Other traits we had to incorporate into the design were movement, perfection and confidence. Oh yeah, we already mentioned that three times already … but it was important. If you look at Mr.Bucks you’ll see he walks tall and assertively without being overbearing or too aggressive. He still comes across as someone you could approach but you realize that whatever you say better be interesting and to the point because this guy has work to do.

Working with the client we narrowed down a look and feel that we could use as a base and then with some tweaking, the final sketch was approved. From there, it was down to picking the colors which would work well to enforce the raw strength of this character.

A cartoon handyman mascot created by a professional character illustrator

First of all you will need to establish in your own mind exactly what it is you need from the character you need designed. Is it suppose to be aggressive, passive, friendly, scary, big, small, and the list goes on.

You need to establish to yourself exactly what your character’s purpose is, because you will need to be able to clearly transmit this information to the character illustrator. Also you should make sure the character illustrator you find asks for this information, because if they aren’t interested in your requirements, you can be sure they will not do a good job.

So you are going to need to be able to tell a character illustrator whether your character is for a website, a poster, a billboard, a newsletter, a logo, a comic or any other reason. They will need to target their work accordingly, but will require the information to do so.

There are a number of places you can look for a character illustrator. You could look to Craigslist, search the internet or even ask at local art conventions, but my recommendation would be to look to the end of the article for a great resource.

Whichever route you go to hiring a character illustrator, you need to be sure they can do the job. There is little worse than hiring a character illustrator to design your website logo, and it comes back unusable. If you wish to avoid this scenario you need to only work with artists who have a provable reputation for working with other companies. You do not want to hire someone who will “Give it a shot” if its your business. You need someone will get it right, as they have many times before.

I also recommend you agree terms before hiring a character illustrator, concerning whether or not you can revise their initial design.

Regardless of who you hire, if they are only prepared to create a finished product without consulting you during the process. You have to expect it will probably not be what you are looking for. This isn’t because the character illustrator themselves aren’t good, but even the best will need to revise their ideas to achieve perfection. If the company you talk to isn’t prepared to work with you every step of the way, that is the time to walk away and find one that is.

I just want to take the time to once again advice against getting friends to help design your character. A proper character illustrator is trained in what they do, and this is for a reason. Why a friend may have your absolute best intentions at heart, that will not give them any ability beyond what they already had. It comes down to common sense to a degree. I know if I hired my friend to fix my car he would do his best, but as he isn’t a mechanic he would still mess it up. Its just the same with character illustrators, and I highly recommend you turn to professionals.

A character designer is not just a friend that draws nice pictures you hope to utilize for a website or other purpose. The have-a-go heroes of the graphics world are fine for the fridge, but when a company needs to have a logo or mascot created, it is important that their company is properly represented.

There are many steps involved in creating a character that is usable in the real world, and these include: Discovery, sketch, color and of course delivery.

A great character design illustrators first and most important trait, is of course understanding the requirements of the customer. Lets say the customer is looking for a mascot for a kid orientated learning website. They write to the illustrator but just ask for a mascot that looks like a lion, wearing a teeshirt with their company name on it.

A good character design illustrator will tell them this isn’t enough information, and would ask what the purpose of the character is. On discovering it is to be used for a kids website, they would make the lion look friendly, or at least not scary. You see the reason you need to be working with professionals when your company is on the line? Its because otherwise you end up with a mascot or character that ill fits the purpose, and may be unusable.

As we have stated the first step is important, and if the illustrator doesn’t bother to ask the company exactly what they are looking for, and why, they probably will do a poor job.

Following this should come a further stage of negotiation with the customer, namely the sketch phase. After the character design illustrator believes they have a good idea of what the customer wants, they should send sketched for confirmation. This illuminates confusion down the line, and if the illustrator doesn’t do this it creates the possibility of the customer later getting an unusable product.

