The Luminauts

Companions born from human emotions, guiding children and adults through feelings with light.

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Umbra
Umbra
Eclipse
Eclipse
Flux
Flux
Nova
Nova

Introduction

The Luminauts are small cosmic travellers born from human emotions. They wander the universe, each carrying a glowing lantern that holds the essence of a single feeling joy, sadness, curiosity, courage, anger, calm, hope, warmth, or loneliness. A 10th, hidden Luminaut, represents the secret struggles we keep inside.

Every Luminaut exists to remind us that no one should face their emotions alone. When someone is struggling, a Luminanut appears quietly beside them not to take the feeling away, but to guide them through it. When the emotion has been faced and understood, the Luminaut moves on, carrying that light into the stars.

The Luminauts were created from a deeply personal place. As a mother of two neurodiverse children, and being neurodiverse myself, I have seen how overwhelming emotions can feel. Understanding, regulating, and sharing those emotions can be difficult, and it often feels isolating. The Luminauts were born to give those feelings a form so that children and adults alike can see them, name them, and know they are not alone.

This is Series One, introducing nine Luminauts and one secret. Each has a distinct personality, design, and story to embody its emotion. Beyond figures, I plan to expand the Luminauts into storybooks, guided activities, and interactive products including lanterns that could physically light up, bringing the magic to life.

The Luminauts are more than collectibles. They are companions, guides, and a light in the dark for anyone who needs help finding their way through feelings.

Introduction to myself

I’m Caprice Whitehead, the creator of The Luminauts and founder of Bondedfx (BFX), a creative studio that specializes in prosthetics, props, models, and sculptures for film and television. With a master’s degree in Prosthetics and years of experience in bringing ideas into reality, my passion has always been to transform imagination into something you can touch and feel.

At Bondedfx, I’ve always combined craft and storytelling for film and TV. With The Luminauts, I’ve taken that same creativity and applied it to something even closer to my heart creating companions of light and emotion for people everywhere.

The Luminauts are something much more personal. Inspired by my two amazing neurodiverse children, they were created to help make sense of emotions the big, overwhelming, confusing ones that can feel too heavy to carry alone. Each Luminaut represents a different feeling and carries a lantern to guide you through it.

For me, this project has been a family journey of imagination, creativity, and hope. And just like in my studio work, I’ve poured my heart into turning ideas into something real so The Luminauts can shine their light for anyone who needs them.

Characters

Character Lore Sections

Each Luminaut has two parts to their lore:

One version is written for children (Child’s Guiding Light), to help them understand and regulate emotions. This will eventually feed into a Storybook/ Guide format.

The other version is darker, aimed more at adults (Adults Shadow), and represents the deeper inspiration behind the characters.

Umbra - The Misfit

Umbra
  • Core Emotion: Isolation
  • Secondary Layers: Secrecy, Misunderstood, Hidden Strength, Outcast
  • Breakdown: Umbra represents the feeling of being alone or different, but instead of it being something “bad”, he turns it into a gift: he keeps secrets safe and protects others from getting hurt

Child’s Guiding Light

Sometimes, you might feel like no one understands you. Like you’re standing in the shadows while everyone else is in the light. That heavy, quiet feeling is called loneliness. Umbra knows this feeling well; he doesn’t fit in anywhere. His lantern glows green with spirits that keep him company on the lonely nights and the whispers of secrets he keeps safe. He listens to the shadows, so no one feels alone with their thoughts. Umbra reminds you: even when you feel left out, you are never truly invisible and even in the dark a misfit can shine. Try This: When loneliness feels too big, place your hand on your heart and take three slow breaths. Imagine Umbra’s lantern glowing softly inside you, keeping your feelings safe until you’re ready to share them. Then, try telling one trusted person how you feel just like giving Umbra a secret to hold.

Adult's Shadow

Umbra was born from the loneliest corners of the human heart. He drifts through the silence where laughter does not reach, his cloak woven from shadows themselves. To those who feel unseen or misunderstood, Umbra is there not in the open, but just beyond the edge of light. His lantern burns with a faint, eerie green glow, faces whispering inside its glass. These are not spirits but secrets confessions too heavy to share, regrets too sharp to speak aloud. Umbra gathers them, holds them, and keeps them safe so they cannot wound the world further. Though many avoid him, sensing the unease that follows, Umbra does not resent them. He knows what it means to be cast aside, to wander in the dark with no hand to hold. And so, he offers his own quiet companionship. When isolation takes root in your chest and the world feels too far away, Umbra’s shadows wrap around you. He does not banish loneliness he understands it. He does not silence the voices he contains them. And in that stillness, you learn you are not truly alone. Because Umbra has always been there, watching, waiting, carrying your shadows so you do not have to.

