Brand mascot design: a character with poses and emotions for every channel
We design mascots and brand characters: from first sketches, through a character sheet with poses and emotions, to usage rules and a version ready for animation or a 3D model. A character with one pose and three emotions costs from 1,600 PLN net.
- Price
- from 1,600 PLN
- Timeline
- 2-3 weeks
- Copyright
- Full
How much does a mascot design cost?
A character with one pose and three emotions costs from 1,600 PLN net. Character with Poses, with a character sheet, six poses and six emotions, costs from 3,400 PLN, and the Mascot System with twelve poses, rules and an animation version or 3D model from 6,900 PLN. Character takes 2 to 3 weeks, Character with Poses 3 to 4 weeks and the Mascot System 5 to 7 weeks.
- Price
- from 1,600 PLN
- Timeline
- 2-3 weeks
Character sheet
Proportions, colours and front, side and back views, in packages from Character with Poses up.
Front
Side
Back
What you get in a mascot project
Every package ends with vector files of the character and a description of how to draw it so it looks the same a year from now.
Character
A short description of personality, behaviour and voice, agreed before sketching.
Direction sketches
Several versions of the character form, from which you pick one to develop.
Character sheet
Proportions, colours and front, side and back views, in packages from Character with Poses up.
Poses and emotions
Finished illustrations of the character in different situations and with different expressions.
Usage rules
In the mascot system, where and how to use the character and what never to make it do.
Animation version or 3D
In the mascot system, the character split into layers for animation or built as a 3D model.
Files
SVG, PDF and PNG with a transparent background, ready for the web, print and social media.
Where a mascot works for your brand
When planning the character, we ask about every place it should appear. That decides which poses and emotions are needed.
Social media
Reactions to events, tip posts and comments that sound like the character, not the company.
Website and app
A welcome, empty states, the error page and an order confirmation with the character instead of a dry message.
Packaging and labels
The character as a product differentiator on the shelf, recognisable even to children.
Merch and stickers
T-shirts, mugs, pins and stickers that customers want to keep.
Emotes
An emote set for Discord, Twitch or your team chat, with the expressions of the character.
Ads and video
An animated character in an ad, a video intro or a short reel.
A character customers remember longer than a logo
A mascot gives a brand a face. It can welcome visitors on your website, explain a product in a guide, celebrate a sale in a post, apologise in an outage notice and appear on packaging, a t-shirt or a sticker. A logo cannot do that, because it has no expressions or poses.
A good mascot starts with character, not with a drawing. We decide who the character is, how it behaves, how it speaks and how it differs from the mascots of competitors. Only then do we look for a form: an animal, an object, a person or a creature that does not exist.
We design the character so it can be drawn consistently. You get a character sheet with proportions, colours and views from different sides, and in larger packages a set of poses and emotions ready to use, plus rules on what the character never does.
A mascot can stay a 2D illustration or become a 3D model for animation, renders and ads. We consider from the start where the character will live, so it does not have to be redrawn when it moves into animation.
Packages and prices
Net prices. Anything beyond a package is quoted before we start.
Character
A character design with one pose and three emotions, to start on social media and your website.
from1,600 PLN
2-3 weeks
- Character and direction sketches
- Vector character design
- 1 pose
- 3 emotions
- SVG, PDF and PNG files
Most chosen
Character with Poses
A character ready for regular use: a character sheet and a set of poses and emotions.
from3,400 PLN
3-4 weeks
- Everything in the Character package
- Character sheet with views
- 6 poses
- 6 emotions
- Print and web versions
Mascot System
A full character system with rules and an animation version or 3D model, for a brand that builds its messaging on it.
from6,900 PLN
5-7 weeks
- Everything in Character with Poses
- 12 poses
- Mascot usage rules
- Animation version or 3D model
- Examples on 5 items
Net prices in PLN, starting from the amount shown for the scope described. We reserve about 15% of the project time for revisions, so a bigger project gets proportionally more time for changes. Anything beyond the package is quoted before we start.
