Illustrative / Mascot
A mascot gives customers someone to recognise. Its pose, expression and silhouette can communicate friendliness or expertise before a person knows what the business does.
Examples to look at
- Linux
- Tux’s seated pose and rounded belly give the penguin a relaxed personality.
- Duolingo
- Duo’s large eyes make an expression readable on a small screen.
- Michelin
- The Michelin Man’s stacked tyre shapes link the character to the product.
Choose a role for the character
Is this character a guide, a maker or a mischievous companion? A guide might lean towards the viewer. A dependable expert might stand squarely. Sketch a few poses before adding clothing or facial detail. If you can tell which character it is from the outline, you have something sturdy to build on.
Give it a range of expressions
A mascot can welcome a customer on a sign and offer help on a screen. Think through a difficult moment too. The expression that suits a celebration may feel insensitive beside a delayed order. Agree on a small set of poses and a head-only version for compact spaces.
Try the silhouette line-up
Put three character sketches in a row and fill them in black. Ask someone which seems most helpful or most energetic, and what in the pose led them there. Then see whether its face alone works at avatar size.