SXSW x Lush Project

Client
Lush

Year
March 2025

Service Category
Character illustration, Animation

About

I created a series of illustrated characters and animations for Lush’s stage backdrop at SXSW, a renowned festival in the United States. My work was featured during a live musical performance following a stage talk.

What is SXSW?

SXSW (South by Southwest) is an annual conference and festival held in Austin, Texas, celebrating the convergence of music, film, interactive media, and education.

Characters

I designed 5 unique characters inspired by Lush’s all-time best-selling products, bringing them to life through vibrant illustrations and animation.

Animation

On the event

Behind The Scenes

Challenges & Solutions

I developed five illustrated characters and created four animations (30–40 seconds each) within just one week. This required a fast-paced workflow while maintaining high-quality visuals.

1. Working within tight deadlines

To streamline the process, I asked the clients to be available over the weekend for prompt feedback. They were highly responsive whenever I shared drafts, which made it much smoother and faster to refine the style and direction. They also respected my creative vision while providing constructive feedback to ensure the visuals aligned perfectly with the event.

2. Finding the right graphic style

The animations needed to align seamlessly with the mood of the live music performance. Initially, I explored a clean, outlined style, but to better complement the slow and relaxing music, I switched to a brush-textured aesthetic. I also adjusted the character movements to be more fluid and gentle, enhancing the overall harmony between visuals and sound.