Built with Rive
Kin Mascot Design and Animation
Katy Sander
Verified
Like this project
What the client had to say
It's a pleasure to work with Katy on our Rive animation project. Katy was able to work closely with my team to design a state machine-based animation with an exploration in vector and in raster. Communicates well and good artistic sense!
Nancy Zheng, Gensona
Jan 2, 2026, Client
Posted Jan 27, 2026
Designing and animating an expressive, emotionally aware mascot-guide for an AI platform with dynamic emotional states.
Likes
0
Views
0
Timeline
Nov 22, 2025 - Jan 2, 2026
Clients
Gensona
KIN, YOUR KINDRED SPIRIT
mascot design I illustration I Rive animation
Kin is a mascot designed for an AI companion platform, created to feel kind, emotionally present, and a little magical. Kin is a guide and assistant for the entire platform, so it was meant to feel like a kindred spirit you can talk to and grow familiar with.
Kin reacts in real time through four emotional states: calm, angry, sad, and excited, shifting as the conversation evolves. The goal is to make interactions feel alive and personal, more like a dialogue than an interface.
different mouth shapes for different emotions
I explored a few visual directions early on, playing with jelly-like forms, egg-shaped characters that could grow with the user, and even some more rigid, box-inspired ideas. Through sketching and iteration, one direction stood out: a soft, bouncy shape that already felt alive, even without movement.
That direction evolved into Kin. A small spirit-like character with a glowing heart at its core, inspired by Calcifer, tiny hands for clearer gestures, and a big, expressive personality. After several rounds of refinement and facial tuning, Kin’s look finally came together.
