Starts With a Sketch Series - This is Lil’ Pip! From Napkin Sketch to Fully Rigged Character

Every great character begins with a feeling. A simple stroke of a pencil. A tiny spark of inspiration. Sometimes, it’s a sketch scrawled in the margins of a notebook. Sometimes, it’s an idea that barely makes it past the napkin it was first doodled on. But what happens next?

Taking a character from concept to fully realized design isn’t just about refining lines or choosing colors—it’s about discovering who they are through art. Pip began as a tiny sketch, a quick doodle to capture a mood—small, shy, but full of curiosity. But the real magic happens when that rough sketch starts taking form. We begin refining the silhouette, ensuring that the shape is instantly recognizable even at a glance. We adjust proportions, making sure the design is appealing and readable, even before a single detail is added.

Then comes the soul of the character—the expressions, the little details that make them feel alive. How do their eyes convey wonder? How does their mouth move when they smile? What happens when they get nervous or excited? Every character in Mix Monsters isn’t just drawn—they are engineered for movement, for emotion, for personality.

And then comes the final stage—rigging. This is where Pip stops being a simple drawing and becomes a fully functional character. Every movement is carefully tested, ensuring that Pip’s motions feel fluid, natural, and expressive. Every little detail matters. How do the arms bend? How does the body move when they hop excitedly? And once that final test animation plays, that’s the moment where we know: Pip is real.