Mascot in Motion
A mascot can be a powerful asset for a brand, even more so when it’s animated. In this project, I set out to create a series of animated emoticons featuring a custom-made mascot for a fictional educational platform for children.
My vision was to design a cute and playful character that would appeal to children and make the educational content more engaging. I animated the mascot as stickers that could be used across the website, app, social media, and marketing materials.
Services
Concept
•
Character Design
•
Motion Design
•
Character Rigging
& Animation
Process
Since the project is based on an educational platform for children, the character needed to feel approachable and instantly likable.
I designed a friendly little fox, focusing on simple, readable shapes, bright, harmonious colors, relatable childlike features, and a playful silhouette that would work well even at small sizes.
After setting up the character sheet with front and semi-profile views, I built a complex rig that allows for a simpler workflow during animation. This preparation phase also makes it easier and more time-efficient to expand the series in the future when creating new poses and animations.
Outcome
With the rig ready, I created three short sticker-style animations to communicate a “Hello,” shown by a friendly hand wave, an agreeing “Yes, that’s right” nod, and an enthusiastic “I have an idea!” expression. These animations form the basis of a mascot-based emoticon series that can be expanded over time, thanks to the complex rig. Each animation can be placed within content, much like custom-made emojis.
The outcome is a custom-made mascot with a scalable emoticon system that combines charm with practicality.
