brown.png)
About
Plush Massacre was a personal project I created for the course Becoming a Professional Graphic Designer II.
The idea behind this project was to design something that really resonated with me personally while also filling a gap in my portfolio. I wanted to add a new type of work that reflected skills I had learned throughout the program but hadn't showcased yet. The final result was a short animatic GIF.
The project didn't actually take that long to complete, mostly because I was super passionate about it and wanted to see it through as quickly and fully as possible.
Roles
All the illustrations and editing were done by me from start to finish.
The Challenge
The main challenge I ran into while making the animation was figuring out how to create a squishing effect for my characters. At first, I tried using the scale tool to stretch and squash them, but it just looked weird and didn't give me the result I wanted. It felt stiff and unnatural, which totally went against the vibe I was going for.
The target audience for this project was pretty open, so basically anyone who enjoys short, silly, and light-hearted animations. That said, the project actually had extra meaning for students in our program because the characters featured are kind of iconic and well-known within our class. They've become inside jokes, so people instantly recognized and connected with them.
The Research
To get the animation looking right, I started by watching a few tutorials on YouTube about how to animate squishy movements in After Effects. But then I remembered that Rifah had spent her entire break mastering the software. I reached out and she ended up showing me how to use the Puppet Tool, which was a game-changer. It gave the characters way more flexibility and the exact kind of bounce and stretch I needed.
Most of the inspiration came from the plushies around the building, and just imagining what kind of chaos they could get into.
Design Process
The entire process involved three main Adobe programs: Fresco, Illustrator, and After Effects. I used Fresco for all the illustrations and drawing, Illustrator to organize and separate the layers properly, and then After Effects to bring everything to life through animation.
Final Product
Results & Impact
During the Vernissage, the feedback I got was really positive. People who passed by said it was cute and funny, which is exactly what I was hoping for. Barry told me it was great. Jeff, on the other hand, looked a little heartbroken because he saw his daughter, Millie (one of the characters), getting “abused” in the animation.
Overall, this project helped me take my sense of humor and silliness and actually apply it in a meaningful way. It also gave me a good opportunity to brush up on my After Effects skills, especially when it comes to character animation and movement.
Conclusion
Plush Massacre really helped me show off my design style and personality. I like drawing silly little creatures with big smiles, going through weird little moments in life. This project gave me a chance to highlight how illustration is a huge part of my design work and how animation can take that one step further. It also proved to me that personal projects can be just as valuable as class assignments because they reflect who you are as a designer and as a person.