Sometimes, you might feel like no one understands you. Like you’re standing in the shadows while everyone else is in the light. That heavy, quiet feeling is called loneliness. Umbra knows this feeling well; he doesn’t fit in anywhere. His lantern glows green with spirits that keep him company on the lonely nights and the whispers of secrets he keeps safe. He listens to the shadows, so no one feels alone with their thoughts. Umbra reminds you: even when you feel left out, you are never truly invisible and even in the dark a misfit can shine.
Try This: When loneliness feels too big, place your hand on your heart and take three slow breaths. Imagine Umbra’s lantern glowing softly inside you, keeping your feelings safe until you’re ready to share them. Then, try telling one trusted person how you feel just like giving Umbra a secret to hold.

Umbra was born from the loneliest corners of the human heart. He drifts through the silence where laughter does not reach, his cloak woven from shadows themselves. To those who feel unseen or misunderstood, Umbra is there not in the open, but just beyond the edge of light. His lantern burns with a faint, eerie green glow, faces whispering inside its glass. These are not spirits but secrets confessions too heavy to share, regrets too sharp to speak aloud. Umbra gathers them, holds them, and keeps them safe so they cannot wound the world further. Though many avoid him, sensing the unease that follows, Umbra does not resent them. He knows what it means to be cast aside, to wander in the dark with no hand to hold. And so, he offers his own quiet companionship. When isolation takes root in your chest and the world feels too far away, Umbra’s shadows wrap around you. He does not banish loneliness he understands it. He does not silence the voices he contains them. And in that stillness, you learn you are not truly alone. Because Umbra has always been there, watching, waiting, carrying your shadows so you do not have to.

Eclipse (The Secret) - Overwhelming

Eclipse
  • Core Emotion: Overwhelmed
  • Secondary Layers: Conflict, Duality, Transformation
  • Breakdown: Eclipse embodies the feeling of being torn between too many emotions. He shows that even when we feel cracked or broken, golden light can shine through

Child’s Guiding Light

Sometimes, feelings can all come at once like too many colours mixing together until you can’t tell them apart. That’s what it means to feel overwhelmed. Eclipse carries a lantern that shines with all emotions at the same time, making it hard for him to walk straight. When you feel like Eclipse, your body might get tight, your chest might feel heavy, or you just want to shout “stop!” Eclipse shows that it’s okay to pause. Try this: close your eyes, take three slow breaths, and imagine putting one feeling at a time into his lantern until it feels lighter. With Eclipse by your side, you’re never too much you’re just learning how to rest.

Adults Shadow

Eclipse is not one feeling but all of them, crashing together in a storm that never quiets. Their cloak is split in two, one side glowing with impossible brightness, the other drowning in shadows neither at peace, both fighting for space. To look at Eclipse is to see what it feels like when you are filled past the brim: joy, sorrow, anger, fear, love, despair all bursting at once, until you cannot hold it anymore. They carry cracks across their body like broken glass, but instead of bleeding, golden light spills through. Eclipse does not hide the truth: to feel everything at once is terrifying, it is heavy, it makes you want to stop and let the world fade away. But Eclipse stays with you in those moments, keeping the pieces of you from shattering completely. Their lantern burns like a warning flare bright, desperate, but alive. They remind you that even in breaking, there is beauty; even in being “too much,” you are still whole.

Sometimes, feelings can all come at once like too many colours mixing together until you can’t tell them apart. That’s what it means to feel overwhelmed. Eclipse carries a lantern that shines with all emotions at the same time, making it hard for him to walk straight. When you feel like Eclipse, your body might get tight, your chest might feel heavy, or you just want to shout “stop!” Eclipse shows that it’s okay to pause.
Try this: close your eyes, take three slow breaths, and imagine putting one feeling at a time into his lantern until it feels lighter. With Eclipse by your side, you’re never too much you’re just learning how to rest.

Eclipse is not one feeling but all of them, crashing together in a storm that never quiets. Their cloak is split in two, one side glowing with impossible brightness, the other drowning in shadows neither at peace, both fighting for space. To look at Eclipse is to see what it feels like when you are filled past the brim: joy, sorrow, anger, fear, love, despair all bursting at once, until you cannot hold it anymore. They carry cracks across their body like broken glass, but instead of bleeding, golden light spills through. Eclipse does not hide the truth: to feel everything at once is terrifying, it is heavy, it makes you want to stop and let the world fade away. But Eclipse stays with you in those moments, keeping the pieces of you from shattering completely. Their lantern burns like a warning flare bright, desperate, but alive. They remind you that even in breaking, there is beauty; even in being “too much,” you are still whole.

Flux - TheTrixster

Flux
  • Core Emotion: Mischief
  • Secondary Layers: Energy, Chaos, Playful, Creativity
  • Breakdown: Flux represents playful mischief and reminds us that laughter and mistakes are part of learning. His tricks light the way to unexpected discoveries

Child’s Guiding Light

Flux bounces with restless energy, his lantern flickering in wild, playful sparks. He loves pranks and giggles, darting around like lightning in the dark. But Flux isn’t just about mischief he’s here to remind you that buzzing energy is not “bad,” it just needs a place to go. When your body feels too jumpy, when your thoughts race too fast, Flux shows you how to move it in to play. He jumps, he spins, he shakes his lantern until the sparks become laughter. Try This: When you feel full of energy, shake out your arms and legs, jump three times, or spin in a circle. Imagine Flux beside you, laughing, his lantern glowing brighter with each move. He shows you that every spark inside you can become light instead of chaos.

