2026 | CHARACTER ILLUSTRATION | LOGO DESIGN
I worked with George, an animator, developing two separate web app concepts built around playful learning. Finquizio explores personal finance through quizzes, with topics such as investing, stocks, ETFs, and crypto. I created a logo and character illustration to give the concept a friendly identity. I later illustrated characters for Mixxer, a music quiz game where players guess a song as the drums, bass, other instruments, and vocals are revealed. Both projects called for expressive, cartoon-inspired visuals, with each app needing its own personality and purpose.
FINQUIZIO CHALLENGE
Financial topics can feel intimidating, especially for someone just starting to learn. Finquizio needed a logo and character that would make the app feel welcoming and enjoyable while still fitting a product about useful, real-world knowledge. Its name was derived from the italian word “Fin” which means “finance” and quizio meaning “quiz”. The visual identity also had to communicate the idea of learning through quizzes at a glance.
THE RESULT
The logo and character gave Finquizio a recognizable starting point for its visual identity. Together, they help frame personal finance as something users can explore one question at a time, bringing warmth and energy to a subject that can otherwise feel intimidating.
MIXXER CHALLENGE
George asked to create 5 characters that will form a band and serve as the mascot, playing inside the music app called MIXXER. Each character has its own persona: One with a fox as a vocalist, a bear as the drummer, a moose as the bassist, and a monkey as the guitarist. Each character should reference the Gorillaz since they have the cool, rebel look of animals but are not typically childish/kiddy in persona. The brief called for a diverse, memorable group with enough personality to make the game concept compelling in stakeholder presentations.
THE RESULT
I created character illustrations that give Mixxer’s band carousel a lively visual presence. Each character has different poses and color variations that fit the app's style. The characters help make the game’s central idea easier to picture: a song gradually taking shape as more of the band joins in. They also gave George artwork to communicate the app’s intended mood and experience while the concept was still being developed. In the end, the client loves the work and eventually using it to pitch to investors.
Mochi’s Challenge
The first character to be built was Mochi. He is a wise fox who can also be a bit cheeky and playful; overall, he should make the app feel engaging. But yes, I shall add emotion; I would add cheeky and playful. This is the first draft we worked on as we are ideating how the fox should look, so I had to create a series of poses based on their personalities. Before mochi was used in the MIXXER app, they requested first to be used as mascot for FINQUIZIO app as a personal assistant and the our point of reference is duolingo.
Mochi the Rebel
After several rounds of exploration, the original Mochi concept was selected and later adapted for Mixxer. George expanded the direction into a five-member band, with Mochi as the vocalist alongside four newly developed characters. Using Gorillaz as an initial reference point, I created moodboards drawing from early-2000s punk and emo culture to define the band’s attitude, visual style, and shared identity. This research helped each member feel distinctive while still belonging to one cohesive group. I still used the same character style from the approved illustration; it only needs to change how it looks from its point of reference.
SERIES OF REFERENCES FROM GOOGLE SEARCH
MOCHI, VOCALIST
A fox lead singer loves attention, partying, and flirting with the audience. Wants nothing more than to be a superstar but is stuck in a struggling cover band. Has a wife (with accompanying fox cubs) who calls and wants him to come home; the fox is determined that his cover band will soon “hit it big”.
Once we’ve finalized Mochi as the lead singer, we go over the rest of the band:
MAXX, GUITARIST
Cool and mysterious. "Handsome", casual. Everything is about the music for this band member. He gets all the girls even though he doesn't even try; the Fox is secretly a bit jealous.
EDDY, VOCALIST
Dark glasses, chill posture. A bit careless. Eddy has a sick groove, best friends with the bassist. Doesn’t take the cover band too seriously either. Might have a vibe like they’re a bit “high” all the time.
ALBIE, BASSIST
Albie is the most chill in the band. They just tag along and are happy to be included; they don’t take the cover band too seriously. If it’s a rabbit, maybe they have a carrot addiction they’re trying to hide from their friends.
We also created some cool band posters in different variations of how they look as a team.
The final direction was selected as Mixxer’s key artwork, bringing Mochi and the full band together in one cohesive scene. Each character retained a distinct personality while sharing a consistent visual style, helping the group feel like a believable band rather than a collection of separate illustrations.
Beyond introducing the cast, the artwork gave the team a clearer way to communicate the game’s central experience: a song gradually coming to life as each musician joins the performance. It became a strong visual representation of Mixxer’s intended mood, energy, and personality, supporting product demonstrations and helping external stakeholders understand the vision while the game was still being developed.