IP DESIGN · Brand Character Design

For Leading Brands
Brand Character Solutions

From character design to a complete visual world. Give your brand a personality people remember.

Qingmei Future IP design: a 3D tiger character in a red tracksuit

Design Philosophy

Philosophy and world

Every character starts from the brand, not from a style.

IP design begins with the core value of a brand. A personified or symbolic character gives the brand a personality and an emotional temperature that can move its audience. Whether the character stands for strength, intelligence and innovation, or for warmth, familiarity and trust, the design stays with the spirit of the brand.

Character World

A character expresses a brand’s personality;
a series of scenes brings its world to life.

The character begins from the core value of the brand and is given a personality and emotional warmth. It appears on different occasions: it greets, sets out, focuses, celebrates and stays close. The same outline and identifying color stay recognizable in every frame.

  1. 01Core valueBegin with the core value of the brand
  2. 02PersonificationGive the brand a personality through its character
  3. 03Emotional temperatureMove the intended audience
  4. 04Brand spiritStrength, intelligence, innovation, or warmth and trust

One set, five frames

Shown with the first Golden-Mane Lion set. Every set follows this order.

  1. 01Golden-Maned Lion · WelcomeWelcomePoster, pack front, avatar
  2. 02Golden-Maned Lion · Full of EnergySetting outSplash, campaign cover, short-video cover
  3. 03Golden-Maned Lion · Focused MomentA focused momentProduct and feature pages
  4. 04Golden-Maned Lion · Joyful CelebrationCelebrationFestivals, launches, releases
  5. 05Golden-Maned Lion · Warm CompanionshipCompanionshipService pages, everyday posts

What we deliver

  • Character designHero portrait and identifying marks
  • Scene systemFive frames: welcome, setting out, focus, celebration, companionship
  • Key visualFull key visual, turnaround views and extended scenes
  • 3D characters3D characters and extensions
  • Usage notesUsage notes for every set

Character System

Character system

72 sets, 71 characters. The lion appears in two sets. Tap a card to see its five frames.

FEATUREDGolden-Maned Lion · Welcome

Lead Character

Golden-Maned Lion Cub

A guide who waves from the doorway. The white top and golden-brown mane are recognized at a glance, so the poster, pack front and avatar use it to settle who the brand is.

Type
Animal character · lion
Mood
FriendlyWarmLikes to lead the way
Marks
Golden-brown maneWhite top
Signature frame
Welcome · waving at the door
Typical uses
Poster · pack front · avatar · splash · service pages

Character profiles

Name, fit, mood and identifying marks, drawn from each set’s usage notes.

Jade Teapot Spirit · Main Character
Set 68 / 72

Jade Teapot Spirit

For
Tea culture and lifestyle brands
Mood
MellowHospitable
Marks
Jade teapot bodyLeaf lid emblemSteam
Indigo Programmer · Main Character
Set 72 / 72

Indigo Programmer

For
Technology brands and innovation projects
Mood
RationalInventive
Marks
Indigo jacketRound glassesSix-dot backpack badge
Golden-Armored Pangolin · Main Character
Set 56 / 72

Golden-Armored Pangolin

For
Green brands and sustainability projects
Mood
SteadyReliable
Marks
Golden-brown scalesHexagonal wooden badge
Amber Owl · Main Character
Set 59 / 72

Amber Owl

For
Knowledge brands and night-city projects
Mood
LearnedCalm
Marks
Amber eyesPale face discCrescent monocle
Qinghe Chef · Main Character
Set 70 / 72

Green Sprout Chef

For
Food brands and urban culinary projects
Mood
FriendlyHomely
Marks
Green apronChef’s hatLeaf pin
Cobalt Dolphin · Main Character
Set 60 / 72

Cobalt Dolphin

For
Coastal cities and sports brands
Mood
AgileEnergetic
Marks
Cobalt skinSilver bellyLife buoy

All characters

Filter by type, then open any card for the full five frames.

About the five-frame set

The scene system breaks one character into five ready-to-use images. The hero image makes the character instantly recognizable; the four action poses show where this identity belongs. The five work as one set, not five separate redesigns.

