Color: The color palettes are limited, primarily utilizing soft pastel or muted hues such as purples, pinks, blues, and light greens. These are often contrasted with solid black outlines. Colors are applied in flat, defined areas, contributing to the graphic and simplified look. The restrained and gentle color use enhances the overall cute and approachable feel.
Lighting: Lighting is not a distinct element; forms are defined entirely by the clean outlines and flat color application. There are no shadows or highlights in a traditional sense, reinforcing the highly stylized and illustrative nature of the artwork. The visual focus is purely on the shapes and colors of the characters themselves.
Design Technique: The styles emphasize thick, visible outlines, simplified and often rounded shapes, and exaggerated, expressive facial features (large eyes, simple mouths) that convey emotion effectively with minimal detail. Compositions are typically focused on character portraits, often cropped closely to highlight expressions. Subjects are rendered in a childlike or naive manner, enhancing their charm and relatability. The styles convey a sense of playful energy, stylized cuteness, and a distinctly hand-drawn, perhaps slightly imperfect, illustrative charm.