{"id":179955,"date":"2025-04-10T07:17:32","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T07:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/animation\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/"},"modified":"2025-04-10T07:17:32","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T07:17:32","slug":"winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=179955","title":{"rendered":"Winner Spotlight: Vestiges of Humanity within Spirited Automatons made with Cartoon Animator and XPPen"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-attachment-id=\"62122\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/01_rl-magazine_1920x1080_v1-4\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"01_RL Magazine_1920x1080_v1\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Francis Bon Vun Hong won the 2024 Animation at Work Contest. Learn how he creates captivating 2d storytelling with Cartoon Animator and XPPen.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Francis Bon Vun Hong won the 2024 Animation at Work Contest. Learn how he creates captivating 2d storytelling with Cartoon Animator and XPPen.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1-300x169.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1-1024x576.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01_RL-Magazine_1920x1080_v1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallusion.com\/cartoon-animator\/event\/2024-Animation-at-Work\/winner.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Reallusion 2024 Animation at Work Contest<\/a>, artist Francis Bon Vun Hong secures first place in the \u201cComic &amp; Arts\u201d category. In this article, he guides us through the creative process that brought life to his winning entry, \u201cThe Horizon\u201d.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:30% auto\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"587\" height=\"661\" data-attachment-id=\"62217\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/francis\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/francis.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"587,661\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;EricChang (\\u5f35\\u6643\\u9298)&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744112829&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"francis\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/francis-266x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/francis.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/francis.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62217 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/francis.jpg 587w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/francis-266x300.jpg 266w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/francis-133x150.jpg 133w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 587px) 100vw, 587px\"\/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Francis Bong Vun Hong<\/h3>\n<p>Hello, I\u2019m Francis, a recent graduate with a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Creative Digital Media, completed over three and a half years. My journey into the 3D industry began during my studies, where I discovered a passion for animation, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallusion.com\/cartoon-animator\/2d-character-design.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">character design<\/a>, and digital storytelling.<\/p>\n<p>In September 2023, I joined Betapuru Digital Studio as an intern, immersing myself in a professional environment to hone my skills and gain hands-on experience. Now, I am continuing to build my career in 3D and animation, aiming to create visually captivating content.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@dibobun1586\/videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Francis\u2019 YouTube Channel<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Animation At Work 2024 - The Horizon\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/44h0u6-Cagw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transitioning from 3D to 2D<\/h2>\n<p>I think my <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallusion.com\/iclone\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3D animation<\/a><\/strong> background helped a lot! The principles of animation\u2014like timing, posing, and movement\u2014are more or less the same, so it was more about getting used to a different workflow. The best trick up my sleeve was focusing on <em>rigging<\/em> and <em>motion editing<\/em> right away. Since I was already familiar with Reallusion\u2019s tools from my 3D work, picking up <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallusion.com\/cartoon-animator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cartoon Animator<\/a><\/strong> felt pretty natural. I also watched how the pros used it and just kept experimenting until things clicked. In addition, I made use of parallax, camera tricks, and depth\u2014just like I would in a 3D workflow\u2014in order to make my 2D animations feel more dynamic. That crossover knowledge made for a way faster learning process!<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>I really enjoy using the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallusion.com\/cartoon-animator\/spring-animation.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spring Editor<\/a><\/strong>, which adds natural wiggle effects to body parts. It creates smooth, fluid animation without the extra effort of manually keyframing the character.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"547\" data-attachment-id=\"62218\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-1-31\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1.png\" data-orig-size=\"1706,912\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1-300x160.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1-1024x547.png\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1-1024x547.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62218 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1-1024x547.png 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1-300x160.png 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1-150x80.png 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1-768x411.png 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1-1536x821.png 1536w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1-1200x642.png 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1.png 1706w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"549\" data-attachment-id=\"62222\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-2-25\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2.png\" data-orig-size=\"1702,912\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2-300x161.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2-1024x549.png\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2-1024x549.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62222\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2-1024x549.png 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2-150x80.png 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2-768x412.png 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2-1536x823.png 1536w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2-1200x643.png 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2.png 1702w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Most importantly, the built-in assets and animations significantly sped up my workflow. Instead of animating characters from scratch, I could simply drag and drop assets from the content browser to bring them to life! Another major advantage was the rigging system. Unlike traditional frame-by-frame animation, it works similarly to 3D: once a character is rigged, I can create a series of animations with ease. It\u2019s an absolute game-changer!<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Story Background &amp; Concept<\/h2>\n<p>My character was inspired by <em>The Wild Robot<\/em>. I loved the film\u2019s plot and contrast. Spoiler: The robot was programmed to follow orders but eventually broke the rules and acted on her own. In my story, however, the robot is tasked with rebuilding his civilization elsewhere after his home is invaded and destroyed. The entire production took over a month, though Cartoon Animator significantly sped up the process.<\/p>\n<figure data-carousel-extra=\"{\" blog_id=\"\" class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"450\" data-attachment-id=\"62227\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/thewildrobotbanner\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner.png\" data-orig-size=\"1640,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"thewildrobotbanner\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner-300x132.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner-1024x450.png\" data-id=\"62227\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner-1024x450.