Prombo
Animations
Prombo
The idea of Prombo is to be a mascot character for a high-tech app for the manufacturing industry that was supposed to be used for teaching the user how to use its interface.
An animated mascot character, used for a manufacturing industrial complex. Designed to be friendly, approachable, and helpful while maintaining a professional industrial aesthetic.
First Sketches
Originally before going into Illustrator, I sketched some ideas to explore different approaches for the character design.
I went with a couple of ideas, all involving a cuter design or something rather simplistic and easy to animate. All were human-shaped with minimalistic ideas - the simpler the better. With a relatively human shape, mainly keeping the worker's helmet as a major part of the character's identity.
Initial character concept sketches
Additional character concept sketches
After exploring different approaches, I thought of going with a more robotic style. The sketches led slowly to something closer akin to EVE from WALL-E, but with an industrial worker aesthetic.
Helmet design variations
More helmet design explorations
Final concept before moving to Illustrator
In the end I really went with it, keeping the helmet as the key identifying feature and making the design more sleek and modern while maintaining the friendly, approachable personality.
Design Development
After finalizing the concept, I moved into the digital design phase, breaking down the character into individual components for animation and creating the final polished design.
Character components and assembly
Parts separated for rigging and animation
Final Design
After coming to a conclusion, I went with this final design that balances industrial functionality with friendly approachability.
The character features a distinctive teal safety helmet, expressive cyan eyes, and a clean industrial design that communicates both competence and friendliness.
Most of the design elements stayed consistent throughout development, with only minor refinements to improve the character's appeal and animation potential.
Character Expressions & Poses
The final character design includes various expressions and poses to communicate different states and feedback to users.
Celebration - Success feedback
Uncertainty - "I don't know" gesture
Instruction - Directing attention
Neutral - Default state
Multiple character poses and expressions for different use cases
Rigging & Animation
Rigging was done by first separating all the character components and then using specialized After Effects add-ons for character animation.
The rigging process involved breaking down the character into individual parts that could be animated independently while maintaining the overall character integrity.
Character parts prepared for rigging and animation
After Effects Rigging Process
The character was rigged in After Effects using a sophisticated control system with individual controllers for each body part, including detailed finger controls and facial expressions.
Complete rigging timeline showing all character controllers and animation layers
Detailed view of animation controls including cogwheel mechanics and limb systems
Composition window showing the rigged character with visible control points and animation setup
Software & Tools Used
Design Software
- • Adobe Illustrator - Vector design and character creation
- • Adobe After Effects - Animation and rigging
- • Clip Studio Paint - Initial sketching and concept development
Animation Tools
- Specialized After Effects add-ons for character rigging and animation
- Custom rigging setup for industrial character movement
- Component-based animation system
Project Outcome
Prombo successfully serves as an engaging mascot character that bridges the gap between industrial functionality and user-friendly design. The character's clean, modern aesthetic and expressive animations make complex manufacturing processes more approachable and understandable for users, while maintaining the professional credibility required in industrial settings.