BEHIND THE ANIMATION
The Making of Smudge
Meet Smudge, a little inkblot with a big dream: to become an author. Step behind the scenes to discover how our artists bring Smudge’s world to life—from the first sketches to the finished animation.
Six episodes available
01
Character Design
In the character design phase, our artists bring the cast of Smudge to life through detailed explorations of their shapes, poses, expressions, and distinctive features. Each choice helps communicate a character’s personality and role in the story, establishing the visual tone of the animated world.
The artwork below offers a closer look at that process—from character turnarounds and expressive hand studies to color designs and the full cast lineup. These drawings give the animation team a shared reference for how each character looks and moves, helping preserve their individuality and consistency throughout the film.
Storyboarding
In the storyboarding phase, our team transforms the script into a series of detailed sketches. These storyboards serve as a visual representation of the narrative, helping to outline the flow and composition of each scene.
To further refine our vision, we develop animatics, which are rough animated versions of the storyboards. These animatics allow us to visualize the timing and pacing of the story. This step lays the groundwork for the animation, guiding us towards the final product.
Animatic
An animatic is a preliminary version of an animation that combines the storyboard images with rough sound, dialogue, and timing to visualize the final product. It is essentially a moving storyboard that helps animators understand the sequence, pacing, and overall flow of the animation.
By incorporating basic motion and transitions, an animatic allows the team to spot any issues with the narrative or timing before the more time-intensive and detailed animation work begins.
Animation
In the 2D animation phase, our team of animators brings the story to life by transforming the animatic into fluid, detailed sequences. Using this foundation, animators create frame-by-frame drawings, capturing each movement and expression with precision.
This process involves refining each frame to maintain fluidity and emotional depth, ensuring that every character’s actions are lifelike and expressive. By carefully aligning their work with the storyboard’s vision and the animatic’s pacing, our animators achieve a seamless blend of art and storytelling, resulting in Smudge coming to life.
Compositing
In the compositing phase, our team brings all the visual elements together to create the final scenes. This means combining the animated characters with their backgrounds and any special effects.
Using software, we adjust lighting and colors to make everything look just right and blend seamlessly. We also add details like shadows, reflections, and atmospheric effects to enhance the overall look and feel.
STUDIO ORIGINAL
There’s more to Smudge’s story
Smudge wants to place their story into the World Book. There’s just one problem: the Inkling Society doesn’t think characters should write stories. Follow this little inkblot’s adventures across all six episodes.