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62227\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner-1024x450.png 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner-300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner-150x66.png 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner-768x337.png 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner-1536x674.png 1536w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner-1200x527.png 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/thewildrobotbanner.png 1640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"591\" data-attachment-id=\"62226\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-3-23\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3.png\" data-orig-size=\"1283,740\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 3\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3-300x173.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3-1024x591.png\" data-id=\"62226\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3-1024x591.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62226\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3-1024x591.png 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3-150x87.png 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3-768x443.png 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3-1200x692.png 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3.png 1283w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Before moving into the production stage, I needed to establish a solid plot to guide the process. Therefore, storyboards played a crucial role in ensuring a smooth workflow. Creating the storyboard typically took a few days, and it wasn\u2019t as difficult as it might have seemed. They were simple, serving as a visual guide for how each scene was set. Using basic shapes and strokes was an effective way to create a strong storyboard. I didn\u2019t hesitate to be bold with my strokes\u2014there was no need to perfect every line. Adding arrows also helped show the direction of actions or camera angles. In short, I kept storyboards simple and focused; they were just guidelines for the production.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Character Design with XPPen Tablet<\/h2>\n<p>The character was drawn in Photoshop using an <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallusion.com\/cartoon-animator\/animated-drawing.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">XPPen tablet<\/a><\/strong>. To animate the character in Cartoon Animator, it had to be separated into parts, as shown in the image below. These separated parts enabled efficient rigging in Cartoon Animator, with each bone attached to specific body parts. The rigging process for the character is broken down in the images below.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-attachment-id=\"62228\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-4-23\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 4\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4-300x169.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4-1024x576.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-4.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>I then imported the base, which was the body with the combined parts. Next, I created the skeleton based on the character\u2019s base. After that, I assigned the different parts of the body to the skeleton. Finally, I deleted the base of the character, and that was it\u2014simple as that.<\/p>\n<figure data-carousel-extra=\"{\" blog_id=\"\" class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"398\" data-attachment-id=\"62230\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-5-1-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1.png\" data-orig-size=\"2090,812\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 5.1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1-300x117.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1-1024x398.png\" data-id=\"62230\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1-1024x398.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62230\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1-1024x398.png 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1-300x117.png 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1-150x58.png 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1-768x298.png 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1-1536x597.png 1536w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1-2048x796.png 2048w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.1-1200x466.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"396\" data-attachment-id=\"62231\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-5-2-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2.png\" data-orig-size=\"2092,809\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 5.2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2-300x116.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2-1024x396.png\" data-id=\"62231\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2-1024x396.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2-1024x396.png 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2-300x116.png 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2-150x58.png 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2-768x297.png 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2-1536x594.png 1536w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2-2048x792.png 2048w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-5.2-1200x464.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Character and Scene Animation<\/h2>\n<p>I utilized the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallusion.com\/ContentStore\/CTA\/Pack\/360-Head-Maker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>360 Heads<\/strong><\/a> in Cartoon Animator to allow slight turns of the character\u2019s head. It was not perfect since the head is not exactly humanoid. The robot\u2019s eyes are actually not of the human eye proportion and there are no mouths involved, so the only way to do it is to retarget only the head without separating the eyes.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"559\" data-attachment-id=\"62232\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-6-16\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-6.png\" data-orig-size=\"1503,821\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 6\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-6-300x164.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-6-1024x559.png\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-6-1024x559.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62232\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-6-1024x559.png 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-6-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-6-150x82.png 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-6-768x420.png 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-6-1200x655.png 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-6.png 1503w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>As mentioned before, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallusion.com\/cartoon-animator\/3d-motion-to-2d-animation.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>motions of the characters<\/strong><\/a> were mostly from the available assets in Cartoon Animator. Only a few required hands-on animating, which greatly reduced the work time. Another great thing about Cartoon Animator was that those motions can be blended with each other, creating a series of smooth movements.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"453\" data-attachment-id=\"62233\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-7-13\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-7.png\" data-orig-size=\"1247,552\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 7\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-7-300x133.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-7-1024x453.png\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-7-1024x453.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-7-1024x453.png 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-7-300x133.png 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-7-150x66.png 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-7-768x340.png 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-7-1200x531.png 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-7.png 1247w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>I always focus on making 2D scenes feel more alive and dynamic. Adding depth, camera movement, and parallax can take things to the next level. Use contrast to grab the audience\u2019s attention. In my opinion, don\u2019t just animate characters; instead, animate the whole scene. Use foreground and background elements, play with lighting, and add small details that make the world feel real.