Catscafe
Penguin has a Day
We successfully transformed her captivating web comics into
dynamic, animated 2D shorts bringing the cozy world of Catscafe
to life.
The Journey
From Concept to Screen
Our journey to bring “Catscafe: Penguin has a Day” to life began with a simple
idea from the creator. The entire production, excluding holidays, spanned
approximately three weeks.
Character Roster
Meet the lovable crew of Catscafe.
Kiwi
Kiwi Kiwi is Kiwi. Only says “Kiwi.”
Pengui
PengUIn Cat’s longtime friend and most loyal patron. Never without their trusty mug. Often seen hanging out with Kiwi. They are roommates after all!
Rabbit
Rabbit Rabbit works at the café alongside Cat. Has a lot of anxiety, but tries to overcome those fears and grow to be who they really are inside.
Cat
Cat Cat is the owner of the café. They have an almost magical ability to meet the needs of every special guest.
Rough Animation Sketches
A peek at the raw animation process before cleanup and color.
World Building
Environment & Details
When building the backgrounds, we intentionally studied the visual language of the Catscafe webcomic and
translated its simplicity into a production-ready animation environment. The original comic uses warm, flat color
blocking, minimal shading, and soft brown linework to create a cozy, emotionally-safe atmosphere. Rather than
over-rendering textures or introducing complex lighting, we focused on clean silhouettes, controlled perspective,
and large, readable shapes.
The environments are built with stacked warm tones coral reds, pumpkin oranges, and amber browns to
create depth without heavy gradients. Background elements like shelves, windows, and furniture are simplified
into organic shapes that support the characters rather than compete with them. We avoided harsh blacks and
used chocolate linework to maintain that gentle, illustrated feel.
Overall, the goal was not to replicate realism but to recreate the emotional warmth of the webcomic. Every
background supports the storytelling first: aesthetic second, ensuring the world feels cohesive, charming, and
instantly recognizable.
Animation Palette
Rich oranges, gentle corals, cozy browns, and creamy neutrals create an inviting
world that feels comforting and emotionally grounded. Subtle cool accents like
muted sage and sky blue add balance without overpowering the warmth.
From Comic to Animation
A brief look at the animation technique used by Essence Cartoon from
source material, through rough animation, to the final polished product.
Original Comic
The source material Tarplay’s
beloved webcomic.
Rough Animation
Raw, pencil sketches bringing the
characters to life.
Final Animation
Fully colored and composited ready for
screen.
Results That Travel
Storytelling should move people. And when it does, the numbers follow.
125,000
Instagram Views
13,400
Likes
119
Comments
167
Reposts
2,020
Shares
High views values a ripple in a static convention. Strong engagement shows brand
alignment. We build animation designed not just to be seen, but to be shared.
The Final Product
Watch the Animation
Credits
Creative Director
Malachi Staples
Lead Animator
Justin Li
Sound Designer
Agustin Gulisas
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