Vector Briefing — Car Character for After Effects Rigging
Budget: €30 – €250 EUR
Important Premise
I am not looking for automatic vectorization or Image Trace output. That result I can obtain myself in 30 seconds and is of no use to me. I am looking for a precision vector redraw that is directly usable for character rigging in After Effects with the Duik plugin. This is craftsmanship work, not conversion.
If you have no experience in 2D rigging or motion design, this brief is not for you. If instead you have worked with Duik, Joysticks 'n Sliders, Character Animator, or Animate, you know exactly what I mean.
What I Provide
PNG reference of the character in three-quarter view (or frontal view, to be agreed)
Any additional reference views needed
Exact color palette (HEX codes)
What I Need Delivered
Adobe Illustrator file (.ai), version CC 2020 or later, built according to the specifications below.
File Format
Single artboard, dimensions 1920×1080 px or multiple, RGB
Character drawn at appropriate scale (occupying approximately 60% of the height)
No linked or embedded raster images in the final file
No raster effects applied (Effect > Document Raster Effects Settings)
Mandatory Layer Decomposition
Each element listed below must be a separate top-level layer (not a nested group, not a sub-folder). Order is from top (visible above) to bottom (behind):
TXT_LABELS_OPTIONAL (if you add working labels)
EYE_L_HIGHLIGHT
EYE_R_HIGHLIGHT
EYE_L_PUPIL
EYE_R_PUPIL
EYE_L_WHITE
EYE_R_WHITE
BROW_L
BROW_R
MOUTH_SMILE_OPEN (default visible state)
MOUTH_SMILE_CLOSED (alternative state, hidden)
MOUTH_NEUTRAL (alternative state, hidden)
MOUTH_WORRIED (alternative state, hidden)
TEETH
TONGUE
MIRROR_L_REFLECTIVE
MIRROR_L_HOUSING
HEADLIGHT_L_LENS
HEADLIGHT_L_HOUSING
HEADLIGHT_R_LENS
HEADLIGHT_R_HOUSING
GRILLE_EMBLEM
GRILLE_BODY
BUMPER_FRONT
WINDOW_CABIN_GLASS
WINDOW_SIDE
BODY_SHELL (main green body)
WHEEL_FRONT_RIM
WHEEL_FRONT_TIRE
WHEEL_REAR_RIM
WHEEL_REAR_TIRE
SHADOW_GROUND (gray ground shadow)
Naming: uppercase, underscores, in English. No spaces. No "copy" or "1" residues from duplication.
The four mouth states (MOUTH_SMILE_OPEN, MOUTH_SMILE_CLOSED, MOUTH_NEUTRAL, MOUTH_WORRIED) must all be drawn and centered on the same facial pivot point, so they can be swapped alternately during animation without sliding.
Path Quality Requirements
These are the points on which the result will be evaluated and accepted or rejected.
1. Anchor Point Economy
Each path must describe the shape with the minimum number of anchor points possible while keeping the silhouette recognizable. Indicative examples:
BODY_SHELL: between 20 and 35 anchor points total, no more
WHEEL_TIRE: 8-12 anchor points (almost perfect circle)
WHEEL_RIM: 12-20 anchor points depending on design
EYE_WHITE: 6-10 anchor points
EYE_PUPIL: 4-8 anchor points
MOUTH (each state): 8-15 anchor points
Paths with hundreds of anchor points (typical of auto-trace) are unusable and will be rejected.
2. Path Direction
All paths must be closed and have consistent direction (all CW or all CCW, choose and maintain). Verifiable in Illustrator with Object > Path > Reverse Path Direction.
3. Logical Anchor Placement
Anchor points must be placed where the curve changes direction or tangent, not at regular distance intervals. An anchor on a straight line is a waste. An anchor in the middle of a uniform curve is a waste.
4. Balanced Tangents / Handles
Bezier handles must produce fluid curves, not accidental corners or cusps. Use the Smooth tool after placing points if needed.
5. No Open Paths
All paths must be closed (Object > Path > Close Path on all of them).
6. No Unnecessary Compound Paths
Compound paths complicate the import into After Effects. Use compound paths ONLY when logically necessary (e.g. donut shape for the wheel rim). Never use them to "group" shapes — that is what the layer system is for.
