My Framer Site

ART OF ANIMATION

ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

SPIDERMAN:

ANIMATION STYLES OF

Spiderman Across the Spider-verse, a 2023 American animated superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character, is indeed a piece of art. While the story itself will keep you on the edge of your seats, the animation is breathtaking. It has combined 2D and 3D animation, giving birth to a new style of animation: 2.5D. It has been crafted with 6 different major animation styles, with few others featured across the timeline of the movie. Each art style is associated with a major character and the timeline they belong to. Each art style has an inspiration and a reason behind it's creation.

The character Miles Morales is 'Animated on twos'. The frame rate of the character is 12 fps whereas that of the background is 24 fps. This makes the movement of the character sticky and staccato.

Halftone- the most prominently adaptive effect in this style of animation

Human Characters, with angular features, exaggerated eyes and smooth skin and mostly solid colours. Every scene set in Miles Morale’s universe, Earth-TRN700, uses the same animation style.

Miles morales style

This animation style has a watercolour washed feel. Gwen Stacy's universe, Earth 65, changes colours to reflect Gwen's emotions

The art is inspired by and replicates the style of Spider Gwen 2015 comic book.

SPIDER GWEN'S style

This animation style is based on “Syd Mead-style illustrations of what the future might look like.” It replicated how comic books usually depict a futuristic world.

It is characterised by bright warm colours, glow effect, glitch effect and sketchy outlines of the character.

Miguel O’Hara's suit and powers have changed a bit to fit this style. In the movie he has glowing webs instead of the normal ones.

SPIDERMAN 2099's style

An animated amalgamation of Mumbai and Manhattan, "Manbattan". It has a glass paint effect, sketchy outlines and India inspired ethnic motifs

Inspired by ‘70s comic books published in India to craft what Spider-Man India’s universe animation style would be like.

PAVITR PRABHAKAR'S style

Animators have situates Spider Punk in New London. It has a “hand cut, pasted, drawn, glued together” look.

It has a look of 'Punk Rock Posters'.

SPIDER PUNK'S style

It's like a living painting, created using black ink. The character itself has a somewhat liquid state.

The character design of Spot’s Marvel Comics has been retained by the animators.

SPOT'S style

Animations Across the timeline of the movie

As seen across the timeline of the movie, the animation starts with Gwen's side of the story. What makes this movie flawless is the seamless transition they have pulled off from one art style to another. There are even scenes where all animation styles comes together, yet the uniqueness of each style is retained. Surprisingly, it is not odd for the viewers to have human beings and 2D animated characters in the same frame. It just perfectly fits in.

Total time of the animation (including overlaps)

MOST SEEN ANIMATION STYLE

OVERLAPPING OR STAND ALONE?

A comparison between the duration of animation shown alone and overlapping with others.

The Miles Morales style of animation is the most seen in the movie, overlapping or not. While the animation of the least duration is that of Spider Punk. Spider Punk animation style is usually seen overlapping with others and it is interesting how the unique paper cut style blends with the other 2D characters. Spot, the villain, has minimal individual scenes, but this uniquely designed character is mostly seen overlapping with Miles Morales' timeline.

Blur/ Sketchy backgrounds

Undefined features of background characters

Abstract background effects

Photorealism, a genre of art where artists attempt to reproduce a photograph as realistically as possible through their art. In animations too, animators replicate the real world into their art to create a realistic world. Spider-Verse however, was clearly seeking a different direction. Instead of realism, its goal was a highly designed comic book language.

A DEPARTURE FROM PHOTOREALISM

Spiderman Across the Spider- Verse, has brought to us the most fascinating characters in terms of animation style. Creating effects that fit within the beautiful visual language of Spiderverse, inspired by the origional comic books. Combining animation styles, 2.5D animation, biding goodbye to photorealism and combining frame rates, is what makes this movie unique and one of a kind.

TIME FOR A MOVIE BREAK

Slide the circle to compare a shot from Spiderman 2 and Spiderverse.