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I found several other fatwas listing a different opinion on the issue.
Some key arguments,

1. 3d objects(statues) are strongly disallowed but 2d images are ONLY detestable.

Muslim has also reported from 'Aisha that she said, "We had a curtain with the figure of a bird on it. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) entered the house, he saw it right in front of him and he said, 'Remove it from here. When I enter and see it, I am reminded of this world .' "

The Prophet (peace be on him) did not tell 'Aisha to tear up the curtain but only to remove it from the place where it hung facing the entrance; he disliked seeing it there because it brought to his mind the world and its attractions

...

It is quite clear from the preceding ahadith that the Prophet (peace be on him) did not disapprove of having a curtain with a picture of a bird and a drape with figures in his house. On the basis of this and other similar ahadith scholars of earlier times have commented, "What is prohibited are figures which cast shadows (meaning those which are solid) and not those which do not cast shadows (meaning on plane surfaces)." (Al-Nawawi mentions this opinion in his Sharh Muslim but rejects it, saying that it represents a wrong position. In Fath al-Bari, al-Hafiz has traced this opinion on sound authority back to al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr, who was a jurist of Madinah and the best of his time.)

The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam by Sheikh Yusof Qardawi.

2. The role of intention in determining permissibility.

The question of a person aspiring to create like Allah is really a question of that person’s intent. It is an action of the heart and it is tantamount to unbelief. A person who acts with such intent is in a state of unbelief, regardless of whether he is making replicas of animals or of inanimate objects like trees, rocks, rivers, or mountains.

This is the reason for the prohibition against the image making in the hadîth. This is the reason why the image makers are being cursed. This is clarified by another hadîth where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah says: ‘Who does a greater wrong than one who aspires to creates as I create – a grain of corn, a seed, or a barleycorn?” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (7559) and Sahîh Muslim (2111) – The wording accords with al-Bukhârî]

Therefore, if the reason for the prohibition is that of **aspiring to create ** like Allah creates, then the **subject matter is irrelevant. It makes no difference if the image is that of an animal or an inanimate object. **

Taken from a fatwa discussion elucidating 3 distinct positions on the issue,
Drawing Pictures & Producing Animated Cartoons | Sheikh Sa`ûd al-Funaysân | IslamToday - English

I'm not sure how this opinion compares to the accepted answer above. Maybe some comments is helpful in order to facilitiate the decision making process. But since these are also opinions of scholars, its best to mention it here as well, and let the proofs do the talking.

I found several other fatwas listing a different opinion on the issue.
Some key arguments,

1. 3d objects(statues) are strongly disallowed but 2d images are ONLY detestable.

Muslim has also reported from 'Aisha that she said, "We had a curtain with the figure of a bird on it. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) entered the house, he saw it right in front of him and he said, 'Remove it from here. When I enter and see it, I am reminded of this world .' "

The Prophet (peace be on him) did not tell 'Aisha to tear up the curtain but only to remove it from the place where it hung facing the entrance; he disliked seeing it there because it brought to his mind the world and its attractions

...

It is quite clear from the preceding ahadith that the Prophet (peace be on him) did not disapprove of having a curtain with a picture of a bird and a drape with figures in his house. On the basis of this and other similar ahadith scholars of earlier times have commented, "What is prohibited are figures which cast shadows (meaning those which are solid) and not those which do not cast shadows (meaning on plane surfaces)." 
(Al-Nawawi mentions this opinion in his Sharh Muslim but rejects it, saying that it represents a wrong position. In Fath al-Bari, al-Hafiz has traced this opinion on sound authority back to al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr, who was a jurist of Madinah and the best of his time.)

The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam by Sheikh Yusof Qardawi.

2. The role of intention in determining permissibility.

The question of a person aspiring to create like Allah is really a question of that person’s intent. It is an action of the heart and it is tantamount to unbelief. A person who acts with such intent is in a state of unbelief, regardless of whether he is making replicas of animals or of inanimate objects like trees, rocks, rivers, or mountains.

This is the reason for the prohibition against the image making in the hadîth. This is the reason why the image makers are being cursed. This is clarified by another hadîth where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah says: ‘Who does a greater wrong than one who aspires to creates as I create – a grain of corn, a seed, or a barleycorn?” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (7559) and Sahîh Muslim (2111) – The wording accords with al-Bukhârî]

Therefore, if the reason for the prohibition is that of aspiring to create like Allah creates, then the subject matter is irrelevant. It makes no difference if the image is that of an animal or an inanimate object.

Taken from a fatwa discussion elucidating 3 distinct positions on the issue,
Drawing Pictures & Producing Animated Cartoons | Sheikh Sa`ûd al-Funaysân | IslamToday - English

I'm not sure how this opinion compares to the accepted answer above. Maybe some comments is helpful in order to facilitiate the decision making process. But since these are also opinions of scholars, its best to mention it here as well, and let the proofs do the talking.

I found several other fatwas listing a different opinion on the issue. Some key arguments,

1. Statues are strongly disallowed but 2d images are detestable.

It is quite clear from the preceding ahadith that the Prophet (peace be on him) did not disapprove of having a curtain with a picture of a bird and a drape with figures in his house. On the basis of this and other similar ahadith scholars of earlier times have commented, "What is prohibited are figures which cast shadows (meaning those which are solid) and not those which do not cast shadows (meaning on plane surfaces)." (Al-Nawawi mentions this opinion in his Sharh Muslim but rejects it, saying that it represents a wrong position. In Fath al-Bari, al-Hafiz has traced this opinion on sound authority back to al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr, who was a jurist of Madinah and the best of his time.)  The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam by Sheikh Yusof Qardawi.

