Character Animation | Motion Design | Art Direction
about the project
For Christmas 2025, Orchidea Aromas released two themed candles: Nutcracker and Gingerbread Cookie. I created a short narrative animation inspired by the cut-out / papercraft aesthetic, designed to feel warm, festive, and premium, like a cozy Christmas moment translated into motion.
the concept
The idea was to tell a simple story with a clear emotional arc: a Nutcracker character marches through a wintery night until a scent suddenly catches his attention. His routine breaks, curiosity takes over, and he starts running, following the aroma until he finally reaches the source: the Orchidea candles, revealed like a small magical discovery.
The goal was to make the product feel like the “reward” at the end of the journey, while keeping the tone playful and charming.
The goal was to make the product feel like the “reward” at the end of the journey, while keeping the tone playful and charming.
Versão Photoshop
Walk Cycle with a character stylized according to the environment
the scenario
To support the cozy mood, I built a stylized environment with strong Christmas cues, but always keeping the scene clean enough for readability and motion. I designed two lighting versions of the same set (light and dark), choosing the dark version as the main look so the highlights could live only where it matters: the path lamps and the candle glow. This contrast helped guide attention and made the final reveal feel warmer and more impactful.
In the final location, the composition reinforces comfort and storytelling: an indoor Christmas tree, a pedestal that frames the candles like the centerpiece, and a window view treated like a 2D painting, with mountains, trees, moonlight, and Santa passing in the distance. Snow accumulation on the window structure adds depth and texture, while the gingerbread cookies subtly reference the second seasonal aroma and balance the frame visually.
the nutcracker
The Nutcracker was designed as a vector character, then stylized using gradients and paper textures to match the cut-out universe. His animation was built in clear beats to make the story readable even without dialogue:
1. a steady marching walk cycle,
2. a break in the rhythm when he smells something,
3. a faster run cycle driven by curiosity,
4. a final stop where he slows down, looks up, and gently approaches the candles.
This progression makes the character feel reactive and alive, while keeping the performance simple, cute, and expressive.
post production
Camera direction was a key part of the storytelling. Even with a “2D platform” feel, the camera adds rhythm and emotion: it pushes in on the reaction moment to highlight the change in expression, shakes subtly during the sprint to amplify speed, and then slows down into a clean reveal that lands on the candles like the final payoff.
Sound design was built as a mix of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker with Frank Sinatra’s “The World We Knew”, supported by magical accents and character foley to enhance steps, breathing, and the scent reaction. Finally, the color treatment was designed to feel warm and cozy, reinforcing the idea that the candles transform the scene into a comforting holiday atmosphere.
ver também
Youtube Daniella Rolim
Supernova Duo | Colibri