Encanto's Pencil Test: Is Disney Done With 2D Animation?

Disney Animation's new movie Encanto has everyone talking (but we don't talk about Bruno), especially because of its incredible animation! Disney revealed a pencil test of a dancing 2D Mirabel, which leads to a problem with modern animated Disney movies.

Ever since Walt Disney shaped the world of animation, we've seen countless classics. From Fantasia to The Lion King to Cinderella, Snow White, and so many others, these have all been traditionally 2D animated. Disney's modern era, however, is almost entirely CG on the big screen. What's going on? Will we ever see a return to form?

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[Vailskibum]

When will the Disney Renaissance return? 👀

[hannahstarinieri]

Its been 13 years since the princess and the frog, the last classic 2D disney film. If they brought back 2D I would love it because its a more charming style and the painted backgrounds and classic animators. Anime still uses 2D and hand-drawn animation and thats why I gravitate towards it more often.

[JasLamArr]

The movie does work great in 3D. Some people think that 2D is a little childish and outdated, but that's not true. We should have both 2D and 3D!

[williehampton]

Walt Disney Animation Studios might never return to 2D animation but that doesn't mean all hope is lost. We live in an era where animation is changing for the better, even more so than when CG animation started taking over. Studios are starting to become more experimental with their films, which is exactly what is needed for more diversity and competition. Nowadays, animated movies are a lot more stylistic, blending 2D and 3D to create something that is pretty much a game changer and a mainstay for animation. Honestly, I'm not concerned about Disney ever going back to traditional hand-drawn films. I'm more excited about when they make their first 2D/3D hybrid film similar to Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse. Only time will tell, though.

[Blu_Moon_VA]

I miss 2D animated Disney movies, they had such a distinct style. Imagine what they could do with modern technology.

[VideoMatoran]

Back in the day, when I was still in elementary school and Disney still put out 2D stuff, each of which we liked (Even Home on the Range), we thought Disney and Pixar had their roles in our eyes. Disney did the 2D stuff, and 3D was Pixar's job. That was the status quo, that's how we told them apart.

[iGuy]

This isn’t the first time a pencil test for a CG film has been made. Wreck It Ralph & Frozen had pencil tests as well.

[tayloredwards]

It would be nice if Disney went back to doing 2D animation

[Supermariorpg]

I'll be honest, I'm pretty burnt out of 3D movies.

Yeah 3D was cool for a time but it's beginning to lose it's luster, it's hard to be wow'd about it because of how overused it is.

I don't mind taking a break from it after Strange World.

[winkosquikalot]

I’ve held a grudge against Frozen far before it was released. After the success of Princess and the Frog, there was an announcement that Disney would alternated between 2D and 3D animation. With Frozen coming out after Wreck-It Ralph it broke that pattern and I was super psyched to see an arctic setting in traditional animation

[diskdemn]

i love this so much more than the new version, yeah the 3d animation looks good, but the 2d looks so expressive and bouncy and just perfect

[Trainboy]

There's nothing wrong with 3D, but in 2D, you have more freedom. What if Disney does a 2.5D movie. 2.5D animation is basically a combination of 2D and 3D animation. Look it up. You'll find it.

[superbowsermatt]

its sad to see a art form getting neglected in favor of 3D animation, why can't we get a new 2D animated movie in theaters again

[brianco]

as much as i love the traditional 2d style, i think encanto worked _EXTREMELY_ well in 3d.

[MRMRMRMRMan]

Both 2d and 3d have their own charm, but i agree that it would be great to have 2d back in the spotlight

[nutsandbolts]

Something I've noticed is that 2d animations that managed to be some of the best are either:

1. Very detailed and Innovative
OR
2. Expressive and smooth

2d animation is great, they hold classics throughout the whole world, but with people transitioning into 3d movies in the US it takes one of the two to be actually successful

Japan holds a crown above its head for having some of the best 2d animation in the world, and considering the availability of the work done there by the media, 2d in the US is almost done for.

For us, it's no longer a 1 or 2 option, now it has to be both for it to be widely successful

[ScatteredCollector]

The other issue with 2D animation is that it takes a lot longer to animate than 3D (example, Studio Ghibli films are all 2D and take 5+ years to animate). To push out more films, Disney has to make 3D films, 3D also allows for more expressions, and movements of characters and locations.

[Aisha-]

If Encanto ever gets a series they should do it in 2d. Looking at those test made me think how cool it would be to see all the cast of the movie 2d animated. And also side note the director (I think) said he and the VA´s are ok with making a series for the movie.

[tristancampbell]

Does anybody else miss the old 2D art styles of Disney movies?

[js]

I love this movie, it’s the first Disney movie I’ve watched and liked in a long time