Creating An Animated Mural Show at Chatham House:
When Electric Medway reached out with a commission for an animated mural projection mapping show, I felt an instant spark of inspiration!
Mini Gabi World is a multimedia circus of quirky characters and has always been about storytelling through different art forms. I especially love projection mapping on historical buildings because it mixes my passion for street art, murals, animation, and architecture.
The theme—nature and the environment—set my imagination spinning, and I knew I wanted to bring a whole new set of characters to life. In my art, everything begins with characters, so this was the perfect opportunity to explore and learn more about nature while creating new characters to join the Mini Gabi World crew.
I had the idea of designing characters that were half-girl, half-insect to celebrate the small creatures of our ecosystems that are often overlooked or seen as a nuisance. And so, the Insect Girls were born!
This post takes you behind the scenes, from the first sketches and illustrations to animating them and lighting up Chatham House with their story as an immersive experience.
The film, titled Mini Gabi World at Chatham House, is a new episode in the Mini Gabi World series, where the characters go on a trip to Chatham and meet the magical Insect Girls in a multimedia wonderland.
Inspiration and Concept Development
Chatham House, a historic Georgian mansion at the corner of Hulkes Lane and Chatham High Street, sits near the River Medway, surrounded by a delightful blend of nature and urban charm. The mix of historical elegance and natural beauty felt like the perfect setting for a story about hidden magic in nature. I wanted to create characters that were super cute, powerful, and able to share their stories to inspire people to learn more about nature.
Meet the Insect Girls:
From left to right:
Bamba the Bumble Bee – Buzzes with energy, loves to dance, and keeps everything vibrant by pollinating flowers to make the garden bloom.
Cricketa the Cricket – Fills the garden with calm and charm, her rhythm bringing a peaceful tone.
Dotty the Ladybird – The garden’s gentle protector, keeping pests in check to maintain perfect harmony.
Arana the Spider – (Not technically an insect, but absolutely part of the group!) Weaves her webs around the garden, keeping it safe and secluded.
Ruby the Red Dragonfly – The watchful water guardian, always attuned to the garden’s delicate ecosystem.
Together, these sweet characters have created a world of hidden beauty and protection within Chatham House—a sanctuary to protect nature’s delicate balance.
Film and Animation Process
Visual Story Concept
Creating an animation for a projection-mapped mural show begins with photographing the building where the film will be projected. This helps me plan how the animation will interact with the architecture.
Because of safety, the projection had to be done from the side of the building. Capturing accurate photos was a challenge due to another building behind Chatham House, making it difficult to take a straight-on shot. To ensure the correct perspective, I took angled shots and adjusted them in Photoshop to align with the building’s structure.
Since the building’s windows were filled in, I thought it would be fun to have characters appear in the windows, transforming them into interactive storytelling elements.
To achieve this, I created and tested various mock-ups with the characters on the building's background. Beyond storytelling, it was essential that each frame and visual stood as a street art piece in its own right.
My goal was to tell the story in a music video format, playing in a loop during the event, allowing the audience to experience the story as a visually musical journey.
Mini Gabi World At Chatham House Story
The story begins with Mini Gabi and her friends setting off on their new adventure to Chatham House. Upon arrival, Mini Gabi is frustrated, unable to find the plants she was looking for, and surrounded by a swarm of buzzing insects.
Suddenly, a hidden garden door opens, introducing her to Bamba and the other Insect Girls. Mini Gabi is amazed by the beautiful secret garden and begins to see nature from a new perspective.
In the end, rather than taking plants back to Mini Gabi World, the characters decide to embrace nature’s beauty as it is. Instead, they return home inspired to incorporate floral-patterned Art Deco wallpaper as a tribute to the lush environment they discovered.
Animation and Tools
For the animation style, I wanted a blend that reflects both urban and natural elements, so I combined different approaches. Starting with images and animations from Welcome to Mini Gabi World, I adjusted and remixed them to fit the Chatham House building.
I also created and drew new images specifically for the Chatham House background. I mostly work in my studio, but sometimes I like to escape to a coffee shop to find fresh inspiration for my designs.
Mini Gabi World Character Design: Each character was hand-drawn, colored in Procreate and Photoshop, and then animated in After Effects.
Insect Girls: The Insect Girls were created using a mix of hand-drawn illustrations and digital animation, blending Procreate Dreams, After Effects, and Runway.
Background Patterns: I used a collage style, layering various textures and patterns, finalized in Photoshop, Procreate Dreams, and After Effects.
Projection Mapping Process
Once the animation and mock-ups were ready, I rendered the film with a transparent background (without the building image) for the animation on the building.
The projection mapping team and I went onsite for testing. Although the animation was designed with the building’s image in mind, we needed further adjustments, as real-life dimensions can vary.
The projection was mapped using a program called Resolume by the great projection mapping technicians Sophie Bramley & Josh Garner. After testing, I had to go back to After Effects and adjust elements around the unfilled glass windows, as these don’t hold the projection. To work around this, I integrated the window spaces around the character designs, or using them as parts of their eyes, facial details, or special effects.
Projecting the Final Mural at Chatham House
Seeing the final animated mural projected onto Chatham House was incredibly fulfilling. The building’s beautiful architecture added depth and history to the project, creating an unexpected blend of old and new, traditional and digital. With a background in audiovisual arts and street art, this animated mural reflects my style and captures what I find most rewarding to work with.
The projection transformed the space, turning Chatham House into a mix of historical charm and fantasy wonderland with an urban graffiti flair. It was wonderful to see not only festival-goers but also passersby stopping to watch the mural—it truly changed the urban landscape, adding beauty and vibrancy that could be seen from a distance.
I hope this piece inspires viewers to appreciate the beauty of insects and to understand the irreplaceable role they play in maintaining the balance of nature.
Watch a clip from the show:
Final Thoughts
This project allowed me to blend character creation, animation, and environmental storytelling in a way that feels true to my style and the spirit of Mini Gabi World. Every stage—from initial concept sketches to the final projection—was an opportunity to explore how art can tell stories and inspire in new ways. I’m grateful for the chance to bring this work to life and to Electric Medway for organizing such a fantastic festival.
Lets connect!
If you’re a fellow creator, festival organizer, or brand interested in the world of storytelling through projection and animation, I’d be thrilled to connect.
Let’s explore how we can create something memorable together—art that captivates and brings ideas to life. See more info about working with me here.
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I’m Gabi Almeida, creator of Mini Gabi World—a multimedia wonderland of quirky characters brought to life through animation, murals, street art, and music!
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Thank you so much for reading!
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