[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”top” video_bg=”yes” video_bg_url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0kXaanutzmc” p_top=”0″ m_top=”0″ m_bottom=”0″ css=”.vc_custom_1772359429913{padding-top: 200px !important;padding-bottom: 200px !important;background-image: url(https:\/\/www.gaetanoleonardi.com\/v4\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/billboard2_v001.png?id=923) !important;}”]\n\t
Tree Example \u2013 Explaining the Rule to the Artist<\/p>\n
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First iteration by Gaetano Leonardi – Second Iteration by Daniela Farrera<\/p>\n
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Served as Art Director on a series of three 30-minute animated films developed for the Chinese client KAISA Group, created for use within large-scale entertainment parks in China.<\/p>\n
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When designing a character, the most important element is the message you want to convey. Defining clear keywords or a strong premise helps you stay focused, avoid unnecessary details, and ensure the character aligns with the story you\u2019re building.<\/p>\n
Example:<\/strong> He needed to embody strength, pride, and leadership. Someone deeply rooted in his culture.<\/p>\n By working with contrasts: a proud gaze emerging from a smaller nose, balanced by a strong jawline, the character immediately gained presence and authority.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text]\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n\n\t The communication goal.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”935″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image” css_animation=”bounceInRight” css=”.vc_custom_1772362604464{margin-top: 20px !important;margin-right: 20px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text c_id=”.vc_1772362626102″]<\/p>\n What do you want to communicate?<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text]\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n[\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” m_top=”50″ m_bottom=”50″ css=”.vc_custom_1771944189701{border-radius: 10px !important;}”]\n\t Color Keys \u2013 Art by Daniel Farrera; Art direction by Gaetano Leonardi.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text]\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n\n\t I oversaw the color key direction, with artwork by Daniel Farrara<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Color is not merely an aesthetic choice, it is a powerful tool that supports direction and reinforces communication. Through contrasts in saturation, luminance, and complementary hues, color helps guide the audience\u2019s perception and emotional response.<\/p>\n Colors can significantly influence the viewer\u2019s mind. For example, if we transform a natural yellow-red flame into an unnatural violet one, we immediately communicate that something magical is happening. Without a single line of dialogue, we introduce a precise narrative element.<\/p>\n Once established, this visual language must remain consistent throughout the film, especially in subsequent magical moments, to preserve coherence and reinforce storytelling.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text]\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n[\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”top” m_top=”50″ m_bottom=”50″ css=”.vc_custom_1772364271776{border-radius: 10px !important;}”]\n\t I usually divide the image into three layers: Foreground; Characters; Background. Then play with: warm vs cold colors; exposure vs shadow. If the foreground is warm, push the background colder and viceversa. You\u2019re basically guiding the viewer\u2019s eye without them noticing.<\/p>\n One more important habit: Before sending feedback to the team, I always do a quick paint-over in Photoshop. A concrete visual suggestion works infinitely better than an abstract explanation. People understand in seconds what words would take minutes to describe.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text]\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n\n\t What do you want to communicate?<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner]\n\t Color Key<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text]\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n\n\t Final Shot<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text]\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n[\/vc_row_inner]\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n[\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” m_top=”50″ m_bottom=”50″ css=”.vc_custom_1771944189701{border-radius: 10px !important;}”]\n\t The client initially requested different 3D models for the sled dogs. However, due to production costs, creating multiple unique models was not a viable solution.<\/p>\n Instead, I proposed using animation and texture variations to suggest differences between the dogs. By adjusting attitude, posture, timing, and color palettes, we were able to transform the same base model into distinct personalities: dangerous, playful, proud, clumsy, or goofy.<\/p>\n This approach allowed us to deliver the perceived variety the client wanted, while keeping production costs under control. The client was satisfied, the budget was respected, and the project was ultimately a success.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text]\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n[\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” m_top=”50″ m_bottom=”50″ css=”.vc_custom_1772364260398{border-radius: 10px !important;}”]\n\t I also developed several early character sketches during the pre-production phase. These materials were primarily created to brief the artists for the next stage of development.<\/p>\n In addition, I supervised the sculpting process, working directly on top of the artists\u2019 models when necessary to ensure visual consistency and maintain the integrity of the characters.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text]\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n\n\t [vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”top” video_bg=”yes” video_bg_url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0kXaanutzmc” p_top=”0″ m_top=”0″ m_bottom=”0″ css=”.vc_custom_1772359429913{padding-top: 200px !important;padding-bottom: 200px !important;background-image: url(https:\/\/www.gaetanoleonardi.com\/v4\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/billboard2_v001.png?id=923) !important;}”][\/vc_row][vc_row][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” m_top=”50″ m_bottom=”50″ css=”.vc_custom_1771944189701{border-radius: 10px !important;}”][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” m_top=”50″ m_bottom=”50″ css=”.vc_custom_1772364260398{border-radius: 10px !important;}”][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” m_top=”50″ m_bottom=”50″ css=”.vc_custom_1771944189701{border-radius: 10px !important;}”][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”top” m_top=”50″ m_bottom=”50″ css=”.vc_custom_1772364271776{border-radius: 10px !important;}”][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” m_top=”50″ m_bottom=”50″ css=”.vc_custom_1771944189701{border-radius: 10px !important;}”][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” m_top=”50″ m_bottom=”50″ css=”.vc_custom_1772364260398{border-radius: 10px !important;}”][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-922","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaetanoleonardi.com\/v4\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaetanoleonardi.com\/v4\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaetanoleonardi.com\/v4\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaetanoleonardi.com\/v4\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaetanoleonardi.com\/v4\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=922"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaetanoleonardi.com\/v4\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/922\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":972,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaetanoleonardi.com\/v4\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/922\/revisions\/972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaetanoleonardi.com\/v4\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Before I joined the project, the character had a large nose (suggesting goofiness), sloped shoulders (implying weakness), and a posture that didn\u2019t convey authority. It wasn\u2019t inherently wrong, it was simply wrong for that specific character.<\/p>\nColors<\/h3>\n
Color Key direction<\/h5>\n
Lighting Supervising<\/h3>\n
Helping the team<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Preserving Production Value<\/h3>\n
Delivering Variety with the Same Assets<\/h5>\n
Sculpting supervising<\/h3>\n
Character design & 3D Character design<\/strong><\/h5>\n