Hi there!
I'm looking for a mascot to use with my YouTube and Twitch channels. Unlike seemingly many of the channels out there, mine is not gaming related, but is instead a place where I do live programming videos with an educational focus on the Rust programming language.
My want for a mascot is particularly tied to a new series of streams I've started doing called "Crust of Rust". I think the name is cute, and warrants a mascot, though I'd like to also use the mascot for the rest of my channel.
Ultimately, I'd like to also produce a short intro animation for my videos featuring the mascot, but that's much further down the line. For now, what I'm looking for are concept ideas for the mascot itself, with a particular focus on its use for "Crust of Rust". My inclination is to continue working with you if your initial concept is promising!
I only have a vague sense of what I'm looking for in the mascot, and am happy to give you a lot of creative leeway. Some general desires:
- I'd like it to be fun and welcoming, and not "in your face". The unofficial Rust mascot, ["Ferris"], is a good example, though Ferris does not need to appear. The common "owl teacher" trope comes to mind as another good example. I also like "Mr. Ray", the teacher from Finding Nemo. It does not have to be an animal, nor does it have to be cute. The mascot should definitely not be threatening, and should ideally have an educational bent to it. Chibi-style caricatures could also work. Whatever floats your boat!
- I have a mild preference for the mascot being "me" (picture, though the videos also have plenty more to draw from), because as mentioned I'd like to also use the same mascot in intros for other videos, and elsewhere on the interwebs. The mascot does not have to be human in form though.
- The stream is titled "Crust of Rust" because it aims to teach "crunchy topics" (that is, more advanced concepts) in bite-sized chunks. The topics we cover are also "juicy", in the sense that they are non-trivial and interesting :p I personally think of a pie crust, though it doesn't have to be.
- While the videos are highly technical, I try to keep a light mood, take plenty of questions from chat, and generally have a conversational tone. Not sure how this might be reflected in a mascot, but figured it might be useful.
