Hello Mellow

Mellow may seem like a, cute little sweety but, like many who seem quiet, just ask Mellow a question, or  tell him hello and you’ll be bombarded with a barrage of gossip garbage, daily to dos and numerous facts about Mellow’s life that you definitely didn’t need to know. Once your ears have stopped pounding, you may begin to squeegee the saliva off yourself and go about your day.

In this case Mellows word barrage is about Jonathan being sensitive about his fairy cakes. Watch Mellows character design process timelapse done on procreate, followed by a scripted Ai animation done on Grok.

Hello Mellow

Character design process and scripted Ai animation

EAT YOUR VEGGIES

Swaying away from the March characters onto our special feature of the month. The first animated release of the Cartoons In June series from The Daily Wail. For this episode, the title was kept the same as the prompt.

If becoming a character designer and animation producer is the end goal, these animations are the learning journey.

Eat Your Veggies is an exploration of character designs whose shape, size and features are designed to visually capture their contrasting traits… And fates.

Sweet Pea: 

Small, round friendly edges, 50% smile.

A cute little guy who uses his youthful energy and looks to be ‘the chosen one’. Young, naive and inexperienced, Pea takes Jalapeno’s advice as gospel, and fantasizes about being the centre of attention. Of course being such a cutie, this is what he’s used to, and expects. The fantasy drives Pea to pull out all the stops in a desperate attempt to be ‘The one’. But at what cost? 

Enthusiastic, full of hope and dreams, the unsuspecting Pea just needs a seed planted in his fertile mind by the authoritarian confidence of the self-preserving Jalapeño. His enthusiastic imagination does the rest.

Pump Kin: 

Large & wrinkly, big empathetic eyes, frowning, fearful expression.

Pumpkin is knowledgeable and has been around for a while in veggie terms. He’s seen a lot from the kitchen table over the last few weeks. He knows Pea is in danger but succumbs to Jalapeño’s violent manipulation to keep silent. 

Although he’s concerned, he is fearful and remains passive.

Jalapeno: 

Sharp teeth, sharp body, dark red colour. 

Nefarious and powerful vibes glisten off his being. He is also knowledgeable about the fate that awaits all veggies that live on the table but plays god with this information by preying on the easily manipulated

The Human:

Life itself, in this instance, is portrayed as ugly, unforgiving and uncaring about the individual.

Eat Your Veggies Episode:

There’s no hero in this story, unless you count Jalapeno as his own hero by saving himself. Sure he laughs, but might as well. Maybe he has kids. The reality is he’s lived to see another day. At least until he and Pump are used to make a delicious soup.

So what can these vegetables teach us? 

Pea: If you’re too sweet and trusting, you’re bound to get eaten up and manipulated by the ones who seek to take advantage. Most of us start life out like this and I’m sure many never learn until it’s too late. No second chances for Pea, thats for sure.

Can you remember a moment that changed your perspective on a situation? A relationship? Or maybe reality itself? Was it an older family member? A boss? A friend? The government?

Pump: You can be knowledgeable and caring, but if you’re fearful and inactive, then bad things will happen in front of your eyes, or to you personally. Therefore the powers that be shape your world without encountering resistance. 

You may kick the ball of confrontation down the road but it will inevitably bounce back harder and smack you in your gender affirmations. If you don’t know any better like Sweet Pea, then you cannot really be blamed. But to know, and not to do or say… Well, maybe you deserve the outcome?

Jalapeno:

Dislike him all you want, but to have a bit of Jalapeno in you will do you (and your family if you’re raising your own) good in the long run. That’s not to say that you should go around pushing people into fast moving traffic or lion enclosures for a better life. However, the reality is that sometimes it counts to be calculating, to take action where others wouldn’t or to show your teeth when you need to.

Being a dick may get you places in the short run, but no one’s going to fall for it forever. Showing that you won’t take shit if you’re pushed or being smart about self preservation is a different story.

In reality, everyone is a mixed salad of all of the above and more. Learning when to what and how and to whom is the real skill. 

In a nut shell

I sincerely hope you enjoyed seeing cute little Pea come to such a violent end. It was my pleasure. Or Pea leisure if you will.