The Bad Guys 2 - An Innovative Gem

Elliot Goodliffe
Staff Writer   
  The Bad Guys 2 has stunning visuals, but just how do they do it? On August 28, 2025, DreamWorks artists revealed their behind-the-scenes work on The Bad Guys 2 during an interview at Gnomon, an animation high school in Los Angeles, California. Starting with Look Development Artist Rachael Yang, she explained that 2D lines on 3D surfaces called “squiggles” were part of the process of elaborating the style of the art and improving the technology to showcase the movie’s technique. To explain, squiggles are used on all surfaces to push the ‘illustrative look,’ help break up the edges of the 3D model, as well as help with lighting on a character. After receiving a question from an online viewer on how to paint in The Bad Guys style, Yang responded by explaining that someone would definitely need some painting experience. She said, “Know your oils, do a bit of watercolor, try some pastels.” She went on to describe how from a production standpoint, it is important to embrace the spirit of each show or project to fully capture its artistry. 
  Yang went on to explain that it helps to imagine yourself as a type of artist. For example, while working on Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, she channeled her inner Bob Ross, imagining herself painting a masterpiece on a giant canvas. However, switching to The Bad Guys 2 completely changed the creative atmosphere. Yang tries to channel her inner goofiness, stating, “I’m doing an outdoor sketch, this is fast, but I only have one old brush, maybe a marker. And instead of wine, I’ll bring a sandwich.” DreamWorks artists used extensive 2D, hand-drawn effects in special scenes. During the opening car chase, all the smoke from police cars and the stolen vehicle were hand-drawn. Even soup highlights and campfire flames were meticulously planned. This careful craftsmanship creates the "professional" foundation that makes their "professional silly" style so effective. Examples of the stylization are the squash-and-stretch of character models, where the animators purposefully deform and/or distort the characters to show emotion or impact. The "professional" element comes from the thoughtful planning behind each cartoon effect. During the chase sequence, a ridiculous mob of policemen pile onto one moped, but the animators strategically positioned the trailing smoke to complement the composition without overwhelming it. This careful attention to visual storytelling while maintaining absurd humor perfectly demonstrates "professional silly." Nowadays, the style is commonly known as hybrid animation, which combines both 2D and 3D effects to elevate the art style. Without it, big hits like Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and The Bad Guys 2 would not give the impact they do now. Additionally, hybrid animation does not distinctly mean the separate art styles of 2D and 3D; 3D can have the look of 2D, like the squash and stretch referred to earlier. This movie is an industry-changing event- hopefully one of many.