Here are my original sketches. I wasn't sure what kind of object I wanted to give human characteristics to, so I just started with some random brainstorms. I love coffee, but feel like it would make for a somewhat bland character (despite the mystique of the mustache).

 

I've decided to move forward with a bunny, since it's one of my favorite animals - and I somehow really enjoy a cartoon rabbit!

Here's my bunny character so far. I'm having a bit of difficulty getting the gradient mesh tool to cooperate with me, but I'm getting a better hang of it. I'm not sure if there's any method to the madness of how the mesh is drawn by Illustrator - mine started as a big tangle of red lines, but it's starting to get a little more under control. This bunny is intended to be cute - an uplifting bunny (though this one looks sad). I guess, I think even a sad looking bunny can lift someone's spirits! So, I like the idea of the final die-cut sticker being given out to friends or given away at events - then, people can use the sticker wherever they want. For the final bunny, I'll work on making the character look more fun and upbeat, maybe even a bit mischievous. I may end up using this character/bunny for a TRIX cereal in 2030 project that I'm working on for Graphic Design II.

Here's my updated bunny - it's about ready to turn into a sticker! The bunny still looks a bit bummed out, so I might play around some more with the lines of the face to see if that helps lift the bunny's spirits. I might add some rosiness to the cheeks - because I saw an image of a bunny online that had rosy cheeks and I think it could help add a happy look.

Here's my finalized bunny - mocked up with the Die Cut line showing for this sticker.

And in this final image, a drop shadow effect has been added in Illustrator to help the sticker look more realistic.