Animation starts with imagination, not keyframes | Rive

Is there anything I love more than creating animations?

Oh, yes! Coming up with ideas!

For me, it’s an energy-intensive process that takes a lot of focus, creativity, and dedication.

But that’s where the magic happens!

The idea for this little elephant popped into my head in a brainstorming session - literally within seconds.

I was invited to join a rather time-sensitive project for KTG Research & Innovation, so we had to hit the ground running.

And honestly? I think this little guy turned out to be a perfect fit for the app’s goals and its young audience.

The mission was to create a character who would guide children through their activities.

 As they progressed from one level to the next, the character needed to keep their curiosity alive and encourage them to keep going, helping their curiosity take root and their confidence blossom along the way!
 That’s when the idea of a tiny garden came to life. A garden the character could grow, nurture, and water as the children progressed through the app.

But wait… who could possibly be better at watering plants than an elephant with its wonderfully functional trunk?

And just like that, our elephant friend came to life!

From there, the process was pretty straightforward: a paper sketch, a vector character in Sketch, and animations in Rive. My usual workflow, from the first doodle to the final animation!

And now… drumroll, please!

Meet the adorable cute elephant!

He jumps with joy, dances like nobody’s watching, and, of course… waters his garden!

I truly hope he’ll bring an extra joy to the app’s youngest users and inspire them to keep growing, exploring, and learning, one level at a time.