Plato
A mascot character designed for Friend Studio, Plato, a dog built from two simple shapes that never morph, straightforward enough for Friend's own team to take on and animate however they needed him.
The Brief
Friend Studio came to CUMI needing a mascot, and Plato was his name. With Friend's own clean brand as a guide, CUMI was given room to explore a range of styles before settling on something simple and graphical, and just as importantly, easy to use, a character Friend's own designers could take on and animate however they needed once the handover was complete.
What CUMI Created
Plato was built from two shapes that never morph, one for the body and one for the head, with simple round eyes and stick limbs that let him look in any direction without the face ever needing to be redrawn. Basic, yet surprisingly effective, the brief for Plato deliberately reached for the same feeling as the penguin in Wallace and Gromit's The Wrong Trousers, a seemingly emotionless character whose thoughts run deep.
Process & Approach
Once Plato was settled, CUMI created a supporting cast to appear alongside him, then built animation packages that stayed simple for Friend to edit and extend, along with a short animation for social media to announce him.
Running Loop
Plato's basic run cycle, built from his own two-shape rig.
In a Car
Plato riding in a car.
Squeezing Under Something
Plato squeezing under an obstacle.
Swinging
Plato swinging.
Digging a Hole
Plato digging a hole.
Grabbing a Snack
Plato grabbing a snack.
Gallery
Credits
- Branding, Character Design & Animation
- CUMI
- Client
- Friend Studio