2D animation with character
Gjethe creates 2D animation: character design and rigging, frame-by-frame and puppet animation, illustrated backgrounds, storyboards and animatics, lip sync with voice actors, and sound design. We animate brand mascots, educational series, social content, music videos and short films, in styles from flat vector to hand-drawn.
- Free first consultation
- Written quote for your project
- Flexible payment milestones
At a glance
- Techniques
- Rigged, frame-by-frame, mixed
- Styles
- Flat vector to hand-drawn
- Includes
- Characters, backgrounds, lip sync
- Uses
- Brand, education, social, entertainment
Definition
What is 2d animation?
2D animation is the creation of movement in a two-dimensional space, either drawn frame by frame or by moving rigged illustrated characters and objects, as used in cartoons, explainer videos and illustrated stories.
Animation can do what live action can't: show the inside of a process, bring a mascot to life, make abstract ideas concrete, or tell a story in a world that doesn't exist. 2D animation is especially good at warmth and clarity, and it helps people remember. The craft lies in character, timing and appeal. A well-animated blink or gesture can say more than a paragraph.
Who is it for?
Brands with mascots
Bringing a character to life across ads, social and apps.
Educators
Animated lessons and series that make topics memorable.
Non-profits and health
Sensitive topics told gently through illustration.
Creators and musicians
Animated music videos, shorts and channel content.
What's included, and what you keep
What's included
- Concept and style development
- Character design and turnarounds
- Background and prop design
- Script and storyboard
- Animatic with timing
- Character rigging
- Frame-by-frame animation where needed
- Lip sync to voiceover
- Effects animation
- Compositing
- Music and sound design
- Two rounds of revisions per stage
What you receive
Handed over at the end. Yours to keep.
- Character designs and model sheets
- Storyboard and animatic
- Final animation in required formats
- Rigged character files on request
- Cut-downs for social
Rigged or frame-by-frame?
| Rigged (puppet) animation | Frame-by-frame | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Characters built from parts and moved with controls | Every frame drawn individually |
| Look | Clean and consistent | Fluid, expressive, hand-made |
| Cost per second | Lower | Higher |
| Reusability | Rigs reused across episodes | Each scene drawn fresh |
| Best for | Series, mascots, explainers | Signature pieces, music videos, effects |
Designing a character people remember
A memorable character reads clearly as a silhouette, has a simple and distinctive shape language, and expresses personality through posture and movement, not just the face. We start with sketches exploring several directions, then refine the chosen one into a model sheet with turnarounds, expressions and colour.
If the character will appear across many videos or platforms, we design it to be easy to animate consistently and build a rig that keeps it on-model, whoever animates it.
From storyboard to animatic
The storyboard shows every shot as a sketch. The animatic puts those sketches in sequence with the voiceover and rough timing, so you can see how the finished film will flow before animation starts.
This is where changes are cheap. Reordering shots or trimming scenes in an animatic takes hours; doing it after animation can take days. We ask for careful review at this stage for that reason.
What makes animation feel alive
- Anticipation before big movements
- Overlapping action in hair, clothes and tails
- Squash and stretch for weight
- Clear poses that read instantly
- Timing that matches the voice and music
Animation for education
Animation is a natural fit for learning. It can show a process step by step, slow down something fast, zoom into something tiny or simplify a crowded scene to what matters. Characters give learners someone to follow, which makes lessons easier to remember.
For course series, we design a recurring cast and visual system, so each new lesson is quicker to produce and feels part of the same course. We also add captions and keep on-screen text readable for accessibility.
Sound brings animation to life
Animation has no natural sound, so every footstep, swoosh and door is created in post-production. Sound design, music and well-cast voices give animation its weight and personality.
We cast voices to suit each character, record or source sound effects, and mix everything so dialogue stays clear. For multilingual versions, we plan lip sync and on-screen text so translations fit without reanimating whole scenes.
How 2d animation works, step by step
Every step has a clear output you can review. Timing is agreed in your quote.
- 1
Concept
Story, audience, style references and script.
- 2
Design
Characters, backgrounds and colour script.
- 3
Storyboard
Shots sketched and approved.
- 4
Animatic
Timing set with voiceover.
- 5
Animate
Rigging, animation, effects and compositing.
- 6
Finish
Music, sound design, review and export.
Tools, and what shapes your quote
Pricing is based on your project and agreed in your quote. These are the things that move it.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Length | Every second of animation takes time to produce. |
| Technique | Frame-by-frame costs more than rigged animation. |
| Number of characters | Each character needs design and rigging. |
| Background complexity | Detailed scenes take longer to paint. |
| Voice and music | Voice actors and original music add cost. |
| Area | Tools |
|---|---|
| Animation | Toon Boom Harmony, Adobe Animate, After Effects with rigging tools |
| Design | Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate |
| Web and app | Lottie, Rive |
| Audio | Adobe Audition, licensed music |
Common mistakes to avoid
What we see go wrong most often, and how a good project avoids it.
Skipping the animatic
Timing problems found after animation are expensive to fix.
Too many characters
Each character multiplies design and animation work. Keep the cast small.
Unclear story
Beautiful animation can't save a confusing script.
Designs that are hard to animate
Overly detailed characters slow production and drift off-model.
Frequently asked questions
Can you design a mascot for our brand?
Yes. We design characters from concept sketches to final model sheets, built to animate well across formats.
Do we own the character?
Yes. Once the project is paid, the character designs and animation created for you are yours.
Can you animate an existing character?
Yes, if you hold the rights. We work from your model sheets or create them from existing artwork.
Do you hire voice actors?
Yes. We cast voice actors in the languages you need, or work with voices you provide.
Can you make a series?
Yes. Rigged characters and reusable backgrounds make series production efficient and consistent.
How do revisions work in animation?
Two rounds per stage: script, design, storyboard, animatic and final. Approving each stage keeps later changes small.
Can 2D animation be used in apps?
Yes, exported as Lottie or Rive files for lightweight, scalable animation.
Do you make animated music videos?
Yes, from lyric videos to fully animated stories, with music rights cleared by you.
Can you mix animation and live footage?
Yes. Animated characters or graphics can be composited into real footage.
Do you animate in different art styles?
Yes, flat vector, textured illustration, hand-drawn, cut-out and more. We'll propose styles that fit your audience.
Can you make animated content for social media?
Yes. Short animated clips, looping stickers and character moments work well in feeds and help mascots become familiar.
Can you animate for children's content?
Yes. We design age-appropriate characters and pacing, and can follow platform rules for content aimed at children.
What files do you deliver?
Final videos in the formats you need, plus character designs, backgrounds and rigs on request for future production.
Can you animate a children's book or illustrated story?
Yes, if you hold the rights to the illustrations. We adapt the artwork for animation and add movement, narration and sound.
Can you match the style of our existing illustrations?
Yes. Share your illustration style or brand illustrations and we'll design characters and scenes that sit naturally alongside them.
Is animation suitable for serious topics?
Yes. Animation can handle sensitive subjects such as health, grief or safety with care, using gentle visuals and measured pacing.
Can you create a short animated logo for our mascot?
Yes. A short character animation makes a memorable intro or end card for videos and social posts.
Related services
2D Animation by industry
Animate your story.
Tell us what you need. You get an honest assessment, a clear plan and a written quote. The first consultation is always free.
- What happens next
- 1You tell us what you need
- 2We aim to reply within 24 hours with questions
- 3You get a written quote for your project