Debut goes where first impressions happen: posters, front of pack, profile avatars. Before anyone reads a word, the silhouette, palette and expression must read clearly.

Kickoff goes where things begin: splash screens, campaign key visuals, short-video covers. Arms and legs in motion are what create the rhythm.

Focus goes where something needs explaining: product guides, use cases, feature pages. The gaze stays on one task. The character is helping, not posing.

Celebration marks the milestones: holidays, new arrivals, launches. The expression opens up; the persona stays the same.

Companionship goes where the brand is closest to people: service pages, member days, everyday content. Closeness is what makes people want to meet again.

All 32 sets below follow this order. Names follow the nameplate in each image; we don’t add a separate numbering scheme beside it. Open the full-size image to see the character, then read the lines below on how to use it. The copy can change; the silhouette, signature colors and that one distinctive mark cannot.

Read each set for identity first, then for context. Identity is the silhouette, the colors and the one mark no one else has: a mane, armor, horns, a hat, headphones, a bottle, a plaid, a topknot. Context is where each of the five images goes. If the identity doesn’t hold, no amount of detail about context will help.

The hero image should be full-body, or a half-body shot where the mark is visible. The four action images can move in closer, but must never crop out the mark. Square, landscape and portrait formats are all cropped from this one set, with no separate character drawn “just for squares.”

For side-by-side review, scale all five to the same width. The set passes only if the mark is intact, the colors hold and each expression fits its context. If one image looks like a different character, drop it rather than making do.

Text follows the images rather than sitting on top of them. The images establish who the character is; these lines say whether each one goes on a poster, splash screen, guide page, milestone or service page. Clicking an image still opens the full view, and the text never blocks the click.

When one character appears in two sets, like the Golden-Mane Lion Cub, it’s because the contexts ran out, not the names. Folders are organized by character, not by image count, so no new names are created. Paired characters, such as the Blue Astronaut and the Pink Astronaut, may share a world but never a color.

The scene system serves a personality the brand has already defined: strength, intelligence, innovation, or warmth and trust. The five images place that personality in concrete contexts, without re-explaining the brand in every frame.

Choose by context, not by preference. When people need to remember who it is, use Debut. When you need a beginning, use Kickoff. When steps or products need explaining, use Focus. For holidays and new launches, use Celebration. For service and everyday moments, use Companionship. Never stack all five on one layout.

Nameplate numbers follow the artwork. On some boards, the printed number doesn’t match the file order; Roundy Reindeer’s nameplate is one example. The text adds no numbering of its own, so nothing conflicts with the nameplates. Go by name, not by the order we happened to count.

Deliver in sets of five: the hero image first, followed by Kickoff, Focus, Celebration and Companionship. File names follow the character name on the nameplate. Don’t rename on export, and don’t split the five into five folders without a character name. The Golden-Mane Lion Cub has two sets; the second is still called Golden-Mane Lion Cub, just for a different context. It gets a separate folder, not a new character. The Blue Astronaut and the Pink Astronaut go in two folders, with the color in the file name; the pink set should never be filed inside the blue one. Roundy Reindeer’s nameplate number doesn’t match the file order, so the delivery list uses the character name, not our own count.

Read this chapter image first, text second. The images tell you who it is; the text answers only three questions: what context this image is for, which detail cannot change, and how the next image differs in context but not in persona. The scenes don’t rewrite the brand story, mention pricing, or draw comparisons with other clients’ projects. If something needs changing, change the copy and the placement. The silhouette, signature colors and that one mark stay in the image. With all five side by side, first ask whether the mark is still there, then whether this image belongs on a poster, splash screen, guide, milestone or service page.

On narrow screens, the five images stack above and the notes sit below. View the whole set first, then read how to use it. The text isn’t shrunk into footnotes, and the 32 sets aren’t collapsed into one long essay at the bottom of the page. Each set stays with its own nameplate, so it’s easy to pull by character. A single layout carries only the one or two images from the set that fit its context; the rest stay in the system for next time. When pulling images, note on the list whether each is for a poster, splash screen, guide, milestone or service page, never “any one will do.”

Key Visuals

Key visual

Selected key visuals, turnaround views and extended scenes

46 key visualsSwipe to browse, tap to enlarge
See the other 38 key visuals

3D characters

3D characters

3D characters and extensions

18 3D frames
See the other 12 3D frames

Character Library

Character library

51 character images. Tap to enlarge.

