Before we made a single shelf, we wanted KitzeyBee to feel like a little world, not just a shop. Our founder, Sonia, spent about 12 years in animation and visual effects as a Senior Character FX Technical Director, at studios like ILM, Reel FX, and Guru Studio, on productions for Disney, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Netflix, and Nickelodeon. So when it came time to create our own brand character, we followed the same steps studio character teams use to design any character, from a movie hero to a mascot. Here's how Kit came to life.
How to design a mascot: the 5 steps at a glance
- Personality first. Decide who the character is before drawing anything.
- Sketch lots of shapes. Draw it over and over before picking a favorite.
- Test the silhouette. If you can recognize it as a shadow, it works.
- Choose the colors. A small palette that says who the character is.
- Draw a turnaround. Front, side, and back, so it always stays on model.
It started with the name
Every character starts somewhere. Ours started with the name. KitzeyBee felt playful and a little musical from the very first time we said it out loud, even before we knew what the character would look like.
Then we found the character hiding in it
One day we were looking at the name and had a small happy accident. What if we flipped the last "e" in KitzeyBee? Turned around, it looked just like a little bee. That flipped letter became our logo, and Kit was born.
Step 1: Give the character a personality
Before drawing anything, animators start with personality. Is this character brave, shy, silly, curious? The look of a character always follows from who they are, not the other way around. Kit is curious, cheerful, and a little bit playful, a little clumsy but adorably so, just as happy hugging a rainbow as tumbling off a stack of books.
Step 2: Sketch a lot of shapes
Next comes sketching, and lots of it. Animators draw the same character over and over in different shapes and sizes before picking a favorite. We kept coming back to the bee from the logo and the softness you'd want in a child's room, and that's how Kit's rounded little body took shape.
Step 3: Test the silhouette
Here's a trick every animator uses. Turn the character into a plain black shape, like a shadow, and see if you can still tell who it is. If you can, the design works. Kit's leaf-shaped hood and rounded body pass that test easily, even in silhouette.
From the studio
On a film, this matters even more once a character starts moving. In character FX, our job was making hair, cloth, and anything floppy move believably, and we learned fast that a clear silhouette has to survive motion too. That's part of why Kit's leaves are big, simple shapes instead of lots of tiny details. They read clearly whether Kit is sitting still or mid-tumble.
Step 4: Choose the colors
Color is one of the last pieces, but it says a lot. We picked fresh green, honey yellow, and warm brown for Kit, the same soft, natural palette you'll find across our kids' wall shelves and the solid beechwood behind our Rainbow Floating Shelves.
Step 5: Draw a character turnaround
Once a design is approved, animators draw it from the front, side, and back, and in a handful of different expressions. This is called a turnaround, and it makes sure the character looks the same no matter who's drawing them or which pose they're in. We did the same for Kit, so Kit always looks like Kit, clumsy grin and all.
From the studio
On a studio production, the turnaround is the reference every department works from. When we were setting up how a character's hair or costume should sit, the turnaround was what we checked against, from every angle. If it's even a little off, that shows up everywhere down the line. For a brand character, it's the same idea: it's what keeps Kit consistent on the website, on packaging, and anywhere else Kit shows up.
Try it at home: design a character with your kids
The same steps we used for Kit work at the kitchen table. You don't need any drawing skills, just paper, crayons, and a curious kid.
- Ask who they are. Before drawing, ask your child about their character. Is it brave? Sleepy? Silly? Where does it live? Let them lead. There are no wrong answers.
- Draw lots of blobs. Have them draw five quick shapes, like a circle, a bean, or a triangle, then pick the one that feels most like their character.
- Do the shadow test. Cut out the shape and hold it up to a flashlight against the wall. Can they still tell who it is from the shadow? Kids love this part.
- Pick three colors. Limiting the crayons to three makes them think about what each color says about their character.
- Draw the back. Ask what the character looks like from behind. It's a fun puzzle, and it's exactly what real animators do.
When they're done, give the drawing a spot on a low shelf where they can see it every day. Kids light up when their own work is on display, not tucked away in a drawer.
Meet Kit
Watch Kit come to life in our short intro video. You can find more of Kit on our YouTube channel.
That's the whole process, the same one used to design characters in cartoons and movies, just applied to a small, curious, slightly clumsy bee who happens to love shelves. We think good design should feel this thoughtful, whether it's a character or a piece of furniture.
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Where you'll find Kit
Kit lives on our website and next to our shelves. Our floating shelves are made for books, toys, and keepsakes in nurseries and kids' rooms, with a Montessori-inspired, rainbow-bright look. Meet the pieces Kit hangs out with in our kids' floating shelves collection, or start with the Rainbow Floating Shelves or the Iridescent Acrylic Floating Shelves.
Frequently asked questions
What is a character turnaround?
A set of drawings of one character from the front, side, and back, at the same scale. It helps keep a character's design consistent, whether it's for a cartoon or a brand.
Why do animators test a character's silhouette?
A character should be recognizable from its shape alone, even without any color or detail. It's a quick way to check that a design is clear and memorable.
How do you design a brand mascot?
Start with a personality, sketch a lot of shapes, test the character as a silhouette, choose a color palette, then draw the final version from every angle.
What kind of shelves work best in a Montessori kids' room?
Low, sturdy wall shelves your child can reach on their own, in natural materials like solid wood. Our Rainbow Floating Shelves are made from beechwood with a soft, rainbow-bright look.