Even after the sketch has been confirmed or altered to the customers satisfaction, there still lies the further issue of color. The customer will need to be able to determine the color, and if it doesn’t look like they imagined, have it altered. The reason for this is simple. A customer doesn’t necessarily know what color will look best until they see it, and a character design illustrator should know that from the start.

The method of delivery is another factor, but this will obviously depend on the customers requirements. However I suggest that if you are hiring a professional, make sure they plan to deliver upon completion, in a manner suitable to your needs.

The main thing that separates an average Joe from a great character design illustrator, is that they work with a customer, as apposed to working “at” them. If you are looking into hiring a character design illustrator I highly recommend you assure yourself they are a team player, and not a fly by night optimist. By the same token, I also recommend any kids thinking of getting into this line of work to realize, it isn’t just about drawing a picture. It is about working with customers to achieve their ends and needs with beautiful and relevant art.

Mascot design sketches of Rocky the Racoon

Rocky had to be a character that would appeal to adults as well as students. Above all he needed an outdoorsy feel and be charming and cool without trying. With some back and forth and feedback from James the final Rocky he loved was the mascot you see below.

Rocky the Racoon

Cartoon mascot design ... Alive and well for all the right reasons.

Getting a cartoon mascot is an additional expense for any organization.  So why even bother with it … I mean, is it worth the time and money getting your own cartoon mascot?  Well it’ll come as no surprised that we tend to vouch for cartoon mascots all the way but we’ll try to put our bias aside and make the case as fairly as possible.

Stickiness

Cartoon mascots are super sticky.  You’ve only got to see one a couple of times and they will stick in your brain.  That’s the main reason why businesses, bloggers and non-profits alike use cartoon mascots in the first place.  They make you look twice and they make you remember and associate the organization with the mascot.  All of which equals “cha-ching”.

Persona

Nothing gives an organization, product or service a huge does personality like a professional cartoon mascot.  These characters do so much freakin’ heavy lifting in the good will department it isn’t even funny.  Have a think for a moment and many more will come to mind and I bet you’ll be surprised just how many famous cartoon characters and mascots you do know about once you start thinking.

Pattern Interruption

Probably the most important reason of all, characters help perform pattern interrupts.  Let me explain, every day you go about your business and most of the things you do are part of familiar patterns.  Everywhere are “things” trying to get your attention, trying to interupt your patterns.  Billboards, the kids, TV commercials, web banners, text links, your friends, the radio … it all starts to turn into (mostly) white noise with you only giving your attention to the remarkable.  Cartoon mascots STAND OUT (like capital letters in this sentence) and make you take notice of them.  For anyone trying to get your attention, that’s a good thing.

That’s three great reasons to consider a cartoon mascot for whatever mission you are on.

If you are like me, some of these characters you grew up with as a kid, others you will have gotten to know and love as an adult. The one’s that made it on this list did so because of their enduring greatness to last beyond mere fad and pull up a permanent place both in popular culture and in our minds. In no particular order, let’s get this started! And naturally, all characters are copyright of their respective owners. Don’t steal them m’kay?

1. Mickey Mouse

   
   Joyful, vulnerable, lovable. Mickey came into our hearts and minds decades ago and still reigns supreme. He’s like the Jesus of cartoon characters.

2. Eric Theodore Cartman

   

   Eric showed up in the 90’s and will forever leave us laughing … and emotionally scarred.

3. Homer Simpson

   
   Homer made us all feel A-OK about being overweight, gluttonous and idiotic. Thanks buddy.

4. Popeye

   

   Popeye showed us that all you need is a heart of gold and you’ll be just fine. A pair of killer pipes don’t hurt either.

5. Joe Camel

   

   Hey smoking is cool! Right? Er … well, it used to be. Thanks Joe.

 




Get your favorite cartoon characters on your wall!



 

6. Garfield

   

   Mischievous, scheming and adorable. Garfield has had us grinning for years and years.

