Sunny Side Down character Design Contest

Sunny Side Down Character Design Contest

Have Your Design Featured in a Future Episode

Ever dreamed of seeing your character come to life in an animated series? Now’s your chance!

Submit an original character design, and the winning concept will be featured in an upcoming episode of Sunny Side Down.

Submission Guidelines:

Opening Date: October 20th, 2025

Who Can Apply: Everyone!

Deadline: November 24th, 2025, by 12 AM ET.

Announcement: Winners will be chosen by a MAKE panel and announced on December 5th, 2025.

Contest Guidelines:

1.) Create an original character design

2.) Design should be a 3/4 view of the character (other angles aren't required, but you are welcome to include them.)

Design Tips (Optional):

- Lean into hard black shadows and vibrant 90's colors.
- Parody concepts can come from combining unusual things in unholy matrimony: Like our furboctopus, a cross between a furby toy and... an octopus.
- If your character has hair, we use a black zigzag for our signature hair shadow look!

In the end, it's all about whether you want to take inspiration from the show style, or bring your own style to the mix!

FAQ:

Does the character have to be in Sunny Side Down style?

A: Whether its in our show style or yours, all's fair game! Note that our character designer will reinterpret your design a bit to integrate with the show style if you're the selected winner.

How will the winner be selected?

A: First of all, be sure to tag us so we can see your submission, or if you're seeing it on tiktok, reply with your reel! We love especially getting to hear some of your thoughts about WHY you designed it, and any inspirations you had! Finally, it will be a MAKE artist jury vote on our fav.

Terms & Conditions:

By submitting your character, you agree to the following terms:

Originality: All submitted characters must be original creations. Plagiarism of existing characters, artwork, or intellectual property is strictly prohibited.

Ownership: All rights to the submitted character remain fully with the original artist. MAKE does not claim ownership of any character submitted.

Animation Consent: By submitting your character, you grant MAKE permission to animate and use the character for creative purposes, including but not limited to animation projects, promotional content, and social media. This permission is non-exclusive and does not transfer ownership.

Recipients retain the right to independently distribute and showcase their character as they see fit.

For any questions, please contact Lucia Naples at lucia.naples@makevisual.com.