Personal Character Animation
Character Animation
For this second-year graphic design project, the task was to create and animate a character that relates to ourselves. We were required to separate the character into parts, rig them, and parent those parts to move in a specific way. The assignment was open-ended, allowing for creative freedom. I chose to reinterpret Madeline from the game Celeste, redesigning her to resemble myself. Since Celeste explores themes of anxiety and personal growth, I thought it would be meaningful to represent myself as Madeline, as anxiety is something I also experience.
The portfolio piece for character animation. It features a girl based on Madeline from Celeste, reaching for a strawberry
The Process
I began with brainstorming and concept development. Once I decided on my character, I moved into the design phase, listing out all the body parts I would need to animate. I created each piece in Aseprite, then imported them into Illustrator to organize and layer them correctly. From there, I brought the completed AI file into After Effects, where I parented each part and began animating. I started with the strawberry movements, followed by the arms, head, and smaller details like hair flow and subtle waves. Finally, I incorporated iconic Celeste music and a background asset from the game to complete the scene.
The Challenge
This project came with several challenges. I had to learn a new software, Aseprite, which came with a few learning curves. Rigging and parenting in After Effects were also new to me, and I encountered some issues with overlapping parts that made the animation look off at first. Despite these difficulties, I worked through them and was proud of how the final animation came together.
The Solution & Outcome
Through experimentation and problem-solving, I was able to overcome the technical challenges I faced during the rigging and animation process. By taking time to understand how each part interacted and adjusting parent layers, I achieved smoother, more natural movement in the final animation. The end result successfully combined my personal connection to Celeste with my own self-representation, creating a piece that feels both expressive and meaningful. This project allowed me to build new skills in Aseprite, Illustrator, and After Effects, while also deepening my confidence in tackling complex, multi-step design workflows.
