n.d.). For example, applying stone walls texture to a flat polygon, making the
polygon looks more apparent in depth. (Luque, 2012) explained, cel shading, or tone shading is
usually used in representing inorganic, lifeless or technological objects. These techniques bring greater
realism with lesser effect on the performance of the simulation to end user (Backlund, 2014).
Cell shading, also known as tone shading, is a technique of non-photorealistic rendering, to
produce a flat appearance for 3D computer graphics. Less shading colors were used, instead of shade
gradients in the rendering. Optionally, thick outlines may be added to make the graphics appear to be
more cartoonish. It provides a rigid look, making the model look dead. Certainly, tone-lined objects
are stiffer than hand drawn animation, and lifeless compared to 3D realistic shading.

2. Related works
In principle, 2D animated images are still created in much the same way as they were traditionally,
although the technology has improved. One of the oldest forms of animation is cell shading, whereby
each cell or frame is drawn individually and placed into a linear sequence. This was originally
accomplished with pencil or ink on a ‘cell’, and would be coloured later on by a dedicated colourist
and layered over other cells in the sequence.

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JICETS 2019 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1529 (2020) 022094 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1529/2/022094

When 2D animation is created today, it tends to utilise digital software and frame technologies such
as onion-skinning. This allows for faster, more accurate and more easily editable sequences, although
some purists would argue these methods lose some of the charm of analogue animation. Adam
claimed that both instances rendered in two dimensions during the animation process[1].

Figure 1. Geng: Pengembaraan Bermula-Upin dan Ipin (Mohd Nizam Abdul Razak, 2009)

In 2009 film Geng: Pengembaraan Bermula-Upin dan Ipin’s produced by Les' Copaque title role
was produced entirely with a computer. The first Malaysian-produced film that uses 3D animations to
be the pride of Malaysians. This film is also a catalyst in the animation film industry with amazing
results. While 3D features are in line with the texture of the actor, computer programs are also built by
the team, to make the character look like life. Figure 1 shows the cover of Geng: Pengembaraan
Bermula-Upin dan Ipin movie.[2].

Figure 2. SeeFood (Goh Aun Hoe, 2012)

SeeFood is a Malaysian computer-animated adventure film produced in 2012 by Silver Ant, with
grants from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation as well as support from the
Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC). An animated film with a very fascinating design and
an advanced look can make a great success with a welcome reception abroad. This film is using fully
2
JICETS 2019 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1529 (2020) 022094 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1529/2/022094

3D animation. Figure 2 shows the cover of SeeFood movie[3].

Comparing the films, the production studios were using the mixing approaches for different
purposes. Geng: Pengembaraan Bermula-Upin dan Ipin’s production animated the actor and
environment asset based on a 3D model. In SeeFood, 3D assets were breakdown for smoother and
precise animation. Table 1 show some points and comparison features made by films when applying
3D asset/modeling approaches.

Table 1. Comparison of the previous projects

Index Title Released (Year) Remarkable approaches in the Nationality
integration of 2D assets

[2] Geng: 2009 3D implementation in whole Malaysia

Pengembaraan asset development
Bermula-Upin
dan Ipin
[3] SeeFood 2012 Using 3D material as Malaysia
reference.

3. The structural design of the 3D animation

3.1. System planning

In animation design, the main factor is the design of the character and the environment. Character
design plays an important role in the presentation of animations. It does not matter from the shape of
the body to the facial expression of the character. Figure 3 shows the sketches and storyboards in the
making of an animation. Storyboard is important as an introductory idea before doing character
modeling.

Figure 3. The storyboard in designing character and environment

3.2. 3D Modeling
The 3D Modeling is the process of manually creating geometrical and symmetry object models which
meet desired design criteria and Cinema 4D software are used. The features in the Cinema 4D
software has a significant impact on the product development process, allowing improved quality,
reduced cost, and aids products to get to market faster. Nowadays, The approaches from the films is
studied, however not all of them will be selected to be implemented in this project. The development
showed great efforts in blending 3D assets, however it is line programming approach will not be
adapted into this project due to time constraints and lack of related skills. The following issues
determine how one medium is chosen over the others.

3
JICETS 2019 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1529 (2020) 022094 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1529/2/022094

Figure 4. The environment modeling

4. Conclusions
After being observed in this 3D animation project. Among them, the animated shows are very short
but full of the good content. This makes audiences feel satisfied when watching. In addition, the
animation shown is in silent form, only motion and background sound. The boundary and the nature of
terms used in the project were studied and described.
The old and current techniques and technology of current animation process were explained, then
related to this project. The comparison of existing works refine, by a greater distance, what to be
experimented and achieved in this project. The methodology explained the process of the project. The
software and hardware requirements are briefly brought up, and will be further discussed. This
animation is very interactive to the user due to the suitable color selection and lighting in this
animation. Multimedia consists of orderly instructions and codes written by the programmer in any
special computer language. Before using a software, the individual needs to evaluate more about a
software in a subject to give a deep [Link]
[1] Laybourne, Kit (1998). The Animation Book: A Complete Guide to Animated Filmmaking–
from Flip-books to Sound Cartoons to 3-D Animation. New York: Three Rivers Press. ISBN
0-517-88602-2.
[2] Geng: Pengembaraan Bermula-Upin dan Ipin (Mohd Nizam Abdul Razak, 2009).
[3] SeeFood (Goh Aun Hoe, 2012).