A playful wizard character built in Rive, inspired by the expressive and engaging character design language of apps like Duolingo. The goal was to create a character that could act as an interactive guide throughout a learning experience rather than simply being a static mascot.

The wizard was designed and rigged entirely in Rive, with a focus on expressive character movement, clear poses, and reusable animation states.

Different body and facial elements were rigged to allow the character to react naturally to different situations — from idle and listening states to excitement, encouragement, celebration, and instructional moments.

The animation system was designed around state-based interactions, making it possible to switch between character behaviors dynamically based on what the user is doing.

The character takes inspiration from the way Duolingo uses mascots to create a more human and engaging learning experience.

Rather than overwhelming the interface with animation, the wizard uses short, purposeful interactions to communicate feedback and emotion — celebrating progress, guiding users through activities, and making different stages of the experience feel more alive.

Because the character was built in Rive, the animations remain lightweight, scalable, and interactive while being suitable for integration into modern web and app experiences.

The result is a reusable interactive character system that can become a central part of a learning platform's UI and user experience.

Technology: Rive · Character Rigging · State Machines · Interactive Animation · UI Motion