7. Solid Fills, No Gradient Mesh
Only solid color fills (no gradients, no patterns, no mesh)
If a volume or shading effect is needed, draw a separate shape with a darker or lighter color overlaid
Never use Object > Create Gradient Mesh
Never use Live Paint
8. Stroke Discipline
Black or dark outlines: as fills, not as strokes. So draw the outline as a closed black shape surrounding the element. This is because Duik and After Effects handle fills better than thick strokes in rigging.
9. No Illustrator Effects Applied
No Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow, no Effect > Blur, no Effect > Warp. Shadows must be drawn as separate gray shapes. Everything flat and geometric.
10. No Clipping Masks on the Artwork
Clipping masks used to "crop" elements do not work in After Effects as one would expect. Use explicit shape boundaries: if a window needs to be cropped from the body, draw the window with its correct shape, not as a rectangle with a mask.
11. Pivot-Friendly Geometry
Wheels: drawn as perfect circles centered on a precise point (this will be the rotation center)
Pupils: drawn as ovals or circles centered on their white eyeballs
Mouth: all variants centered on the same vertical and horizontal point
Color Palette to Respect
I will use these colors as specification. If you cannot extract them precisely from the reference, use these as authority:
Main body green #56C039 (adjust based on reference)
Body green shadow #3A9223
Body green highlight #7DD160
Tire black #1A1A1A
Tire detail gray #404040
Rim light gray #C8CDD2
Rim dark gray #6B7280
Window light blue #D6E4F0
Window dark blue #4A7BA8
Eye white #FFFFFF
Eye pupil dark green #1F4540
Eye highlight #FFFFFF
Black outline #1A1A1A
Pink tongue #E94560
Shadow gray #2A2A2A (30% opacity to be handled later in AE)
Exact HEX values to be agreed before starting.
What Must NOT Be Done
Explicit list of things that will lead to rejection of the work:
Image Trace output, even if "cleaned up"
Output from Vectorizer.AI, Vector Magic, or similar tools
Paths with more than 50 anchor points on single shapes (except specific justified cases)
Gradient mesh in any form
Illustrator effects applied to the artwork
Clipping masks used to crop the artwork
Grouped layers without proper naming
Thick strokes instead of outline-as-fill
Hidden working layers left in the final file (e.g. "Layer 47 copy")
Test Deliverable Before Full Job
Before committing to the full job, I require a small test: vectorize only the front wheel (TIRE plus RIM, complete) and send me the .ai file. From this I can understand whether your level meets the specifications. I will pay for the test regardless of whether I proceed with the full job (compensation to be agreed, indicatively 20-40 EUR).
Expected time for the test: 1-2 hours.
If the test passes, we proceed with the complete job.
Timelines and Revisions
Wheel test: delivery within 2 working days
Full job: delivery within 5-7 working days from test approval
Revisions included: 2 rounds
Revisions will primarily concern: anchor positioning, naming, layer organization, color matching
Screening Questions Before Accepting the Job
If you want to know whether you are the right freelancer for this job, please answer these:
Do you have experience with rigging in Duik, Character Animator, or Animate?
Can you send me an example of your character vector work for animation?
Do you know what I mean by "animation-friendly topology"?
Do you know the difference between outline-as-fill and outline-as-stroke for rigging purposes?
How many anchor points would you use to draw the body of a cartoon car in three-quarter view?
Expectations: questions 1 and 2 are concrete (demonstrable experience). 3, 4, and 5 are technical — anyone who genuinely knows the domain answers without hesitation. Generic answers will result in decline.
QC Checklist to Sign at Delivery
Upon file delivery, confirm that you have verified:
All paths closed
All paths same direction (CW or CCW)
Layer naming exactly per specification
Correct z-order
Anchor count within indicated ranges
Only solid fills, no gradient mesh
No Illustrator effects applied
4 MOUTH states centered on the same pivot
Wheels drawn as centered circles
Colors compliant with agreed palette
No residual working layers or objects
Closing Note
Thank you for taking the time to read the entire brief. The precision of this document is proportional to the precision I expect in the deliverable: this file becomes the foundation of a character rig I will animate for weeks. Every misplaced anchor point or poorly organized layer translates into hours of patch work in After Effects.
