3D printing technology and cartoon art are closely inter-related, as 3D modeling is instantly followed by 3D printing in most circumstances. More and more designers are bringing their cartoon images into reality, and 3D printing technology is now widely applied in cartoon design and production in the following three aspects:
1. Stop-motion animation
The most frequent application of 3D printing technology in cartoon industry is stop-motion animation. Compared with its traditional way in production, 3D printing technology has more choice in materials, no longer limited to clay and cloth, and has greatly improved production efficiency and quality, as 3D printed scenes are more accurate and delicate, and characters’ expression and action are more vivid.
2. Character and scene design
The design of characters is the most crucial and most tedious part of cartoon creation. The application of 3D printing technology in printing the major character models effectively reduces the burden of early-stage character design.
3. The development of cartoon derivative products
With the diversification of social demand and the personalization of aesthetic demand, the development of cartoon derivative products is increasingly personalized. Namely, people tend to make cartoon derivative products by themselves. The application of 3D printing technology, just like private custom made, makes it possible for cartoon hobbyist to print derivative products according to their preferences.
