How My Dog Lou Helped Inspire Yabbit the Rabbit’s Character Design

Creating a children’s picture book isn’t easy, especially when you’re trying to design the perfect main character. There’s a moment in every creative project where you’ve stared at the same sketch for so long that you can’t tell what’s working anymore, and what’s just familiar.

That happened to my illustrator Rod and me while we were building the character design for Yabbit the Rabbit. We hit a creative wall and realized we needed to stop pushing and find a fresh angle.

So we turned to an unlikely source for inspiration: my dog, Lou.

Watch the video

Watch the behind-the-scenes video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h_i7B8U3t4khttps://www.youtube.com/@YabbitRabbit

When the Character Won’t “Click,” You Don’t Force It

Character design isn’t just about cute features. It’s about emotional truth. A great children’s book character needs a shape and expression that instantly tells kids, “I know that feeling.”

When Rod and I got stuck, I did what I always do when I slam into a writing wall: I grabbed Lou’s leash.

I spend 99% of my time with him. And whenever my brain starts spinning, a long walk resets everything. Not because I’m “trying” to brainstorm, but because walking pulls you out of the pressure and back into observation.

That’s where creativity actually lives.

Lou

Why a Dog Can Help Create a Rabbit

Here’s the strange thing about creative blocks: sometimes the solution isn’t in the sketch. It’s in the energy behind the sketch.

Lou notices everything. He’s curious. He pauses. He watches. He moves when he’s ready.

That’s not a bad blueprint for a character like Yabbit, a rabbit who’s learning that courage doesn’t have to be loud. It can start as a small step, after a pause, with a heart that feels unsure.

When you watch an animal interact with the world, you see the tiny signals: hesitation, curiosity, alertness, comfort, confidence. Those details are pure gold when you’re designing a children’s book character that needs to feel real.

The Real Lesson of the Creative Wall

This is the part I always forget until it happens again:

Sometimes the best progress comes from stepping away.
Not quitting. Not avoiding. Just letting the brain breathe.

So we’ll see what happens. Maybe the design inspiration we needed has been with me all along.

And if not, Lou still got his walk. Which honestly might be the real win.