If you accept the job under the described terms, we start with the wheel test. Let me know your timing and quoted compensation.
I am not looking for automatic vectorization or Image Trace output. That result I can obtain myself in 30 seconds and is of no use to me. I am looking for a precision vector redraw that is directly usable for character rigging in After Effects with the Duik plugin. This is craftsmanship work, not conversion.
If you have no experience in 2D rigging or motion design, this brief is not for you. If instead you have worked with Duik, Joysticks 'n Sliders, Character Animator, or Animate, you know exactly what I mean.
What I Provide
PNG reference of the character in three-quarter view (or frontal view, to be agreed)
Any additional reference views needed
Exact color palette (HEX codes)
What I Need Delivered
Adobe Illustrator file (.ai), version CC 2020 or later, built according to the specifications below.
File Format
Single artboard, dimensions 1920×1080 px or multiple, RGB
Character drawn at appropriate scale (occupying approximately 60% of the height)
No linked or embedded raster images in the final file
No raster effects applied (Effect > Document Raster Effects Settings)
Mandatory Layer Decomposition
Each element listed below must be a separate top-level layer (not a nested group, not a sub-folder). Order is from top (visible above) to bottom (behind):
TXT_LABELS_OPTIONAL (if you add working labels)
EYE_L_HIGHLIGHT
EYE_R_HIGHLIGHT
EYE_L_PUPIL
EYE_R_PUPIL
EYE_L_WHITE
EYE_R_WHITE
BROW_L
BROW_R
MOUTH_SMILE_OPEN (default visible state)
MOUTH_SMILE_CLOSED (alternative state, hidden)
MOUTH_NEUTRAL (alternative state, hidden)
MOUTH_WORRIED (alternative state, hidden)
TEETH
TONGUE
MIRROR_L_REFLECTIVE
MIRROR_L_HOUSING
HEADLIGHT_L_LENS
HEADLIGHT_L_HOUSING
HEADLIGHT_R_LENS
HEADLIGHT_R_HOUSING
GRILLE_EMBLEM
GRILLE_BODY
BUMPER_FRONT
WINDOW_CABIN_GLASS
WINDOW_SIDE
BODY_SHELL (main green body)
WHEEL_FRONT_RIM
WHEEL_FRONT_TIRE
WHEEL_REAR_RIM
WHEEL_REAR_TIRE
SHADOW_GROUND (gray ground shadow)
Naming: uppercase, underscores, in English. No spaces. No "copy" or "1" residues from duplication.
The four mouth states (MOUTH_SMILE_OPEN, MOUTH_SMILE_CLOSED, MOUTH_NEUTRAL, MOUTH_WORRIED) must all be drawn and centered on the same facial pivot point, so they can be swapped alternately during animation without sliding.
Path Quality Requirements
These are the points on which the result will be evaluated and accepted or rejected.
1. Anchor Point Economy
Each path must describe the shape with the minimum number of anchor points possible while keeping the silhouette recognizable. Indicative examples:
BODY_SHELL: between 20 and 35 anchor points total, no more
WHEEL_TIRE: 8-12 anchor points (almost perfect circle)
WHEEL_RIM: 12-20 anchor points depending on design
EYE_WHITE: 6-10 anchor points
EYE_PUPIL: 4-8 anchor points
MOUTH (each state): 8-15 anchor points
Paths with hundreds of anchor points (typical of auto-trace) are unusable and will be rejected.
2. Path Direction
All paths must be closed and have consistent direction (all CW or all CCW, choose and maintain). Verifiable in Illustrator with Object > Path > Reverse Path Direction.
3. Logical Anchor Placement
Anchor points must be placed where the curve changes direction or tangent, not at regular distance intervals. An anchor on a straight line is a waste. An anchor in the middle of a uniform curve is a waste.
4. Balanced Tangents / Handles
Bezier handles must produce fluid curves, not accidental corners or cusps. Use the Smooth tool after placing points if needed.
5. No Open Paths
All paths must be closed (Object > Path > Close Path on all of them).
6. No Unnecessary Compound Paths
Compound paths complicate the import into After Effects. Use compound paths ONLY when logically necessary (e.g. donut shape for the wheel rim). Never use them to "group" shapes — that is what the layer system is for.