1. The question of a person aspiring to create like Allah is really a question of that person’s intent. It is an action of the heart and it is tantamount to unbelief. A person who acts with such intent is in a state of unbelief, regardless of whether he is making replicas of animals or of inanimate objects like trees, rocks, rivers, or mountains.

A discussion regarding 3 positions on the issue, Drawing Pictures & Producing Animated Cartoons | Sheikh Sa`ûd al-Funaysân | IslamToday - English

I'm not sure how this opinion compares to the accepted answer above. But since these are also opinions of scholars, its best to mention it here as well, the proofs do the talking.

I found several other fatwas listing a different opinion on the issue. 
Some key arguments,

1. 3d objects(statues) are strongly disallowed but 2d images are ONLY detestable.

It is quite clear from the preceding ahadith that the Prophet (peace be on him) did not disapprove of having a curtain with a picture of a bird and a drape with figures in his house. On the basis of this and other similar ahadith scholars of earlier times have commented, "What is prohibited are figures which cast shadows (meaning those which are solid) and not those which do not cast shadows (meaning on plane surfaces)." (Al-Nawawi mentions this opinion in his Sharh Muslim but rejects it, saying that it represents a wrong position. In Fath al-Bari, al-Hafiz has traced this opinion on sound authority back to al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr, who was a jurist of Madinah and the best of his time.) 

The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam by Sheikh Yusof Qardawi.

The question of a person aspiring to create like Allah is really a question of that person’s intent. It is an action of the heart and it is tantamount to unbelief. A person who acts with such intent is in a state of unbelief, regardless of whether he is making replicas of animals or of inanimate objects like trees, rocks, rivers, or mountains.

Taken from a fatwa discussion elucidating 3 distinct positions on the issue, 
Drawing Pictures & Producing Animated Cartoons | Sheikh Sa`ûd al-Funaysân | IslamToday - English

I'm not sure how this opinion compares to the accepted answer above. Maybe some comments is helpful in order to facilitiate the decision making process. But since these are also opinions of scholars, its best to mention it here as well, and let the proofs do the talking.

I found several other fatwas listing a different opinion on the issue.

Some key arguments,

1) Statues are strongly disallowed but 2d images are detestable.

The Prophet (peace be on him) did not tell 'Aisha to tear up the curtain but only to remove it from the place where it hung facing the entrance; he disliked seeing it there because it brought to his mind the world and its attractions. This is not strange, since the Prophet (peace be on him) used to perform the sunnah and nafil (voluntary) salat at home. Curtains and bedspreads or statues perhaps would have distracted him from concentration in his salat and complete attention in his supplications. Al-Bukhari also reported Anas as saying, "Aisha had covered a part of her apartment with a drape. The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) told her, 'Take it away from my sight because its figures keep distracting me from my salat.' "

It is quite clear from the preceding ahadith that the Prophet (peace be on him) did not disapprove of having a curtain with a picture of a bird and a drape with figures in his house. On the basis of this and other similar ahadith scholars of earlier times have commented, "What is prohibited are figures which cast shadows (meaning those which are solid) and not those which do not cast shadows (meaning on plane surfaces)."  (Al-Nawawi mentions this opinion in his Sharh Muslim but rejects it, saying that it represents a wrong position. In Fath al-Bari, al-Hafiz has traced this opinion on sound authority back to al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr, who was a jurist of Madinah and the best of his time.) The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam by Sheikh Yusof Qardawi.

2) The role of intention in determining permissibility.

This is the reason for the prohibition against the image making in the hadîth. This is the reason why the image makers are being cursed. This is clarified by another hadîth where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah says: ‘Who does a greater wrong than one who aspires to creates as I create – a grain of corn, a seed, or a barleycorn?” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (7559) and Sahîh Muslim (2111) – The wording accords with al-Bukhârî]

Therefore, if the reason for the prohibition is that of aspiring to create like Allah creates, then the subject matter is irrelevant. It makes no difference if the image is that of an animal or an inanimate object.

I found several other fatwas listing a different opinion on the issue. Some key arguments,

1. Statues are strongly disallowed but 2d images are detestable.

Muslim has also reported from 'Aisha that she said, "We had a curtain with the figure of a bird on it. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) entered the house, he saw it right in front of him and he said, 'Remove it from here. When I enter and see it, I am reminded of this world .' "

The Prophet (peace be on him) did not tell 'Aisha to tear up the curtain but only to remove it from the place where it hung facing the entrance; he disliked seeing it there because it brought to his mind the world and its attractions 

...

It is quite clear from the preceding ahadith that the Prophet (peace be on him) did not disapprove of having a curtain with a picture of a bird and a drape with figures in his house. On the basis of this and other similar ahadith scholars of earlier times have commented, "What is prohibited are figures which cast shadows (meaning those which are solid) and not those which do not cast shadows (meaning on plane surfaces)."  (Al-Nawawi mentions this opinion in his Sharh Muslim but rejects it, saying that it represents a wrong position. In Fath al-Bari, al-Hafiz has traced this opinion on sound authority back to al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr, who was a jurist of Madinah and the best of his time.) The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam by Sheikh Yusof Qardawi.

2. The role of intention in determining permissibility.

This is the reason for the prohibition against the image making in the hadîth. This is the reason why the image makers are being cursed. This is clarified by another hadîth where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah says: ‘Who does a greater wrong than one who aspires to creates as I create – a grain of corn, a seed, or a barleycorn?” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (7559) and Sahîh Muslim (2111) – The wording accords with al-Bukhârî]

Therefore, if the reason for the prohibition is that of **aspiring to create ** like Allah creates, then the **subject matter is irrelevant. It makes no difference if the image is that of an animal or an inanimate object. **