2.5D ANIMATION | 2.5D PARALLAX
2.5D animation or 2.5D parallax is the motion graphic technique of editing and manipulating static 2D images and artwork into dynamic 3 dimensional scenes with real 3D depth, parallax and motion. It encompasses so much more than that and advanced parallax work flows are used heavily in 3D compositing and visual effect shots.
At MOTION by JB I’m a professional 2.5D specialist and I create captivating 3D motion graphic animations from static 2D images. I bring portraits, works of art, astro photography, historical images and more to life using advanced motion graphic techniques with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects. Additionally, I’ve been a professional motion graphic designer for over 15 years so I bring an arsenal of advanced professional motion design techniques to every project for truly stunning composites of 2D motion graphics integrated with 3D motion graphics.
When you hire me for your next creative project you are hiring a professional who specializes in a craft that most motion artists only practice occasionally. I have a genuine passion for the craft and the experience to ensure broadcast quality results every time.
STUNNING 2.5D EXAMPLES
I’ve created 2.5D for photographers, documentary and indie filmmakers, social media creators, You Tubers, traditional artists, live shows and anyone who just wants a cool parallax animation applied to their portrait. It’s versatility is obvious and you can see the stunning visual results for yourself. Check out my collections of stunning 2.5D examples!
2.5D HISTORY
2.5D history projects do not seem like actual work for me. Bringing historical images to life with 3D photo animation is a passion of mine. I love history and motion graphics so 2.5D history is a perfect marriage for me. As a result, I love what I do and I am an expert at restoring images from the past and bringing them to life with my unique creations.
Professionally designed motion graphic parallax animation applied to the images you use in your next historic documentary or video project will instantly and significantly boost your audience engagement. My custom parallax services include restoring, stylizing and animating historical images. Additionally, I have a growing collection of historical parallax animations restored from the pages of history and available for licensing and customization. Check out my unique and growing library of 2.5D history animations organized into time periods. Send or Facebook message me your project request and image for a free assessment to determine if your image qualifies for 3D photo animation.
2.5D Old West Collection 1865 – 1900
My 2.5D Old West Collection features restored and stylized images of people and places from the post Civil War American Old West brought to life with stunning parallax animations. Journey back in time to a lawless and wild time period and experience history’s Old West images like never before with these 3D photos. History’s images of the gunslingers, outlaws, lawmen and Native Americans who defined the iconic and romanticized Old West era of American history are restored, stylized and brought to life in my captivating parallax Old West Collection.
2.5D Old West | Sitting Bear
2.5D Old West | Sitting Bull
2.5D Old West | Billy The Kid
2.5D Old West | Jesse James
2.5D World War 2 Collection 1939 – 1945
My 2.5D World War 2 Collection features restored and stylized images of people and places from the battlefields and trenches of World War 2 brought to life with stunning animations and motion. Take a journey back to the 1940s when the entire planet was at war and experience the captivating and haunting images of the second World War in a brand new unique and immersive presentation.
2.5D World War 2 | Iwo Jima
2.5D World War 2 | D-Day
2.5D World War 2 | Pearl Harbor
2.5D World War 2 | Dunkirk Retreat
2.5D ARTWORK
Showcase your traditional artwork with a stunning 2.5D parallax animation. Viewers can experience the actual 3D depth you incorporated into your artwork. Artwork comes in all and shapes sizes. As a result, some artwork may not be a great candidate to be brought to life with parallax motion. Send or Facebook message me your project request and image for a free assessment of your artwork to determine if it qualifies for parallax animation. Check out my immersive, parallax examples in my MOTION by JB 2.5D Artwork Collection to see how I bring still art to life!
2.5D Artwork | Rogue Wave by Rocha
2.5D Artwork | Storm in the Rockies by Bierstadt
2.5D Artwork | Cafe’ Terrace by Van Gogh
2.5D ASTRONOMY
2.5D Astronomy is another category of parallax that I am passionate about. At a young age, my dad sparked my interest in astronomy and it has been a passion hobby and obsession of mine ever since. The Hubble, James Webb and our specialized smaller space telescopes like Kepler are the pinnacle of mankind’s collaborative knowledge and cooperation. As a result we are living in an unprecedented age of discovery that pales the sum of all humanity’s discoveries in the entire history of our species.
Without question, Hubble and James Webb’s deep field images are the most profound and important photographs ever captured in history. One of my personal heroes and mankind’s most legendary pioneer and explorer eloquently describes the feelings these images stir.
“Such an image is a profound sermon on humility.” -Carl Sagan
My 2.5D Astronomy Collection brings depth to the stunning images from our space telescopes, immersing you in the wonders of our universe. This growing collection features animations from both Hubble and Webb images and are available for licensing or customization. My collection also features custom made animated astronomy scenes from scratch. My clients for 3D and 2.5D astronomy scenes are typically science based You Tubers, documentary film makers, astrophotographers, science presenters and more. Check out my stunning 2.5D Astronomy Collection and get in touch with your project details, your contact details and the image(s) you want me to animate for a free assessment. Turn up the WOW factor on your stunning astrophotography and bring your viewers inside your astronomical photos.
2.5D Astronomy | Crab Nebula
2.5D WORKFLOWS
How is 2.5D animation created? 3D photo animation projects can broken down into the two fundamental categories of portraits or scenes. Portraits and scenes use completely different expert 3D motion graphic techniques to bring stills to life. 2.5D portraits utilize custom painted depth maps of the subjects’ face to created real 3D depth of facial features. 2.5D scenes utilize an advanced camera projection technique to map the image onto an actual 3D model surface that is custom built to match the scene.
2.5D SCENES
2.5D scenes are the other fundamental motion graphic technique and skill set used in parallax animation. Every parallax motion graphic shot that is not depicting a person or wildlife would be classified as a scene. They can be created from just about any high quality photo of a scene and bringing them to life uses a completely different advanced motion graphic technique and workflow than portraits. Scenes utilize an advanced camera projection mapping technique to boost animated parallax scenes to the next level.
Creating 3D depth from 2D images involves recreating the 3D surfaces and planes of the surfaces within the image with 3D geometry inside Adobe After Effects. This allows me to map and project the surfaces from the original image onto the 3D surfaces of the recreated scene inside Adobe After Effects, giving true 3D depth and parallax.
2.5D PORTRAITS
For content creators that utilize still portrait photos in their content, 2.5D portraits are the most effective way to exponentially increase engagement by dynamically bringing your static portraits to life. My high end parallax portraits go beyond the simple cutout and layer technique and take it the next level.
To achieve detailed facial feature depth, I utilize custom made depth maps for each individual portrait. Visualizing 3D depth through an accurately painted 3D depth map allow me to transform vanilla flat 2D portrait photo into stunning, dynamic and engaging motion graphics that demand viewers’ attention. This parallax portrait workflow isn’t limited to photo portraits. It works great on just about any portrait art in any medium.