7. Solid Fills, No Gradient Mesh
Only solid color fills (no gradients, no patterns, no mesh)
If a volume or shading effect is needed, draw a separate shape with a darker or lighter color overlaid
Never use Object > Create Gradient Mesh
Never use Live Paint
8. Stroke Discipline
Black or dark outlines: as fills, not as strokes. So draw the outline as a closed black shape surrounding the element. This is because Duik and After Effects handle fills better than thick strokes in rigging.
9. No Illustrator Effects Applied
No Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow, no Effect > Blur, no Effect > Warp. Shadows must be drawn as separate gray shapes. Everything flat and geometric.
10. No Clipping Masks on the Artwork
Clipping masks used to "crop" elements do not work in After Effects as one would expect. Use explicit shape boundaries: if a window needs to be cropped from the body, draw the window with its correct shape, not as a rectangle with a mask.
11. Pivot-Friendly Geometry
Wheels: drawn as perfect circles centered on a precise point (this will be the rotation center)
Pupils: drawn as ovals or circles centered on their white eyeballs
Mouth: all variants centered on the same vertical and horizontal point
Color Palette to Respect
I will use these colors as specification. If you cannot extract them precisely from the reference, use these as authority:
Main body green #56C039 (adjust based on reference)
Body green shadow #3A9223
Body green highlight #7DD160
Tire black #1A1A1A
Tire detail gray #404040
Rim light gray #C8CDD2
Rim dark gray #6B7280
Window light blue #D6E4F0
Window dark blue #4A7BA8
Eye white #FFFFFF
Eye pupil dark green #1F4540
Eye highlight #FFFFFF
Black outline #1A1A1A
Pink tongue #E94560
Shadow gray #2A2A2A (30% opacity to be handled later in AE)
Exact HEX values to be agreed before starting.
What Must NOT Be Done
Explicit list of things that will lead to rejection of the work:
Image Trace output, even if "cleaned up"
Output from Vectorizer.AI, Vector Magic, or similar tools
Paths with more than 50 anchor points on single shapes (except specific justified cases)
Gradient mesh in any form
Illustrator effects applied to the artwork
Clipping masks used to crop the artwork
Grouped layers without proper naming
Thick strokes instead of outline-as-fill
Hidden working layers left in the final file (e.g. "Layer 47 copy")
Test Deliverable Before Full Job
Before committing to the full job, I require a small test: vectorize only the front wheel (TIRE plus RIM, complete) and send me the .ai file. From this I can understand whether your level meets the specifications. I will pay for the test regardless of whether I proceed with the full job (compensation to be agreed, indicatively 20-40 EUR).
Expected time for the test: 1-2 hours.
If the test passes, we proceed with the complete job.
Timelines and Revisions
Wheel test: delivery within 2 working days
Full job: delivery within 5-7 working days from test approval
Revisions included: 2 rounds
Revisions will primarily concern: anchor positioning, naming, layer organization, color matching
Screening Questions Before Accepting the Job
If you want to know whether you are the right freelancer for this job, please answer these:
Do you have experience with rigging in Duik, Character Animator, or Animate?
Can you send me an example of your character vector work for animation?
Do you know what I mean by "animation-friendly topology"?
Do you know the difference between outline-as-fill and outline-as-stroke for rigging purposes?
How many anchor points would you use to draw the body of a cartoon car in three-quarter view?
Expectations: questions 1 and 2 are concrete (demonstrable experience). 3, 4, and 5 are technical — anyone who genuinely knows the domain answers without hesitation. Generic answers will result in decline.
QC Checklist to Sign at Delivery
Upon file delivery, confirm that you have verified:
All paths closed
All paths same direction (CW or CCW)
Layer naming exactly per specification
Correct z-order
Anchor count within indicated ranges
Only solid fills, no gradient mesh
No Illustrator effects applied
4 MOUTH states centered on the same pivot
Wheels drawn as centered circles
Colors compliant with agreed palette
No residual working layers or objects
Closing Note
Thank you for taking the time to read the entire brief. The precision of this document is proportional to the precision I expect in the deliverable: this file becomes the foundation of a character rig I will animate for weeks. Every misplaced anchor point or poorly organized layer translates into hours of patch work in After Effects.
If you accept the job under the described terms, we start with the wheel test. Let me know your timing and quoted compensation.