North East gaming festival unveils tardigrade mascot

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 06:04 · Archive

Award-winning animator Ms Kettu has designed Taylor the Tardigrade for Animex at Teesside University.

Award-winning animator Ms Kettu has designed Taylor the Tardigrade, a 3D mascot character, for Animex at Teesside University from November 16 to 21. Ms Kettu has nearly 30 years' experience in animation and immersive media. She has worked with Aardman Animations, DreamWorks and Universal Pictures on projects including Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Creature Comforts, and has created music videos for artists such as Radiohead, Katy Perry and Father John Misty.

The mascot was inspired by tardigrades, microscopic creatures found worldwide that are famed for surviving extreme conditions. Ms Kettu said she finds them 'fascinating, just like animators', adding that both 'endure a lot and are very resilient to pressure and changing conditions'. She described animation as 'a constantly evolving craft' where animators 'constantly need to adapt and problem solve daily'. She designed Taylor with 'many arms to do many different things because they have many skills, just like an animator'.

Ms Kettu said she hoped Taylor would bring 'inspiration to the students and reassurance that they too can be the animator they want to be'. She added that animation can be hard but is 'a rewarding and fun job'. A former Animex industry speaker, she will present a festival retrospective featuring puppets and stop-motion animation from her work.

How it is being reported

• North East gaming festival unveils mascot by award-winning animatorAn award-winning animator and director who has worked with some of the world’s most recognisable names in television and music has designed the mascot for this year’s Animex.The Northern Echo · 14 Oct, 05:00
• North East gaming festival unveils mascot by award-winning animatorAn award-winning animator and director who has worked with some of the world’s most recognisable names in television and music has designed the mascot for this year’s Animex.Darlington & Stockton Times · 14 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Ms Kettu · Animex · Teesside University · Aardman Animations · DreamWorks · Universal Pictures

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