An introduction to one of IMOK’s characters: Sookie

Character design wasn’t always something in IMOK’s creative palette. In fact it was something that we didn’t even know we could do! Both Jen and I have had a deep interest in the vinyl toy industry for many years, finding inspiration in brands like Kid Robot and Tokidoki to keep that drive alive!
We discovered that the years of inspiration and admiration to those brands have most definitely influenced us to develop our very own style.

In the beginning of the character illustrations, it was about getting re acquainted with the pencil and paper method of working. Practicing variations on simple things like eye shape or arm length began to unravel the threads that became IMOK. With pages and pages of sketch books filled with 1000’s of characters and doodles, all being worked and re-worked, to refine our style, it soon showed that both of our styles of illustration complement each other remarkably well!


Introducing some of these characters into the IMOK world proved beneficial and before we knew it, character design was something that we became known for! Our fantasy of being character designers was in sight. This was quite an achievement for us in an unintentional business move that paid off and we still are so very proud of.

With each illustration of these characters grew a general need to know more about them. What’s their name? What do they like? Don’t like? Do they have friends? What was their story? In answer to these many questions, we began developing a story about a group of characters and the adventures they face together. The characters became a virtual voice for the IMOK team, being able to project opinions and thoughts through whimsical and cute characters.
In the story, all of the characters centralise around one main character – a girl named Sookie. She is an only child who loves her friends and is always looking for a new adventure.



The concepts and idea of Sookie has been developed and re-worked over time.


Whether it be the hair length / colour or the shape of her body, to the size of her nose, each characteristic is taken into consideration and put through trials before the character is completed.




We have loved bringing Sookie through each faze so we thought we would show you a glimse into the inner workings and the creation that is Sookie. We plan on bringing Sookie and her friends to life in a book, as toys and ultimately as an animation. Stay tuned!