Wow! It's so nice seeing a print in it's intended colors. That yellow especially! Thanks, @ani_obsessive https://twitter.com/ani_obsessive/status/1264725595805679617

I have this as a slide in my class instruction on designing a cast a characters—making a case for the use of repetition in character design.

I love love love this UPA short. Bobe Cannon is the best.

Lately I've come to think of variety <--> repetition as a spectrum. Like so many things in design...
(volumetric <--> flat)

Where there's no right answer. Just options!

Repetition seems be getting the short end of the stick lately, so I try to prop it up when I can.

More examples

I tend to favor a little of both. A think a lot of classic design follows this. Building on a system, adding variety with splashes of color, varying up proportions.

You don't have to choose one (PURE Variety VS. PURE Repetition). Instead, thinking about it as a spectrum.

I think Trolls recently did a great job of working the full spectrum of 'character cast design'. Some variety, some repetition.

back to Madeline, I did a design thread on it maybe a year ago. Definitely a film worth your attention and study! Check it out. https://twitter.com/bobjinx/status/1107373068345884672

Watch it here if you don't want to dig into the thread.


@ani_obsessive may know of a more color accurate print, but I think resolution-wise this is pretty decent.