Paw Perfect Concept pitch

Ndalo Design

2024

Objectives

Develop Paw Perfect—a fictitious pet-care brand—to demonstrate Ndalo Design’s capacity to deliver immersive, multi-platform campaigns through a cohesive blend of 2D illustration, 3D product design, and character-driven animation, positioning the agency as a forward marketing studio.

My Role

As the lead artist and 3D generalist for the Paw Perfect project, I was responsible for the entire creative pipeline—from conceptualizing the brand’s visual identity through hand-drawn illustrations to executing complex 3D workflows. This included designing stylized characters and pet products in Procreate, building detailed 3D models in Blender, applying textures in Substance Painter, and rigging characters for lifelike animation. I collaborated closely with Ndalo Design to align the project’s aesthetic with the target client’s needs, iterating on feedback to refine lighting, motion, and scene composition

Timeframe

6 weeks

Execution

Concept & Development:
- Created illustration drafts in Photoshop, iterating on mascot designs (a Golden Retriever), packaging layouts, and environmental concepts. These sketches served as the “soul” of the project, ensuring every 3D asset felt handcrafted and lively.
- Refined select sketches into 3D mood boards, using Blender to block out shapes and proportions that mirrored the loose, organic lines of the drawings.
3D Pipeline:
- Modeled characters and products in Blender, using the initial illustrations as direct reference to preserve quirks like exaggerated paw sizes or floppy ears.
- Applied textures in Substance Painter, mimicking the sketch’s soft shading and ink-like outlines to maintain a tactile, illustrated feel in 3D.
- Rigged characters

Creative Approach

While the final deliverables were 100% 3D, the project began with hand-drawn illustrations to explore the brand’s personality and narrative. Sketches in Procreate defined the playful tone, character expressions, and product silhouettes, which were then translated into 3D with meticulous attention to retaining the warmth and whimsy of the initial art. The goal was to prove that even in a 3D-first pipeline, illustration remains a critical tool for rapid iteration and emotional resonance.

Final Thoughts

Not every project needs to land a client to leave a mark. Paw Perfect became a beacon for what speculative work can achieve: freedom to innovate, space to fail gloriously, and proof that creativity’s value isn’t tied to a contract. Sometimes, the best campaigns are the ones that never run—they just inspire the ones that do

Impact

While the pitch didn’t convert, the Paw Perfect project became a cornerstone of Ndalo’s sales collateral, helping them secure two smaller clients. The Behance case study attracted views, with 15% of traffic coming from LinkedIn shares by industry peers praising its transparency.