Introduction
Arcane combines hand-painted art with CGI depth. Its visuals blur the line between 2D and 3D. The Netflix show, set in Riot Games’ League of Legends universe, quickly gained attention for its striking style. Fans debated if Arcane was 2D or 3D. Many frames look like moving digital paintings. Yet, character movements show clear 3D modeling. Arcane is actually a hybrid. It uses 3D models for characters and settings, layered with 2D textures, effects, and compositing. The series redefines modern animation by challenging traditional labels.
What Does “3D Animated” Mean for Arcane?
In animation, “3D” involves making moving images in a digital 3D space. Arcane qualifies as 3D animation. Its characters and props are 3D models with geometry and depth. Fortiche built detailed character rigs in software like Maya and animated them in 3D space.
Arcane looks different from typical 3D CGI cartoons. Traditional 3D films use polished, photorealistic shading and fully 3D backgrounds. Arcane uses hand-painted textures and manually adjusted lighting to achieve an illustrated look. Most backgrounds in Arcane are 2D digital paintings, not 3D models. The series combines 3D models with 2D art extensively.
Arcane’s style, called the “Fortiche touch,” blends 3D and 2D uniquely. Arcane is fundamentally 3D but deliberately mixes in 2D elements. It blurs the line between CGI and traditional art to create something new.
A Brief History of Arcane’s Animation Journey
Arcane’s unique style developed over years of collaboration between Riot Games and Fortiche Productions. Their partnership began in 2013 with the “Get Jinxed” music video featuring a blend of 2D and 3D. Further projects like the 2014 “Warriors” music video refined this hybrid method and built trust.
In 2015–2016, Riot’s Christian Linke and Alex Yee, working with Fortiche’s founders, began creating Arcane. They decided on an adult, gritty aesthetic different from typical cartoons. Animator Alexis Wanneroy noted they developed the entire visual style during this early phase, emphasizing a painterly look.
Full production began around 2018. Fortiche grew from about 15 artists to over 300 across six years. New studios opened in Montpellier and Las Palmas. This growth helped refine the complex pipeline needed for Arcane’s style.
Arcane premiered in November 2021, becoming Netflix’s top show for weeks. The journey from a 2013 music video to a hit series demonstrates Riot and Fortiche’s patience in perfecting their hybrid animation, making it Arcane’s defining strength.
Blending 2D and 3D: The Unique Style of Arcane
Arcane combines 3D characters with a painted 2D environment. Characters and objects are modeled and animated in 3D for realistic movement. Hand-painted textures give these 3D models an illustrated look.
Backgrounds and props are created as detailed 2D digital paintings. These set the mood with color and lighting. Characters are carefully composited into these backgrounds, matching shadows and colors to blend seamlessly.
Arcane extensively uses 2D hand-drawn effects like smoke, fire, dust, and tears. Instead of CGI effects, artists animate these elements frame-by-frame. Punches have comic-like motion streaks, and explosions feature graphic novel-style details.
A notable example is Powder/Jinx’s mental state. Rough 2D sketches overlay 3D animation during her breakdowns. This visually contrasts reality with her fractured mind, reinforcing the emotional impact.
Arcane’s hybrid style effectively merges 2D and 3D, creating a unique and stylized look that challenges traditional animation categories.
Behind the Scenes: The Making of Arcane’s Visuals
Fortiche developed Arcane using a complex pipeline tailored to its hybrid style. The process began with detailed storyboards and layouts. Animators did not use motion capture; instead, they handcrafted movements. They studied live-action footage for reference and then stylized the animation. About 80–90 animators produced unique character motions, like Vi’s grounded fighting or Jinx’s anime-inspired action.
Combining 3D characters with 2D backgrounds required new workflows. They used projection mapping to match 2D paintings to simple 3D geometry. Custom shaders integrated hand-painted textures onto 3D models. Compositors used Nuke to layer 3D characters, 2D backgrounds, and effects. They added atmospheric elements, depth of field, and color grading to unify the visuals.
Fortiche developed proprietary shaders and custom camera rigs. Departments collaborated closely to blend styles effectively. Animators spent significant time perfecting short scenes. The intensive effort resulted in Arcane’s seamless and distinctive hybrid animation.
Technology and Techniques Powering Arcane’s Animation
Achieving Arcane’s look required not just artistry but also a tailored tech stack. Fortiche used a mix of industry-standard software and proprietary tools to animate Arcane
Key programs in their pipeline included:
- Autodesk Maya – the backbone of Arcane’s 3D production. Maya was used for modeling characters and props, rigging them with skeletons, and animating all the character movements and camera work in 3D. The animators posed key frames in Maya’s timeline to create the motion, given its robust animation tools.
