How to Create Animated Cartoon Characters
Be it Chester Cheetah from Cheetos commercials, Coco the Monkey from Kellogg’s Coco Pops, or Red Bull’s animated advertisements, all these characters instantly remind you of the brand and what it stands for.
Utilizing animated characters for branding has many benefits. These characters effectively communicate values or product benefits engagingly and entertainingly.
They also build emotional connections with the viewers, making the brand messaging memorable and impactful. Most importantly, these characters humanize brands and present ideas visually.
Therefore, creating a cartoon character for your brand is an advantageous step. But if you have no experience in animation or do not have a clue where to start, then this blog will be your reliable guiding force.
Keep reading to understand what makes strong cartoon characters and how to create one.
What Makes a Strong Cartoon Character?
You do not have to make a high-end production design and develop various characters. What you need is one or two cartoon characters who convey your message and advertise your products in an immersive way.
Their existence should enhance the visual appeal of your commercials while leaving a mark on the audience. So, when you sit down to design an animated character, keep it simple yet meaningful.
Some aspects to keep in mind while making your character include clear personality traits. These traits should also represent you as a brand.
For instance, if your brand is fun and vibrant, then create a humorous character. If it is an apparel brand, then creating a fashion-forward character is the way to go.
Another important point is to make your character relatable. They should not look like an advertising medium that is reciting your marketing brochure. They should build an emotional connection with their target audience.
Hence, the more relatable they are, the stronger the connection will be. Thus, keeping these factors in mind, let us move on to creating a strong animated character for your brand.
Steps to Create an Animated Cartoon Character
Here are the 9 proven ways to create the ideal cartoon character that matches your brand values, identity, and personality while claiming your space in the market:
Develop the Character Concept
The first step is to analyze the message you want to convey. This will also clear the purpose of the character. Think about whether the character will inform or engage your audience.
By focusing on your character’s function, you will be able to create the right style and tone for it. For example, if you are trying to convey a light-hearted message, then keep your characters entertaining and amusing.
If you want to communicate a serious message, then add an emotional depth to your character. Keep your brand’s message and target audience while creating.
Assess whether your character will be a superhero, adventurer, school kid, a troublemaker, etc. Write down its personality traits and develop a clear concept regarding the character.
Build A Backstory and Personality
Once you have the concept ready, dive deep into the character’s background. Think about what motivations the character will portray. For example, is it to save the day, do something fun when bored, or do some harmless mischief in the neighborhood?
Think about the strengths and weaknesses of the character. Is it physically strong, has superpowers, humorous, or highly intelligent? Also, narrow down what habits the character will exhibit.
Additionally, think about the movement and expressions of the character. All these factors will ease the design process, set a clear pathway for the character’s personality, and help you avoid thinking and going blank while designing.
Design the Character’s Appearance
Now, it is time to focus on what the character will look like. Decide on its body shape and proportions, and whether you want the character to look tall, short, bulky, or petite.
Think of its facial features and draw the character while it is happy, sad, angry, irritated, or bored. This will give you an idea of how you want the character to emote different feelings.
On a side note, if you are in the UAE, especially Dubai, and feel stuck when designing your character, it is advisable to seek professional and creative help. Look for animation studios in Dubai and select the one that fits into your ideas and budget.
Create Character Sketches
Before you get into animation software, be sure to roughly draw different sketches of the character. Experiment with designing, colors, expressions, and features. Imagine how the character will look from the front and back. Sketch those ideas onto the paper.
Choose the Right Animation Style
The next step is to pick between 2D and 3D animation styles. 2D animation creates an illusion of movement in two-dimensional space, defined by height and width. It is either hand-drawn or digitally made through software tools like Toon Boom and Adobe Animate.
Think of classic animated movies like The Lion King, Spirited Away, Aladdin, The Iron Giant, and more for inspiration and references.
On the other hand, 3D animation creates moving images in three-dimensional space, with height, width, and depth. It involves building digital models, rigging (explained ahead), and using different techniques to make the animation more realistic.
Popular examples include animated movies like Despicable Me, Inside Out, Finding Dory, Frozen, and others.
Select Animation Tools and Software
You developed your character concept, designed its appearance, and thought about its backstory. Now it is time to select the right animation tool to instill life into your character.
If you are new to animation, then start with tools like Adobe Express, Canva, Animaker, or Adobe Character Animator. Most of these tools are free and easy to use, so try any one of these tools for a seamless designing experience.
If you have some experience in animation, then you can work with advanced tools and software. They include Blender, Autodesk Maya, Toon Boom Harmony, Cinema 4D, and more. These tools will derive high-quality results and manage technically complicated tasks.
Further, if you are planning to make an explainer video, then seek guidance from whiteboard animation companies. They have the expertise to create engaging video content for brands that are ideal for explaining a product, its benefits, or telling brand stories.
Rigging and Preparing the Character
If you do not know what rigging is, it is the process of creating a virtual skeleton of your character. The skeleton is then organized into different parts of the body. Its purpose is to adjust the character’s body parts in different ways.
Next, you need to make the joint hinge in place to allow movements in the right direction. To do so, many software programs have an anchor tool available. This tool enables you to position joints in the right place so that your character moves naturally and realistically.
If this seems too complex, then many software programs have auto-rigging options or pre-rigged cartoon animations that you can work on.
Add Voice and Sound Elements
Now that you are done creating and animating your character, it is time to add the final touches to it. Add narration, sound effects, and music as you like.
You can also hire a voice actor for that character or use AI if you have a limited budget. Make sure that the narration or sound effects are synced with the character’s movements and expressions.
Test, Refine, And Finalize the Character
When you are finally done with creating your ideal cartoon character and giving it a voice, it is time to run some final tests on it.
Fix any unresolved inconsistencies in the character or narration. Carefully review the animation quality so that it does not decrease when you utilize the animation elsewhere.
Lastly, export your animation to the platform of your choice or download it in video formats like MP4 or GIF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What skills do I need to create animated cartoon characters?
Basic drawing skills, creative storytelling, and an understanding of basic animation principles are needed to create animated cartoon characters as a beginner.
Can beginners create animated characters without advanced software?
Yes, many user-friendly tools offer simple animation features to help beginners in learning.
How long does it take to create an animated cartoon character?
The time duration depends on the complexity of the character. If it is a simple character, then you can create it in a few days. But if your character has advanced detailing, then it can take weeks to be completed.
Is 2D or 3D animation better for cartoon characters?
Both animation styles are effective in their own ways. At the same time, 2D is simple and expressive, and 3D offers more realism and flexibility.
How important is character backstory in animation?
A character’s backstory is necessary for guiding expressions and movements while making the character more authentic.
Can animated cartoon characters be used for marketing and branding?
Yes, animated characters can be widely used in branding, social media marketing, advertising, and even for educational purposes to boost brand engagement.
Making Your Character Ready for The World
Honestly, learning to create and animate a cartoon character can be long and difficult. But the hard work will pay off when you see how well the character performs with the audience and contributes to your brand’s growth.
On top of that, it opens up your mind and expands your skills, making you the absolute driving force behind your brand. Therefore, start today and bring your character to life for a lifetime.