2D Puppet Animation

Ketirz Seasonal Character Promotions

Efforts shown here all follow a standard process:

• Artwork is created in Clip Studio Paint and then exported as a dissected atlas, like so:

• This atlas is then imported into Blender and projected across a plane as part of a self-emissive material. This plane is then cut into individual parts and rearranged back into their approximate intended appearance.
• The resulting plane layers are then refined into functional meshes and weighted onto a custom armature for the specific piece, which is then animated and exported as a video file.
• That video file is then used with a combination of other image & audio assets and keyframing to create the resulting promotional materials.

All music used are personal compositions, linked in full after their respective videos below. Most sound effects for these purposes are sourced from Pixabay. The intended result is a mixture of self-promotional material and the feeling of pulling a rare drop from a mobile gacha game.

Nurse Kazziecat (Autumn 2025)

Achievements:

• First time attempting this process and creating & rigging a “2D” model in Blender.
• As such, I had to build the core visuals and aesthetic of the promotional line, such as the various streaking textures and lightning bolt header, at the outset.

Cupid the Reindeer (Winter 2025)

Achievements:

• Increased rig complexity and layer interactions.
• First attempt at shape keying for eye animation, though incredibly limited in the end result.

Ester Abigail (Spring 2026)

Achievements:

• Employed lessons from previous efforts to craft a more versatile mesh and rig, allowing for more fluid animation and movement of joints such as the wrists.
• Greater success with shape keys, utilized for the eye’s blinking and the pulsating of the heart pupil, as well as some subtle movement of the upper lip.
• Secondary material and some clever layering to make the eyelashes appear to show translucent “through” the hair.
• First direct use of Fusion within Resolve, utilized for hue shifting previous assets and toying with a premade particle system sample to achieve the glitter effect when the character first fully appears.