Package comparison
| Scope | Character | Character with Poses | Mascot System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poses | 1 | 6 | 12 |
| Emotions | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Character sheet | none | yes | yes |
| Usage rules | none | none | yes |
| Animation or 3D | none | none | one of the two |
| Examples on items | none | none | 5 |
| Timeline | 2-3 weeks | 3-4 weeks | 5-7 weeks |
How a mascot comes together
Character2-4 days
Who the character is, how it behaves and where it will appear.
1Sketches3-6 days
Several directions for the form: different species, proportions and drawing styles.
2Design4-8 days
Refining the chosen direction in colour and vector.
3Poses and emotions1-3 weeks
A set of poses and emotions and, in the system, the rules and examples.
4Animation or 3D1-2 weeks
In the mascot system, preparing layers for animation or building the 3D model.
5
We reserve about 15% of the project time for revisions. Choose the form at the sketch stage, because every pose is drawn on the approved design.
What mascot pricing depends on
The price grows with the number of poses and emotions, but most with the decision on animation or a 3D model.
- 1
Character complexity
A simple form of a few shapes is quicker to draw than a character with clothes, fur and props.
- 2
Poses and emotions
Each pose is a separate illustration, and each emotion is a separate expression to draw.
- 3
Animation or 3D
Preparing layers for animation or building a 3D model is a separate stage of work.
- 4
Rules
Describing personality and usage rules needs examples and decisions for many situations.
How not to overpay
- Start with the character and add poses once you know which you need
- Choose a simple form if the character will be drawn often
- Plan animation from the start so the character is not redrawn
- Prepare a list of places of use before sketching
Who we design mascots for
Brands for children and families
A character children recognise on packaging, in the app and at events.
Apps and digital services
A guide through the product who softens error messages.
Creators, streamers and communities
A character for emotes, overlays and merch, with an expression for every reaction.
Food brands and restaurants
A mascot on packaging, menus and in the venue that builds affection.
Clubs, events and cities
An event or team mascot ready for posters, merchandise and costumes.
How to prepare for a mascot project
A description of where the character will appear and what personality it should have helps most.
0 / 6 ready
- The places where the mascot will be used
- Audience: children, adults, businesses, a community
- Personality traits the character should have
- Mascots you like, from any industry
- Your logo and brand colours
- Plans for animation, a 3D model or figurine production
2D illustration or 3D model
| Need | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Posts, stickers, website | 2D illustration | quick to draw in new poses |
| Simple animation in reels | layered 2D | hands, eyes and mouth move without a model |
| Ads and product renders | 3D model | the camera can show the character from any side |
| Figurine or plush toy | 3D model | the manufacturer needs a form, not a drawing |
A character that can keep being drawn
The biggest risk with a mascot is the character drifting over time. Every new drawing, made by someone else or in a hurry, changes the proportions, the eye colour or the length of the ears, until a year later the brand has several different characters.
That is why the character sheet describes construction: which shapes it is built from, how many heads tall it is, how it looks from the side and back. The rules in the mascot system add character: what it never does and how it reacts in difficult situations. With that set, another illustrator can draw new graphics too.
Does your brand need a mascot
A mascot does not suit every brand. A few questions help you decide.
When a mascot helps a brand
A mascot works when a brand communicates a lot and needs a face that is not the face of a specific employee. It helps when the product is abstract, such as an app or a financial service, and needs to feel approachable. It also suits brands for children and families, communities and creators.
It works in difficult moments too: a notice about an outage, maintenance or a delay delivered by a friendly character is easier to accept than dry text.
When it is better to wait
A mascot needs regular use. If the company posts rarely and does not plan packaging or merch, the character will soon be forgotten and the design cost will not pay off.
Be careful with mascots in industries where customers expect seriousness, such as a law firm or a medical practice. There, illustrations and icons in the brand style work better than a character with expressions.
A mascot in motion
A character that will move in reels, ads or animated emotes is worth designing for animation from the start: with clearly separated body parts, a simple construction and a limited amount of detail.
In the mascot system we prepare the character split into layers for 2D animation or as a 3D model. The animation itself is quoted as video editing or 3D design, depending on the technique.
Let us start with a talk about your project
A free online consultation or a quote in the calculator.