- Adobe Photoshop – critical for Arcane’s texture painting and concept art. Artists hand-painted the characters’ surface textures in Photoshop, crafting the show’s signature painterly style. Photoshop was also used to create the matte-painted backgrounds and any 2D elements like those graffiti-like hallucinations and graphical effects.
- Foundry Nuke – the primary compositing software to layer together 3D renders with 2D artwork. Nuke’s node-based compositing allowed Fortiche to take the rendered character passes from Maya and blend them into the digital matte paintings, add 2D effects on top, adjust lighting and color, and generally ensure all the pieces fit visually. This was essential for maintaining consistency between the 3D and 2D components.
- Adobe After Effects – a secondary compositing and motion graphics tool used especially for hand-drawn VFX integration. Some of the more graphical effects and transitions were likely touched up in After Effects, which excels at 2D animation. For instance, animated UI elements or montages might use AE.
Arcane used custom shaders to maintain a hand-painted look, preventing typical CG smoothness. Fortiche developed camera rigs for cinematic effects, and used varied frame rates, 12fps for stylized effects (like smoke, explosions) and 24fps for smooth character motion. Projection mapping let 2D backgrounds have depth without heavy modeling. Lighting was manually stylized instead of realistically simulated, keeping Arcane’s illustrative mood. Smear frames and motion blur tricks from 2D animation enhanced speed and intensity in action scenes. These combined techniques gave Arcane its signature hybrid style, 3D animation with a handcrafted, painterly feel.
Comparing Arcane to Traditional 3D Animated Series
Arcane’s hybrid method differs from traditional big-budget animation. Most 3D animations (like Pixar films) aim for smooth motion and realistic lighting. Pixar uses cartoonish characters but realistic physics and camera effects. Arcane chooses a different path, embracing visible brush textures and artistic style, similar to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Arcane emphasizes artistic expression, combining 2D techniques and 3D models for stylized visuals. Unlike traditional 3D, Arcane intentionally makes each frame feel like artwork. Arcane also uses cinematic and daring camera angles, breaking from animation’s usual focus on clarity.
Arcane’s aesthetic is darker and more mature than typical mainstream 3D animation. Its nuanced designs contrast the glossy look common in big studios. The visual style is inspired by game art and graphic novels. Other films like Spider-Verse, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, and Puss in Boots also explored stylized 3D animation. However, Arcane uniquely blends 2D and 3D, resembling an animated oil painting. This hybrid approach creates a new visual category, distinct from traditional pure 2D or 3D pipelines. Arcane has broadened the possibilities of animated storytelling by redefining what 3D animation can be.
Audience Reactions and Industry Impact
Arcane’s animation style amazed viewers and industry experts. Audiences praised its visuals, describing them as paintings or magazine covers. People shared still images as fine art online. Arcane achieved huge acclaim for visuals unmatched by previous animated shows. At the Annie Awards, Arcane won nine trophies, including Best TV Animation and Best Art Direction. Such recognition was rare for a first-season streaming series. Fortiche’s partnership with Riot Games, boosted by Arcane’s success, made the studio internationally renowned. Riot invested further, marking Fortiche as a major animation studio globally.
Arcane’s unique animation inspired viewers and industry professionals. Its painterly, stylized look encouraged studios and animators to explore bolder art styles. After Arcane, audiences expected more visually adventurous animations. Animators now pursue non-traditional CG styles influenced by Arcane, expanding animation’s visual boundaries. The show’s mature storytelling proved animated dramas could appeal widely to adults, breaking traditional genre limits. Arcane also influenced education, with animation students studying its techniques. Riot’s CEO noted their partnership with Fortiche pushed animation boundaries and raised standards. Arcane is praised as more than a show, it’s viewed as art that sets new heights for animated TV.
The Future of 3D Animation Inspired by Arcane
Arcane proved viewers want bold, stylized 3D animation. More studios will likely try hybrid styles like Arcane’s, using hand-painted textures and mixing 2D effects with 3D. Dreaming shows and adaptations may market themselves as visually “Arcane-like.”
Fortiche and Riot are already producing Arcane Season 2, possibly featuring refined techniques. Riot’s investment in Fortiche hints at more Arcane-style projects, including potential new series and films. Arcane has set a new benchmark for visual ambition in animation.
Arcane’s success might inspire big studios to take creative risks. Studios could encourage more experimentation with mixed-media animation. The boundary between 2D and 3D departments may blur further.
Arcane’s style might also influence video game graphics. Developers could adopt Arcane’s “illustrated 3D” shading in games, merging gameplay with cinematic visuals. Riot already introduced Arcane-style skins in League of Legends.
Arcane demonstrated animated series can attract adult viewers with serious drama and stunning visuals. This success might lead more studios to choose animation for ambitious, adult-oriented stories. Animation could increasingly be seen as a prestigious choice, not a compromise. Arcane opened doors for new creative possibilities in animation.
