How to Mix and Match Open Peeps to Create a Character

Updated

Open Peeps is a hand-drawn illustration library by Pablo Stanley that works like a set of building blocks: you combine vector arms, legs, bodies, clothing, hairstyles, glasses, facial expressions, and facial hair to assemble a character, then recolor it. The library is free for commercial and personal use under the CC0 license, and the site states there are over 584,688 possible combinations. To mix a Peep, you need a product design tool that supports nested components — the site names Sketch, Figma, XD, or Studio — and the downloaded library files.

What you need before you start

  • The library files. Download Open Peeps from the site. Ready-to-download Peeps are offered as PNG and SVG, and there is a "Get All Combinations" option for the full set.
  • A component-based design tool. The site specifically lists Sketch, Figma, XD, or Studio, because the mixing method relies on nested components.
  • A decision about format. SVG is the editable vector format you need if you plan to change colors or swap parts. PNG is a flat image and won't let you mix components.

The parts you can mix

Each Peep is assembled from interchangeable elements. According to the site, you can:

  • Choose hair — curly, long, short, or none at all.
  • Add eyewear — clear lenses or sunnies.
  • Set an emotion — pick a facial expression.
  • Select a body — body language matters, so pick the pose.
  • Add facial hair — mustache, beard, or similar.
  • Change the colors — the black-and-white starting point is customizable.

Poses shown on the site include standing and sitting, and the ready-made downloads are grouped into categories such as busts, standing, and sitting.

Step-by-step: mixing a character

  1. Import the library into your design tool. Open the Open Peeps files (use the SVG/vector versions) in Sketch, Figma, XD, or Studio. The library is built as nested components, so the parts stay linked and swappable.
  2. Start with a base body. Pick a bust, standing, or sitting body as your foundation. This sets the overall pose and proportions.
  3. Swap in a hairstyle. Use the component swap to replace the default hair with curly, long, short, or no hair.
  4. Add a facial expression. Replace the face component to set the emotion you want the character to convey.
  5. Add eyewear if needed. Choose clear lenses or sunglasses, or leave the face uncovered.
  6. Add facial hair if needed. Apply a mustache, beard, or other option.
  7. Recolor the parts. Change the colors away from the default black and white to match your brand or scene.
  8. Combine clothing and hairstyles for extra flair. The site notes that layering clothing and hair options is how you add distinctiveness.

Expected result: a single, customized Peep character made of vector parts you can still edit, export, or drop into a larger scene.

Practical notes and common sticking points

  • Use SVG, not PNG, if you want to mix. PNG downloads are finished images; only the vector components can be swapped and recolored.
  • The tool matters. The nested-component workflow depends on a design tool that supports components — that's why Sketch, Figma, XD, and Studio are named rather than general image editors.
  • Color is open-ended. Black and white are described as a starting point, not a limit, so plan your palette before you start swapping.
  • The combination count is large but the method is simple. With over 584,688 possible combinations, you don't need to browse them all — build the one character you need by swapping parts one at a time.

Where Open Peeps characters get used

The library is intended for scenes of people across many contexts: product illustration, marketing imagery, comics, product states, user flows, personas, storyboarding, and invitations — the site even lists quinceañera invitations — "or anything else not on this list." Because it's in the public domain under CC0, you can copy, modify, distribute, remix, and use the work, including commercially, without asking permission.