Children's Characters

I researched four popular children's characters, loved by children today. I looked at CBeebies, a children's TV show, and picked out a few characters that I used to watch and that others who I know still watch them. I found the information on the characters at wiki.co.uk.

Thomas The Tank Engine
This is a small, fictional steam animation, taken from 'The railway series' books by Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He accompanied the TV spin-off series, Thomas and Friends. Because the fictional characters on the TV series links to the books, the children would learn to read easier and more effectively. This would help as the eco farm could produce fun, learning books for the children to take away with them, which would help them with their reading. Therefore, my character would be easy to recognise if included in these books, which would help the children to remember and memorise the information more effectively and quickly.
Thomas The Tank Engine could influence my character's design as it helps with the children's reading, which would help them better in school and at home. The trains' on the programme are easy to recognise, sketch or create, therefore the children would more likely interact with them. I could use this in my character's design by creating it out of a recyclable material which is easy to find, therefore the children could create their own version at home, creating a memory trigger in their brain when they go over the information that they've learned from the Eco Farm.

Tommy Zoom
Tommy Zoom is an animated TV series, shown in the UK on CBeebies, now all over the world. Each episode begins with tommy's Dog (Daniel), when Tommy is faced with dilemma. Daniel proposes the question 'What should Tommy do? What would Tommy Zoom do?'. Polluto, the baddie, gives Tommy a challenge to face. Tommy will face these challenges in a 'Zoom'. He is seen making the right choices what ever the problem he has to make right.

I feel that the animation is helpful to children as they can learn that by making the right choices, they can overcome anything. However, Tommy never makes mistakes therefore the children could think that any choice they make is the correct one. This could show in the ways that the children act towards others, stealing others toys etc. I feel that the character can be inspirational to other children, as the bad guy in the animation never wins.
Tommy Zoom could influence my character's design as it teaches children that if you make the right choices, you will always succeed. Therefore they are also learning a life skill as well as the water cycle.


Charlie and Lola
I loved this programme as the characters were sketches, making them look fun. They are fictional children created by the English writer and illustrator Lauren Child in 2000. They were first introduced in a series of picture books, and later become animated TV characters. Lola is an energetic, imaginative little girl and Charlie is a patient, kind older brother who is always willing to help Lola learn and grow up. This storyline is well created, as the children watching this are exactly like the character Lola, messing around and doing fun stuff, keeping themselves entertained, and then losing interest quickly.
Charlie and Lola could influence my character's design as they are illustrated like a sketch, a drawing, how younger children draw people on paper. The black outlines make the characters easier to see. I love how the different textures, materials and patterns are shown on the illustrations by the use of colour pencil or pen, then scanned into the computer to create the effect, which again relates to children's drawings. These illustrations really inspire me to create a funky character, who's features are oddly placed and drawn, making them fit in with the messy, mad world of the younger audience. For example, the eyes could be created out of different sized, coloured and type buttons, attached with different coloured string, both a different thickness and length. It makes the characters more quirky, and seem fun and child-like, gaining the children's attention and keeping it, as I know that their concentration is pretty short.


Octonauts
I didn't watch this as it wasn't out when I was younger. However, my younger sisters used to watch this and loved it. It is a British TV series, produced by Silvergate Media for CBeebies. It is based on the American-Canadian children's books written by Vicki Wong and Michael C. Murphy of Meomi Design Inc. The Octonauts are a crew of eight animal adventurers, who live in an underwater base, the Octopod. They go on undersea adventures with the help of a few aquatic vehicles. These characters can inspire the younger children to become more helpful, and even swim better in lessons, if they feel it will be good for them and others, in the future. The characters also teach the children about the risks when swimming as well, which is good for the kids in the future, and it's memorable.
The octonauts can influence my character's design as they can teach the children easy tips about the eco farm/the water cycle, by doing a small activity, a bit like the Octonauts helping out the sea creatures. They also connect to the theme of water, therefore I could create an underwater themed character, teaching the children about the water cycle, and eventually other underwater animals and life.