Applications

Applications

One set covers every touchpoint from first greeting to everyday company.

  • Brand identity and social

    Make the character the face of the brand: posters, brand pages, avatars and social accounts, so people learn who it is first.

    Frame: Welcome
  • Products and packaging

    Use it on pack fronts, product explainers and feature pages, guiding users through the product step by step.

    Frame: A focused moment
  • Collaborations and merchandise

    Extend collaborations and merchandise around the identifying color and signature marks: change props between occasions, not the character.

    Frame: Celebration
  • Events and exhibitions

    Festivals, launches and in-person displays: celebration frames carry a clear date.

    Frame: Celebration
  • Animation and short video

    Splash screens, campaign covers and short-video covers start from the “setting out” pose, and can grow into motion content.

    Frame: Setting out
  • Service and community

    In service pages, membership and everyday posts the frame moves closer, so people look forward to meeting it again.

    Frame: Companionship

Which applications to use is agreed after we understand the brand and its audience.

Licensing Partnerships

Licensing and collaboration

Settle the scope of use first, and the collaboration lasts.

Licensing Partnerships

Licensing and collaborations
begin with a clear agreement.

Scope, term, territory and copyright follow the contract between both sides. Settling these first gives collaborations, merchandise and extensions a clear footing.

  • 01Scope of useWhere and in which media and channels the character is used, such as online, packaging and events.
  • 02Term and territoryHow long the license lasts and where it applies.
  • 03Copyright ownershipOwnership follows the contract between both sides. We suggest settling it before the project starts.
  • 04Usage rulesEvery set ships with usage notes: outline, identifying color and signature marks stay fixed.
  • Custom character

    Design a character for the brand from its core value, with a scene system and key visual.

  • Extension and application

    Extend an existing character into 3D, scene frames and applications.

  • Collaboration and licensing talks

    For collaboration or licensing, share the use case, scope and term first, and we go through them one by one.

Process

How we work

Steps are adjusted to each project.

  1. 01Brand researchUnderstand the core value, audience and use cases of the brand.
  2. 02ConceptExplore personified or symbolic directions from the core value.
  3. 03Character lockLock the hero portrait and identifying marks: outline, color and signature details.
  4. 04Scenes and key visualExtend welcome, setting out, focus, celebration and companionship frames, and complete the key visual.
  5. 053D and extensionsBuild 3D characters and applications where needed.
  6. 06Notes and deliveryWrite the usage notes and export the hero portrait and action frames.

FAQ

Questions

Can’t find your answer? Tell us about your brand and idea.

Book a consultation
What kinds of IP characters can you make for our brand?

This page shows animals, personified characters, human characters and 3D characters. The form we choose starts from the core value of the brand and its audience.

What is in one set?

One set on this page is a hero portrait plus four action and scene frames, with usage notes. The hero portrait is exported on its own, followed by the action frames.

Can you make 3D characters?

See the 3D characters section on this page. Whether a project needs 3D, and how far to take it, is confirmed when we talk through the brief.

How are timeline and cost decided?

Timeline and cost depend on the number of characters, the style and the scope of use, and are assessed once we understand the brief. Call 400-629-1588 to talk.

How are copyright and scope of use agreed?

Copyright and licensing scope follow the contract between both sides. We suggest settling them before the project starts.

How do we get started?

Call 400-629-1588 or leave a request on the contact page. We start with the brand background and use cases, then agree how to work together.

Give your brand a character of its own.

Tell us about the brand, the audience and where the character will appear.

Hotline 400-629-1588

Before we talk, think about these four things

  • 01Brand and audienceThe core value of the brand and the people to reach.
  • 02Where it will appearWhere the character will appear: packaging, events, online or elsewhere.
  • 03Quantity and styleRoughly how many characters, and the style you lean toward.
  • 04Timing and licensingYour target timing and early thoughts on scope of use.

METHODS & QUESTIONS

IP Design · Building from Specific Needs

Drawing on our service overviews and project materials, the topics below explain what to prepare, how the work unfolds and how we collaborate.