2d icons vs 3d icons in modern-day web graphics

2D and 3D web icons design - what's the big difference?

Speaking about 3d Icons we need to point out that the source of light plays a really important role for creating authentic three-dimensional images. No doubt the using several light sources in web page design nowadays is more effective but take into account that they should follow fundamental rules of physics and be truthful. If you need to make 3D web icons look softer and more realistic - use several lights.

Both 2D and 3D icons represent the volume found in the three-dimensional world but use different means of creating this illusion. 2D Icons can certainly represent volume to less extent than 3D Icons. Usually the images are flat and present just one perspective. Detailed highlights and imperceptible soft shadows are missing as a rule. The shades usage is limited as well.

3D icons can be proud of all these features instead. But 3D is mathematical replication of the data which anyway limits its usage. Sometimes you can effortlessly replace 3D Icons by 2D ones or by the videos with the sounds - but all this depends on situation. The sounds give some extra dimensionality to the videos that actually use 2D images.Software used for 3D modeling allows to make that 3D dimension. It is recommended to depict 3D icons in correlation with the other objects in the neighborhood and the environment they are placed into.