First of all, Animation is NOT a Cartoon.

Let’s get straight to why animation is not a cartoon and why they are poles apart. The word anime derived from French term ‘dessin animé’ while others claim that it was used as an abbreviation during the late 1970s era. English dictionaries define the word “Anime” as Japanese style of motion picture animation, on the other hand, Cartoon was initially used as a model. Over the turn of the centuries, the term cartoon was totally distanced from its original meaning and it used only to define a humor picture with a caption or a dialogue.

What is the key difference?

Animation and cartoon are two words that are commonly used interchangeably in general usage. However, there is a distinctive difference between animation and cartoon. Animation refers to a technique successive drawings or positions of models to create an illusion of movement when the film is shown as a sequence. Cartoons can either refer to a drawing or a  film made using animation technique. This is the key difference between animation and cartoon.

What is an Animation?

Animation refers to the art, process or technique of making films with drawings, photographs of a static object or computer graphics. All techniques that don’t fall into the category of a continuous filming of live-action images can be termed as animations. Those who are involved in the creation of an animation are called animators. Animation methods include traditional animation which involved hand drawings, stop-motion animation which use paper cutouts, puppets, clay figures and two and three-dimensional objects, and mechanical animations and computer animations. In general usage, we use the term animation to refer to cartoons that are broadcasted on TV, television shows that target children (e.g., Loony Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Garfield, etc.) Animated movies such as Tangled, Finding Nemo, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Happy Feet, Despicable Me, Frozen, etc. are also a type of animations. Thus, animations can actually be both cartoons and animated movies.

What is a Cartoon?

Cartoon basically refers to two things. It can either refer to a simple, non-realistic, drawing depicting a humorous situation or humorously exaggerated characters. These types of cartoons are often found in newspapers and magazines called cartoon strips. Cartoons often use satire to offer subtle criticism. An artist who creates a cartoon (drawing) is called a cartoonist. A cartoon can also refer to a short film or television show that uses animation techniques to photograph a sequence of drawings rather than real people or objects. Cartoons are usually aimed at children and often feature anthropomorphized animals (animals that act like humans), superheroes, the adventures of children and related themes. Asterix, Scooby Doo, Adventures of Tin Tin, Duck Tales, Tom and Jerry, Thunder Cats, Dora the Explorer, Garfield, etc. are some examples of popular cartoons.

Are you considering a career as an Animator?

Let us evaluate some of the characteristics of a successful animator.

If you’re considering pursuing a career in animation, the next step is to determine if you have the innate qualities that lend themselves well to the profession. Knowing this information ahead of time will help you avoid wasting time and effort if it’s not the right fit for you. In order to thrive, you must have an artistic eye but also enjoy breaking things down to see how they work. An animation is often the combination of understanding mechanics and making them artful. But you’re not there yet. Those qualities are useless if they aren’t accompanied by the requisite technical skills for animation. In order to give life to your creative ideas, animators must utilize both the artistic right and analytical left side of their brains. You’ll need to possess the perfect combination of practical skills and software savvy to flourish in this field.

Or considering a career as a Cartoonist?

Cartooning is a very powerful and intimate medium—it’s all about passion. You have to challenge yourself and break the barrier of monotone. It’s important that you know who your audiences are as a cartoonist. It’s crucial to know what interests readers and how to use that to motivate and help you create your material. You also need to keep on upgrading your skills and thought processes and evolve with the times.

So … are you up for the challenge?

Bringing dynamic images to life is an exciting job, but a career in animation isn’t exactly a walk in the park. But if you’re passionate about animation and determined to succeed, the high-pressure, fast-paced environment shouldn’t faze you one bit. If you’re ready to take the next step, Suryadatta Group of Institute will take you far ahead in fulfilling your creative stride. Visit our BSc. in Animation Course page to learn how we can help prepare you for success in the field.