Truman,
the Expert Bookseller
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ART DIRECTION - WORLDBUILDING - CHARACTER DESIGN - BRAND ACTIVATION - RETAIL EXPERIENCE - AI-ASSISTED DESIGN
Role
Concept & Art Direction
Character Design
3D modeling & Animation
Sound Design
Andriy Volodarskyy
Rendering Support
Pablo Ferro
Tools
Cinema 4D
Corona Render
Adobe After Effects
In 2024, Casa del Libro introduced Truman, a small dragon who found his place inside a bookstore. The campaign created strong emotional connection and high engagement with audiences.
For Christmas 2025, the objective was to consolidate Truman as a long term brand asset and expand him into a complete omnichannel experience. The campaign needed to reinforce Casa del Libro’s values: expert recommendation, community, care and emotional connection during a key commercial season.
This project transformed Truman from a character into a living universe across digital platforms, physical stores, public space and media.
What happens when something supernatural enters ordinary spaces?
The narrative is built through action, with no dialogue. The character is understood through his behavior and the way he reacts to different situations.
Each scene shows a small moment of daily life. The humor appears in a natural way, through contrast: a floating ghost dealing with very human problems. The simplicity of the story allows the atmosphere and the movement to carry the emotion.
Before modeling, the project started with simple sketches. The goal was to define rhythm, framing and emotional tone before working in 3D.
The ghost was designed to feel tender, not scary. The shapes are rounded and soft, with no sharp edges. The eyes and eyebrows are the main emotional tools, and small changes in expression help create personality.
The design is inspired by plastic toys and playdough figures. This creates a contrast between the theme and the aesthetic.
From sketch to final render, the process focused on clarity of silhouette and emotional readability.
The scenes are built with pastel backgrounds and a limited palette of purples and yellows. This contrast creates visual balance and keeps the composition clear.
The materials have a matte, plastic quality that reflects light softly, avoiding strong highlights or dramatic shadows. The lighting is diffused and even, supporting readability and keeping the focus on movement instead of creating tension.
Each environment is built with only the necessary elements. Objects are simplified in shape and proportion, allowing the character to remain the center of attention. Space is suggested through scale and framing rather than detail, and the composition guides the eye so each action feels intentional and easy to read.
Together, these decisions create a cohesive visual system that supports rhythm, clarity, and tone.
The visual identity of the project is defined through controlled color, material and spatial decisions.
Before the final animation, I worked with simple test renders and rough previews.
These early versions helped me understand the timing of the ghost’s movement, especially how the floating should feel natural and believable. They also allowed me to explore different camera compositions, angles, and distances to find the most effective way to frame each scene.
Through these tests, I was able to refine the rhythm of the actions and make stronger decisions about how the character interacts with space.
Paranormal Activities is a personal exploration of how character and atmosphere can carry a story without dialogue or complex plots.
It shows that horror themes do not always require darkness. Sometimes, they only need routine.
