The Evolution of Cartoons: How 3D Animations Captivate Viewers and Keep Them Engaged

For many of us, some of our fondest childhood memories include all those lazy days spent lounging around and watching cartoons on TV. From everyone’s favourite house cat who spent most of his days scoffing lasagna, to the carrot-munching rabbit that’s got an answer to everything, there’s no doubt that animated movies and their iconic characters have captivated the hearts and minds of viewers for decades. 

Watching cartoons progress from pencil to pixel has been highly entertaining, to say the least, with 3D animation significantly evolving, extending beyond cartoons to various media, including marketing campaigns and online casino games. Businesses leverage 3D animation to create compelling advertisements, while the gaming industry uses it to develop an immersive experience with superior graphics. Notably, online casinos incorporate 3D animation to enhance gameplay, making it more engaging for users who play free online slots and other interactive games.

What is 3D Animation?

The art of 3D animation involves creating a series of moving images in a three-dimensional setting with the help of computer-generated imagery, or CGI as we’re more used to calling it today. When stripped to the very basics, animation includes a series of static images that are lined up in a certain way, mimicking movement when viewed in sequence.

When 3D is involved, those static images need to be developed using a process called 3D modelling, which makes use of several edges, vertices and polygons to create a multidimensional space. This technique gives the feeling of realism and makes use of a similar depth of detail you’d expect your eyes to see if you were there. 

 A Brief History of 3D Animation

Even though CGI is a very modern concept, the first appearance of 3D animation makes its way back to the 1900s when a never-seen-before style of animation known as Claymation made its first appearance. Here, clay was modelled into characters and objects and moved slightly in between each photo to create a sense of movement, serving as a precursor to the stop-motion filmmaking technique. One of the most popular first examples of Claymation is The Sculptor’s Welsh Rarebit Dream which was released by Edison Manufacturing in 1908.

Despite its innovation, Claymation didn’t take off and it wasn’t for many years until we saw the reemergence of 3D animation with the release of Boeman or Boeing Man back in the early 60s. From there we witnessed the creation of the first 3D model of a human and a fully computer-generated 3D movie by the early 70s. Then came Star Wars: Episode IV in 1977 (yes, the timeline is confusing) which set the standard for productions to come. 

Moving on to the 80s, AutoCAD was released, opening a whole new genre of possibilities that supported 3D animation. We saw big developments in the 90s with classic titles such as Terminator 2: Judgement Day and Jurassic Park, even though interestingly the highest grossing hits of that era included Toy Story 2 and Beauty and the Beast, which takes us back to the cartoon element. Then came Avatar, which broke all existingrecords with its spectacular use of 3D animation at its finest. 

Fast forward to today and we’ve got incredible cartoons such as Finding Nemo and Frozen that have stirred up emotions we will never forget. 3D has proven so powerful that several older cartoons such as Lion King and The Little Mermaid have been given a 3D makeover with the aim of relaunching these classic stories to a wider audience. 

The Psychology Behind 3D Animation

Understanding the science behind viewer engagement is one of the most important aspects when creating a 3D animation. These productions go beyond simply being something fun to look at, instead they tap into our experience as viewers bycreating highly engaging and memorable experiences. 

Of course, quality storytelling is always going to be the backbone of any animation, but once you’ve got a solid story in place then you’re able to whisk your viewers into a whole new dimension, delivering the story’s message in a powerful and impactful way. 

The depth of realism that’s created when creating these 3D worlds directly influences how willing the viewer is to immerse themselves into this new world and getting that right will result in significantly higher engagement. 

Our Top 10 3D Animated Movies

3D computer generated art and CGI have completely changed the standard of what we expect from cartoons nowadays, and despite the continued success of 2D animation, especially when it comes to manga style cartoons, 3D animation movies keep getting bigger, better and stronger with each release. Here are ten of our all-time favorites for you to consider next time you’re in the mood to watch one. 

1. Toy Story (1995) – Woody, Andy’s favorite cowboy doll fears his status might be compromised when the little boy is gifted a Buzz Lightyear action figure. The family eventually move house exposing the two to the maladjusted ways of their new neighbor.
2. Shrek (2001) – A cruel overlord exiles fairytale creatures to a swamp that belongs to a grumpy ogre called Shrek. This causes him to embark on an epic adventure to save a princess and hand her back to the Lord to get his land back. 
3. Finding Nemo (2003) – Marlin the clownfish is majorly overprotective of his son Nemo, due to a shorter fin. Nemo is captured and taken to an undisclosed locationit’s up to Marlin to track him down. 
4. Madagascar (2005) – After spending their lives at the New York Zoo, a group of animals are accidentally shipwrecked onto the shores of Madagascar and are required to adjust to living in the wild.
5. Wall-E (2008) – A robot programmed to clear waste from the Earth’s dilapidated surface comes across another robot and falls in love. Together, they embark on a journey that’s set to change things forever. 
6. How To Train Your Dragon (2010) – Meet Hiccup, a progressive teenager Viking from the island of Berk that’s known for fighting dragons. While forced to attend dragon-fighting school he befriends an injured dragon, inspiring him to change the course of his people’s future.  
7. Frozen (2013) – Princess Anna sets off on a mysterious and dangerous mission to bring back her sister, Queen Elsa, who ran away after trapping the kingdom in eternal winter. Ana overcomes obstacles and makes new friends along the way including Olaf the snowman and Sven the reindeer. 
8. Inside Out (2015) – Riley’s world is changed upside down when her parents relocate from the Midwest to San Francisco. Her emotions (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust) will attempt to guide her through the process while facing challenges of their own. 
9. Coco (2017) – Despite Miguel’s family banning music for centuries, the young Mexican dreams of becoming an accomplished musician. By some twist of faith, he finds himself in the Land of the Dead, allowing him to dig deeper into his family’s history. 
10. The Bad Guys (2022) – This criminal animal crew infamously known as The Bad Guys includes the charming pickpocket, Mr Wolf, the master of disguise, Mr Shark, the seen-it-all, know-it-all, Mr. Snake, the hot-headed muscle Mr Piranha, and the witty online hacker Ms Tarantula.