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">VFX and Extras<\/h2>\n<p>Camera shakes can enhance the actions of the character. For example, aggressive shakes are used during the running scene to give a sense of panicking and the feeling of the character running with full effort. It can be simply achieved in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallusion.com\/cartoon-animator\/ae-script-animation-vfx.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">After Effects<\/a><\/strong> by doing this:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"73\" data-attachment-id=\"62234\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-8-14\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8.png\" data-orig-size=\"2048,146\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 8\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8-300x21.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8-1024x73.png\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8-1024x73.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62234\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8-1024x73.png 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8-300x21.png 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8-150x11.png 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8-768x55.png 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8-1536x110.png 1536w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8-1200x86.png 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-8.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>ALT + Left click on the \u201cOrientation\u201d key of the camera and type in \u201cwiggle(A,B)\u201d. Wiggle means shaking while A means how many times the wiggle happens while B means the level of wiggles. Higher value in A makes more wiggle per seconds, while higher value in B makes bigger movements.<\/p>\n<p>The light rays, or the so-called volumetric lights, are pretty straightforward. It is just a simple light ray PNG image that is added in during the post-production stage. During the final editing in Premiere Pro or After Effects, drop in this PNG while changing the opacity mode to \u201cscreen\u201d and it\u2019s all done.<\/p>\n<figure data-carousel-extra=\"{\" blog_id=\"\" class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" data-attachment-id=\"62237\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-9-12\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-9-1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"480,360\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 9\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-9-1-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-9-1.jpg\" data-id=\"62237\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-9-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62237\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-9-1.jpg 480w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-9-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-9-1-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-9-1-400x300.jpg?crop=1 400w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-9-1-200x150.jpg?crop=1 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\"\/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"663\" data-attachment-id=\"62238\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/04\/10\/winner-spotlight-vestiges-of-humanity-within-spirited-automatons-made-with-cartoon-animator-and-xppen\/image-10-11\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1244\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image 10\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10-300x194.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10-1024x663.jpg\" data-id=\"62238\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10-1024x663.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62238\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10-1024x663.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10-150x97.jpg 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10-768x498.jpg 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10-1536x995.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10-1200x778.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-10.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Closing Thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>This competition was an awesome experience! Seeing so many creative entries really pushed me to bring my best. It also showed how powerful a Cartoon Animator can be when you push its limits. I\u2019m grateful for the opportunity and the recognition!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Animation At Work 2024 Work in Process - The Horizon\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TsccfRnNvUY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advice for Future Contestants<\/h2>\n<p>Go beyond just animating characters; think about the entire scene. Try to experiment with camera movements, lighting, and effects to add more depth. Use colors and contrast to effectively bring out the moods and emotions. Most importantly, every project is a chance to grow, keep learning, and have fun!<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large has-lightbox\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallusion.com\/cartoon-animator\/event\/2024-Animation-at-Work\/winner.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"205\" data-attachment-id=\"62076\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/2025\/03\/31\/winner-spotlight-incisive-and-engaging-service-promo-made-with-cartoon-animator\/07_forum_2000x400\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2000,400\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"07_Forum_2000x400\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400-300x60.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400-1024x205.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400-1024x205.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-62076\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400-1024x205.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400-300x60.jpg 300w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400-150x30.jpg 150w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400-768x154.jpg 768w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400-1536x307.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400-1200x240.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/magazine.reallusion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/07_Forum_2000x400.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Click the banner to learn more about the winners\u2019 portfolios and judge comments<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-block sd-like jetpack-likes-widget-wrapper jetpack-likes-widget-unloaded\" id=\"like-post-wrapper-89332850-62120-67f7708c02fc3\" data-src=\"https:\/\/widgets.wp.com\/likes\/?ver=14.6-a.1#blog_id=89332850&amp;post_id=62120&amp;origin=magazine.reallusion.com&amp;obj_id=89332850-62120-67f7708c02fc3\" data-name=\"like-post-frame-89332850-62120-67f7708c02fc3\" data-title=\"Like or Reblog\">\n<h3 class=\"sd-title\">Like this:<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"button\"><span>Like<\/span><\/span> <span class=\"loading\">Loading&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"sd-text-color\"\/><a class=\"sd-link-color\"\/><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the Reallusion 2024 Animation at Work Contest, artist Francis Bon Vun Hong secures first place in the \u201cComic &amp; Arts\u201d category. In this article, he guides us through the creative process that brought life to his winning entry, \u201cThe Horizon\u201d. Francis Bong Vun Hong Hello, I\u2019m Francis, a recent graduate with a Bachelor of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":179956,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12035],"tags":[71277,26216,6119,13788,71279,2250,23626,29814,23843,16899,67229,7975,2790,71278,5967,63087],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-179955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-animation","tag-360-head","tag-after-effects","tag-animation","tag-animator","tag-automatons","tag-cartoon","tag-cartoon-animator","tag-character-animation","tag-humanity","tag-photoshop","tag-psd-pipeline","tag-spirited","tag-spotlight","tag-vestiges","tag-winner","tag-xppen"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Winner Spotlight: Vestiges of Humanity within Spirited Automatons made with Cartoon Animator and XPPen - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=179955\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Winner Spotlight: Vestiges of Humanity within Spirited Automatons made with Cartoon Animator and XPPen - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In the Reallusion 2024 Animation at Work Contest, artist Francis Bon Vun Hong secures first place in the \u201cComic &amp; Arts\u201d category. 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