FAQ: Arcane’s Animation Style and Production
- Is Arcane animated in 2D or 3D?
Arcane is mainly a 3D animated series, where characters and objects are 3D models rigged and animated in a 3D space. It blends 3D with 2D by using 2D backgrounds and effects, creating a painterly look. This mix makes some scenes appear 2D even though the animation is fully 3D. - Who created Arcane’s animation?
The animation was produced by Fortiche Productions, a French studio, in partnership with Riot Games. Fortiche had previously collaborated with Riot on League of Legends music videos before Arcane. Fortiche’s animation and art directors led the unique visual style, while Riot oversaw production. The daily animation work was done by Fortiche’s artists in Paris and satellite studios. - What software was used to make Arcane?
Arcane’s team used Autodesk Maya for 3D work, Photoshop for textures and concept art, and Foundry Nuke for compositing, with some 2D effects in After Effects. They also developed custom shaders to achieve the painted look on 3D models. - How long did it take to produce Arcane Season 1?
Arcane took about 6 years of development and production, starting around 2015 and releasing in late 2021. Fortiche expanded from 15 artists to a few hundred during this time. The lengthy timeline was partly due to creating a custom art style and pipeline, as well as producing detailed 40-minute episodes. Riot mentioned Season 2 will be quicker because the pipeline is now established. - Did the Arcane animators use motion capture for the character movements?
Arcane’s animation was fully keyframed by hand, without motion capture. The team avoided mocap to maintain a controlled, stylized animation rather than realistic movement. Animators manually posed characters frame-by-frame, using video references of themselves acting out scenes for inspiration. Every movement, including subtle expressions and complex fight scenes, was hand-animated in Maya. - Why does Arcane’s animation look so different from other CGI shows?
Arcane uses a hybrid style with manual artistry, making it textured like a painting instead of smooth CGI. Textures and backgrounds were hand-painted, avoiding a polished digital look. Effects animations were stylized at 12fps for a unique rhythm, and all visual effects (like fire and smoke) were hand-drawn, not simulated. These choices give Arcane its gritty, organic feel, showing the artists’ brushwork in every frame, unlike clean, fully 3D Pixar-style renders. - Are Arcane’s backgrounds really 2D paintings?
Almost all backgrounds in Arcane are 2D digital matte paintings created by artists, not 3D geometry. The detailed scenes of Piltover, Zaun’s streets, and skies were hand-painted, often in Photoshop. The 3D characters were composited into these painted backdrops. Sometimes paintings were projected onto simple 3D shapes for camera depth, but the environments remain mostly 2D. This approach gives Arcane its distinct look. - What are some unique techniques Arcane developed for its animation?
Arcane popularized notable techniques: mixing frame rates (effects at 12 fps, characters at 24 fps) for contrast, projection mapping of 2D art onto 3D for camera moves without full modeling, and hand-drawn smear frames with 2D overlays on 3D action. They developed custom shaders for stylized lighting on hand-painted textures and enhanced compositing with grain, vignette, depth of field, and color grading, blending 2D and 3D seamlessly. These combined techniques created Arcane’s unique style. - Did Arcane win any awards for its animation?
Arcane’s animation earned major awards, making history. In 2022, it won nine Annie Awards, including Best TV Animated Series. It also received the 2022 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program, the first streaming series ever to do so. Additionally, Arcane won a Lumiere Award for animation and got a Visual Effects Society Award nomination. These honors show Arcane’s visuals were popular with fans and highly respected by professionals. - How might Arcane influence the future of animation?
Arcane showed that audiences want innovative, art-driven animation, encouraging more blending of 2D and 3D styles, like hand-painted textures or 2D effects in CGI. Its success (alongside hits like Spider-Verse) proves moving away from hyper-realistic CGI can pay off. Future animated series, especially from games or comics, may adopt distinctive visuals to stand out, inspired by Arcane. Its pipeline innovations, like projecting paintings onto 3D, might become standard teaching in animation schools. Arcane raised the bar creatively, expanding what 3D animation can be and pushing the industry toward more artistic and bold visuals.
Conclusion
Arcane is a landmark series in modern animation, combining 3D animation with 2D illustration to create a world that’s both realistic and surreal. Its creative visual style and blended techniques set a new standard, influencing the animation industry and inspiring artists to push traditional boundaries. Arcane proved animation doesn’t have to choose between 2D and 3D, inspiring a new wave of animated works blending these methods. The series showed artists they can go beyond usual limits, with visuals influencing future animated projects. The information is confirmed by creator interviews, animation news, and behind-the-scenes reports from Animation Magazine, Cartoon Brew, Leiden Arts in Society blog, and Dreamfarm Studios.
Recommended
How to Add Texture to a 3D Model in Blender: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Stunning Materials
