GAIA
GAIA is a conceptual short animation embodying the essence of earth, femininity, and maternity. Through character design, this piece can be interpreted as themes of womanhood, nature, or oppression—inviting multiple interpretations.
project type
Animation
materials
FlipaClip (Iphone)
size
1080 x 1920
date
March 2025

This project was an assignment for my First Year Immersion portfolio, focused on developing a dynamic character sheet and animating an action sequence in relation to it. I designed a powerful female character with leaf-like hair and lion-inspired movements, reflecting themes of strength and nature. The process began in Sketchpad, a new program I explored to create a full character lineup, expression sheet, and various poses.
Then, using the skills I was learning in my 2D Fundamentals class, I made a pose-out sheet—translating real animal references, primarily lions and tigers, into my character’s design. After laying out key poses, I created a keyframe turnaround and expression sheet that captures her stepping forward and roaring. The final animation brings this sequence to life, blending expressive movement with conceptual design.
Process





Character sheet
This is the character sheet for reference pre-animation. It's a concept including pose outs, a character turn around, and a small expression sheet.
Sketch out
This is the first sketch through of the animation. Pre-lining and coloring. Connecting the pose outs together.
Backgrounds
Here is the first version of the background and its alternative version. It had to be edited to fit the layout of the animation motion.