7. Charlie Brown

   

   Yet another vulnerable and lovable icon. Charlie made being neurotic totally cool.

8. Alvin

   

   Furry, friendly and gifted at turning a catchy tune.

9. Tweety Bird

   

   Feathery, friendly and gifted at the art of escape!

10. Tom & Jerry

    

    Polar opposites providing some great laughs during their constant fighting.

11. Toucan Sam

    

    One of the original cereal icons, Toucan Sam has gone on to grace much more than a cereal box.

12. Archie

    

    You can’t stand in a supermarket checkout line without seeing Archie getting into trouble with the girls.

13. Fat Albert

    

    In 1967, Bill Cosby introduced us to Fat Albert and his friends. They’ve been making us laugh ever since.

14. Linus van Pelt

    

    Brother of Lucy, Friend and unusally smart sidekick to Charlie Brown. Showed us we all need our comfort “thing” in some way, shape or form.

15. Bart Simpson

    

    Enough said.

16. Mighty Mouse

    

    Rocked up in the 1940’s and was one of the original cartoon super stars. Mighty made many things possible for many characters who followed in his footsteps.

17. Lucy van Pelt

    

    Bossy, crabby and bad tempered. For all her bad vibes, Lucy had a romantic side that would emerge regarding a certain boy called Schroeder.

18. Capt’n Crunch

    

    Introduced in 1963, the Captain has thrived for decades amidst growing competition for our cereal dollars.

19. Fred Flintstone

    

    We can credit Fred for many things. One of which was laying the foundation for a guy like Homer to be created.

20. Porky Pig

    

    Awww.

21. Shaggy

    

    Flared pants, scruffy facial hair, crazy voice. We love you Shaggy.

22. Richie Rich

    

    Another supermarket superstar, Richie let us tag along for the ride as he lived the life we all wished we could.

23. Casper

    

    Was he a little boy before he was a ghost? We’ll never know but he sure was a nice fella.

24. Pink Panther

    

    In 1963, the title sequence to the Pink Panther movie was so popular that the character was given his own animated series of shorts. The rest is history!

25. Ren & Stimpy

    

    Nonsensical, absurd, controversial. Ren & Stimpy made us cackle and cringe all at once.

26. Spiderman

    

    Created by legendary writer Stan Lee, Spiderman hit the scene in the early 60s … and never left.

27. Jughead

    

    Jughead (real name Forsythe Pendleton Jones III!) . Best friend to Archie and a fast runner which helps him get away from Ethel!

28. Mr. Kool Aid

    

    Also known as Kool Aid Man came to life in 1954. He’s been representing colored sugar water ever since.

29. Betty Boop

    

    Betty was the original cartoon sex kitten. She arrived in the 1930s and was turning heads long before most of us were born.

30. Road Runner

    

    Always smarter and faster than one…

31. Wile E. Coyote

    

    The eptitomy of persistence. If you look up “tenacious” in the dictionary, there should be a picture of Wile E. Coyote. This guy NEVER gives up.

32. Jolly Green Giant

    

    How do you sell more peas and corn? In the 1920’s, they decided that creating a huge, friendly green guy might do the trick.

33. Bugs Bunny

    

    Super intelligent, cool and calm. Bugs always seems to know what’s up … (doc).

34. Olive Oyl

    

    In 1919, it was “Popeye who?” Olive Oyl was the star of the show.

35. Daffy Duck

    

    In the late 1930’s, Daffy came along and established himself as a hilarious and lovable screwball. We’ve been laughing with and at him ever since.

36. Scooby Doo

    

    Shaggy’s pet and best friend, Shaggy is probably the world’s most famous Great Dane.

37. Donald Duck

    

    He wears a hat and a shirt but no pants. Donald is another character born in the 1930’s that has stood the test of time with flying colors.

38. Elmer Fudd

    

    Elmer is a lovable dope with an unmistakable voice. His mission in life? Shoot Bugs Bunny dead. It’s been seventy years and he’s still trying.

