Written at the front, the so-called "illustration-level animation" is only a concept formulated by the author himself, in fact, there is no such classification in the circle and even among enthusiasts. So how to define it depends on the individual.
First of all, for friends who are not very impressed, let me tell you the difference between illustration and animation. This should be the vast majority of friends can come out.
"Illustration" is an artistic creation that emphasizes the artistry, while the content of each frame in "animation" emphasizes the overall action. So even if there are the same works, expressed in illustrations or animated, they are completely different.
Above, if the left side is the animation (game) performance, then the right is its illustration performance, because the animation is made frame by frame, considering the cost of production, each frame of the animation, certainly can not do the illustration so exquisite, because the completely static illustration, can enlarge the details of the character, can show different color levels, shadows, shape completely different visual effects, animation to do this, has always been difficult to achieve the long-cherished wish. Because the vast majority of animations are destined to be mass-produced works, it is doomed that their artistry is greatly limited to cost and duration.
Here is a casual example of a TV animation, the coloring of the animation characters is a relatively unified process, the base color, shadow, highlight, on the three layers, this style is the celluloid style of coloring, used in 90% of the Japanese TV hand-drawn animation, such a coloring level is clear, itself there is no level to speak of, very suitable for assembly line mass production operations, relative will make the picture relatively thin, very "flat".
However, if it becomes "illustration", you can rely on rich colors to present richer shadows and highlight levels, so that the picture has more "texture".
In fact, inserting "illustration" into animation has been used for a long time. But after all, it is inserted in the overall dynamic picture of a completely static close-up, and sometimes it will feel a little interesting.
So, are there any works with exquisite pictures that are "illustrative"?
Yes. Experimental animation by Production.I.G., "Rising Sun".
Because of its high specifications and digital creation of 4K HDR, it can present a surprising picture performance that far exceeds that of mass-produced animation, which is fully worthy of the description of "every frame is an illustration-level performance".
Aside from this fully hand-drawn native 4K animation, it should be rare to find a name that is fully worthy of the name "illustrative hand-drawn animation".
However, due to the continuous refresh of the industry level, it is closer to the performance of the illustration level, far beyond the general mass production animation screen, and is also being born.
In 2021, WIT STUDIO produced "Vivi - Song of Fluorite Eye -", in the mass production of TV animation, presented a very exquisite dynamic special effects painting, it can be seen that the heroine Vivy's hair has been divided into a very many layers, look closely, Vivy's skin tone is also very many layers, the shadow is not "one size fits all", but has a beautiful gradient, "Vivi - Fluorite Eye Song - " Coloring and photography special effects, obviously not the level that ordinary TV serial animation can reach. Moreover, many of these special effects screens of "Vivi - Song of Fluorite Eyes- " are dynamic, although they may only blink, but between the hands and feet, they show the unique charm of the characters.
Years ago (probably 2016?). ), Kyoto Animation announced the CM of "Violet Eternal Garden", that degree of refinement, I think TV animation can not reach at all, although later this part still belongs to the level of much higher than the general serial animation, but it is still compared with CM, can not reach a height... "Violet Eternal Garden" PV Characters of the degree of photography refinement, has been very close.
You can feel the picture of that CM:
Look at the light and shadow details of this typewriter...
Although the coloring style is still celluloid style, kyoto animation has also found a new way to make mass-produced animation comparable to illustration through the ultimate photography effect...
In 2022, Colverworks' "Sailor Suit of Tomorrow's Sauce" once again let me see the special effects close-up coloring in "Vivi - Song of Fluorite Eyes-", which is really amazing - now beautiful girls can achieve such a gorgeous illustration-like effect every day!
Some people will ask, is the kind of Makoto Shinkai movie considered "illustration level"? Although I am an iron fan of Makoto Shinkai and like his works, I have to say here that it is not counted, because the fine part of Makoto Shinkai's films is actually the background art, not the characters themselves. This is also a major weakness of Makoto Shinkai's films. You see all the screenshots before, are showing the beauty of character painting, coloring, photography, only Makoto Shinkai's film evaluation is "every frame is wallpaper", this wallpaper, said to be a fine background art... But in character drawing, there is a clear lack of "thickness".
So in general, the technology and upper limit of Japanese animation are progressing, and the market is also being expanded, and from these two aspects, it is difficult to say that Japanese animation is regressing...
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