We wanted our website to reflect who we are, not just as a studio, but as people who work closely with other people. That’s why we chose to create characters that represent the different kinds of clients we usually collaborate with.
What started as a playful idea soon turned into a much deeper creative process.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the full journey: from concept to final illustration. You’ll see how we used character design as a form of visual storytelling, and how much thought goes into even the smallest details when we’re creating with purpose.
Table of Contents
Our Character Design Process, Illustrated Through Our Own Website
This is the process we follow whenever we design characters intended to represent people, values, or ideas. To walk you through it step by step, we’re using an internal project as an example: the characters we created for our own website.
They’re inspired by the kinds of clients we usually work with, and they allowed us to put our full creative workflow into practice, from concept and research to final illustrations.
In the sections below, we break down how we went from loose ideas to fully illustrated personas that live naturally within a shared visual universe.
Randy – The Artist Behind the Design
Throughout this process, we relied on the artistic vision and steady hand of Randy, who brought each character to life from the very first sketch to the final illustration.
Much of what follows is based on his own notes and insights, which capture both the creative ambition and the challenges we faced along the way.
Visual Concept of Client Profiles
We started with a simple but meaningful idea: what if we introduced the types of clients we usually work with as playable characters on our site? The kind of screen you see in a game when you have to choose your character, that was our north star.
We imagined our clients not just as business profiles, but as unique personas: the brave entrepreneur, the veteran game studio, the sharp-eyed publisher. Our goal was to create avatars that people could recognize and connect with.
“We wanted people to see these characters and think: hey, that could be me.“ – Randy
Documentation and Moodboards
Before jumping into visuals, we started by writing short concept descriptions for each character. These acted as a creative foundation, outlining personality traits, goals, and narrative hints.
From there, we began gathering visual inspiration: character silhouettes, fashion styles, color palettes, and poses. Moodboards helped align expectations and set the tone before we put pencil to paper.
“Without a written idea behind it, the visuals don’t have direction. The moodboards came later, once we knew what we were looking for.“ – Randy
Defining the Thematic Universe
Next, we had to decide the visual world these characters would inhabit. After exploring different options, we landed on a slightly stylized, semi-anthropomorphic style that let us blend expressive animal traits with human nuance.
This direction felt right for Brave Zebra as a brand, it connects with our name, our personality, and our background in games.
We drew from sources like Zootopia and Blacksad, where animals aren’t just symbolic, but storytelling tools.
Character Design: Entrepreneur / Emerging Studio
This was the most complex character to design. From the beginning, the idea was clear: a solo developer or small team leader just starting out, but with big vision.
We went through multiple iterations, especially trying to nail the facial expression. It had to look brave and determined, but not arrogant.
The outfit was a whole challenge in itself. We wanted something that felt handcrafted, slightly mystical, and futuristic, so we experimented by mixing tribal African silhouettes with tech elements.
Initially, we chose a different animal. But something didn’t feel right.
“It wasn’t until we tried the Fennec fox that the whole design came together. Its size and sharp features fit perfectly with the idea of an underdog full of potential.“ – Randy
Character Design: Game Studio
Unlike the other concepts, this one needed to show a team, not an individual. That meant thinking in terms of group dynamics, balance, and variety.
Early explorations leaned too much into superhero tropes, which made the group feel more like a combat squad than a creative team. We wanted collaboration, not confrontation.
We eventually landed on a concept that felt more grounded: a diverse group of characters working together around their shared product, their game.
Designing multiple characters within the same canvas meant we had to be careful with scale, color, and detail density. We iterated compositions to keep it readable, balanced, and expressive.
Character Design: Publisher
This character came together more smoothly. The concept was clear: someone experienced, with a sharp eye for talent and the ability to turn potential into success.
We imagined a figure somewhere between merchant and artisan, someone who trades, invests, but also understands creative value.
The tiger was a deliberate choice: it carried the right energy. Confident, powerful, but not royal or aloof like a lion.
“We didn’t want him to feel superior, we wanted him to feel capable. The tiger had that balance of elegance and approachability.“ – Randy
His outfit combined modern tailoring with tribal details, adding subtle texture and narrative depth.
Ensuring Visual Coherence Across Characters
Once the individual designs were approved, we needed to make sure they worked together as a group.
We placed all the characters side by side in mockups to test for scale consistency, visual hierarchy, and overall harmony. This helped us identify and correct any imbalances in proportion or color contrast.
“We made mockups putting all the characters together early on to ensure consistency. That’s when you really start seeing if the scale or style of one breaks the unity.“ – Randy
Adjustments were made where needed, some characters were slightly resized, and color palettes were refined to make sure that none stood out for the wrong reasons. The goal was to keep their individuality intact, while ensuring they all clearly belonged to the same world.
“Even though the Entrepreneur is just one small character and the Studio is a team of four, we had to make sure they felt balanced when placed side by side.“ – Randy
What This Process Says About How We Work
This project is a reflection of how we approach creative challenges at Brave Zebra:
- Iterative collaboration. We believe the best ideas come through back-and-forth refinement, guided by shared vision and open feedback.
- Detail matters. From outfit patterns to facial expressions, nothing is arbitrary. Every decision is intentional.
- Creativity meets purpose. We always aim to merge originality with function, our visuals don’t just look good, they tell a story.
Conclusion: Characters with Purpose
These characters now live on our website, not just as decorative elements, but as extensions of our values and the people we work with. They represent trust, ambition, creativity, and teamwork, just like our clients.
They’re part of our story, and maybe, a reflection of yours too.
Looking to bring your ideas to life through thoughtful, character-driven design? Let’s talk