39. Wonder Woman

    

    December 1941 is when Wonder Woman showed up. And ever since, she’s been a powerhouse of feminine super power.

40. Hello Kitty

    

    A one billion dollar per year industry is Hello Kitty. Born in 1974, this cat knows how to sell.

41. Papa Smurf

    

    The oldest and wisest of all the Smurfs. Papa Smurf is the rock the other Smurfs all turn too whenever there’s a problem. We applaud you for a job well done Papa Smurf.

42. Batman

    

    Another legend from the late 30’s, Batman is one of those epic characters that has graced almost every medium known to man.

43. Superman

    

    Arguably the most famous of all cartoon superheros, Superman was created in the early 30’s and left an lasting impression on mainstream and popular culture in more ways than we’ll ever know.

44. Snap, Crackle & Pop

    These three fellas have been getting us to by Rice Crispies for decades and have done a pretty darn good job of it. I don’t think they’ll be out of work any time soon.

45. Smurfette

    

    Ah the beautiful and lucky Smurfette. Blonde hair, white high heels and the only girl in town makes her the love interest of practically every Smurf around!

46. Kenny McCormick

    

    No one has died on screen more times than Kenny. This guy is forever etched in our minds for his bright orange parka, muffled speech and numerous disgusting deaths he has suffered at the hands of his creators.

47. Goofy

    

    Another Disney legend and one of Mickey’s best friends, Goofy was born in 1932 and is yet another cartoon icon who has stood the test of time.

48. Calvin & Hobbes

    

    30 million books sold can’t be wrong. The adventures of young Calvin and his tiger Hobbes keep us reading and loving them.

49. Winnie the Pooh

    

    Also known as Pooh Bear, Winnie came first came to us in 1926. His travels and friends grace the minds of almost every kid. Thanks Winnie.

50. Yogi Bear

    

    Our favorite rhyming bear, Yogi has been shamelessly self-promting and overestimating his intelligence since the 50’s with his sidekick Boo Boo.

Consider this Part 1 of the Most Famous Cartoon Characters and Mascots. Got a character you want to see in Part 2? Tell me in the comments!

Get your favorite cartoon characters on your wall!

Marge is being reported as “the first cartoon character ever” to be featured on the cover of Playboy.  This is well hyped and not surprisingly the reaction to this event has been varied and heated, but is it accurate?

Not really.  According to a flood of responses, it seems Leroy Neiman’s “Femlin” cartoon character was the first cartoon character to be featured (in August 1960) and was subsequently featured many times. Some say that a Playmate dressed as Jessica Rabbit took the honor in their November 1988 issue … we argue that’s not really a cartoon character so much as someone dressed up as a cartoon character.

What do you think … should Marge be doing business with Playboy?

A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. The cochlear implant is often referred to as a bionic ear. Unlike hearing aids, the cochlear implant does not amplify sound, but works by directly stimulating any functioning auditory nerves inside the cochlea with an electric field.

Pretty cool right!? This technology is giving hearing to millions of people and it was up to our artists to create a new mascot for Cochlear that was fun, kept the spirit of the Cochlear branding and their mission. In the end Grahame and his team settled on this little fella. Check him out!

Cartoon Lemming Character

Part of the Character Plan (or creative brief) included:

“Character is a Lemming, which represents our new product called ‘FollowThing’. The reason for using a lemming is that our online service allows people to follow almost anything on the web (blogs, news, videos, memes, audio, brand monitoring etc) and therefore keep abreast of the latest trends and breaking news. Lemmings are famously known for following things. This concept of ‘following’ needs to be visible within this mascot.”

It didn’t take too long until our artists were onto a character mascot that Mathew liked. We ended up tweaking back and forth until the final look of this cartoon mascot was achieved.

It was great working with Mathew and we wish him well with his Follow Thing start up!