Mitch & Mich
Ideation * Character Design * Concept Art * Illustration * Visual Storytelling
They were once inseparable - twin brothers, a rising rock duo, and the heart of every stage they stepped on. Decades later, their paths couldn’t be more different. This illustrated story explores the space between them - not just physically, but emotionally.
Out of Sync
This project was created as part of an Illustration & Design for Animation course in my visual communication studies, and focused on building a fully realized visual narrative from scratch.
The task: create two characters with a shared past and opposing presents - and build an illustrated world around them.
I developed Mitch and Michael, twin brothers and former rockstars whose lives took very different turns. Through character design, prop development, and narrative framing, the project visualizes emotional distance, contrast, and unresolved tension between the two.
As part of the course brief, I was tasked with inventing two original characters and building a story-driven world around them.
I created Mitchel and Michael - twin brothers in their 60s, living in the year 2030. Once a famous rock duo in their twenties (Mitch & Mich), they spent eight years performing on stage and building a cult following. But when their fame faded, each chose a radically different path.
Mitchel clings to the past, still writing songs for an audience that no longer listens. He’s broke, optimistic, and a little delusional. Michael, in contrast, cut ties with music, built a successful career in real estate, and now lives with structure, control, and quiet resentment toward his brother’s chaos.
Their relationship is strained - an unresolved mix of admiration, frustration, and sibling rivalry. The story explores what happens when creative dreams fade, and how each person redefines success.I translated the story into visual contrast - through silhouettes, posture, anatomy, clothing, and facial features.
It was important for me to show both similarity and difference between the twins. Their upper body structure was designed as a mirrored base: Mitchel, the neglected dreamer, has narrow shoulders and a wider waist, while Michael, the polished businessman, has broad shoulders and a tight waist. Their body shapes express who they’ve become - emotionally and socially.
From their facial hair to their clothing, every detail reflects their character: Mitchel has loose, curly hair and an unshaven face; Michael is always groomed and tucked in. Even body hair was used to emphasize the gap between them - rawness vs. restraint.
I further developed each character with expression sheets and dynamic poses, mapping how they move, react, and hold themselves. Mitch’s gestures are relaxed, sprawling, emotional. Michael’s are tight, upright, and reserved.
The characters are designed not just to look different - but to embody their history, their choices, and the silent tension that remains between them.Each brother received a set of carefully chosen props designed to enrich his character’s world and reflect his personality. The contrast between their objects highlights the differences in their values, habits, and emotional tone.
The project concludes with a three-part illustrated sequence that tells a visual story of reconnection.
It begins with Mitchel - lost in nostalgia - looking at an old photo of himself and his twin brother Michael during their peak as a rock duo.Overcome by longing, he picks up the phone and surprises Michael with an emotional, spontaneous proposal: a reunion show.
In the final frame, Michael shows up. The two step onto the stage together once again, closing the story with a rare moment of harmony and shared memory.
The compositions were carefully built with foreground–midground–background depth, expressive lighting, and body language that reflects their history, tension, and quiet resolution.