Adult's Shadow

Flux was born from chaos a spark too wild to sit still. His lantern doesn’t glow steady like the others, but crackles, sparking with mischief and restless fire. He is the trickster, the one who never fits in, who people call “too much,” “too loud,” or “too wild.” But Flux doesn’t stop. He keeps laughing, because he knows the truth: mischief is only unspent energy, looking for a path. In the dark, Flux dances where others would fall apart. He finds broken hearts and restless minds and teaches them how to keep moving so they don’t burn themselves down. He’ll trip you, tease you, frustrate you but it’s only because he wants you to release the weight inside. Without him, the sparks turn into storms. With him, they become fireflies, lighting the way through restless nights. Flux reminds you that even chaos can be beautiful if you let it burn the right way.

Flux bounces with restless energy, his lantern flickering in wild, playful sparks. He loves pranks and giggles, darting around like lightning in the dark. But Flux isn’t just about mischief he’s here to remind you that buzzing energy is not “bad,” it just needs a place to go. When your body feels too jumpy, when your thoughts race too fast, Flux shows you how to move it in to play. He jumps, he spins, he shakes his lantern until the sparks become laughter.
Try This: When you feel full of energy, shake out your arms and legs, jump three times, or spin in a circle. Imagine Flux beside you, laughing, his lantern glowing brighter with each move. He shows you that every spark inside you can become light instead of chaos.

Flux was born from chaos a spark too wild to sit still. His lantern doesn’t glow steady like the others, but crackles, sparking with mischief and restless fire. He is the trickster, the one who never fits in, who people call “too much,” “too loud,” or “too wild.” But Flux doesn’t stop. He keeps laughing, because he knows the truth: mischief is only unspent energy, looking for a path.
In the dark, Flux dances where others would fall apart. He finds broken hearts and restless minds and teaches them how to keep moving so they don’t burn themselves down. He’ll trip you, tease you, frustrate you but it’s only because he wants you to release the weight inside. Without him, the sparks turn into storms. With him, they become fireflies, lighting the way through restless nights. Flux reminds you that even chaos can be beautiful if you let it burn the right way.

Nova - The Dreamer

Nova
  • Core Emotion: Hopes and Wishes
  • Secondary Layers: Imagination, Aspiration
  • Breakdown: Nova embodies the feeling of hope and dreaming for something better. She reminds us that even in darkness, our wishes shine like stars.

Child’s Guiding Light

Nova is the Luminaut of hopes and wishes. When you feel that warm flutter inside your chest, like you’re waiting for something wonderful, that’s Nova walking beside you. Her lantern glows with tiny stars, each one holding someone’s wish, a birthday dream, a hope for a friend, or even a quiet wish to feel brave tomorrow. Sometimes, when you hope very hard, it can feel heavy, especially if your wish doesn’t come true right away. That’s when Nova reminds you that even the smallest sparkle can light up the darkest night, and hope is a light you carry inside yourself. Try This: If your heart feels too busy with wishes at bedtime and your thoughts won’t stop spinning, you can take a pen and paper and write them down. Close your eyes and imagine Nova catching each one and tucking it safely into her lantern. While you rest, she keeps your wishes glowing bright, waiting for you in the morning. With Nova, you never have to hope alone your dreams are always safe, and the light inside you will always guide you forward.

Adult's Shadow

Nova is fragile hope in a dark world. She gathers the whispered wishes of others, tucking them into her lantern until it glows with unbearable weight. Some are gentle, like a child wishing for a sunny morning. Others are desperate, jagged prayers whispered through tears in the night “Please don’t leave me,” “Please let tomorrow hurt less.“ But hope is not always soft. Sometimes it mutates, stretching into nightmares when those wishes would go unanswered. Nova knows this pain too well; she has watched dreams crumble into shadows. Her pastel glow hides the cracks beneath a smile that persists even when she is exhausted from carrying what no one else can bear. Still, Nova refuses to let go. She reminds us that even the smallest light, even the most fragile dream, can keep someone alive one more night. In the silence where despair grows, she whispers: “Wish again. I’ll keep it safe until you can.”

Nova is the Luminaut of hopes and wishes. When you feel that warm flutter inside your chest, like you’re waiting for something wonderful, that’s Nova walking beside you. Her lantern glows with tiny stars, each one holding someone’s wish, a birthday dream, a hope for a friend, or even a quiet wish to feel brave tomorrow. Sometimes, when you hope very hard, it can feel heavy, especially if your wish doesn’t come true right away. That’s when Nova reminds you that even the smallest sparkle can light up the darkest night, and hope is a light you carry inside yourself.
Try This:
If your heart feels too busy with wishes at bedtime and your thoughts won’t stop spinning, you can take a pen and paper and write them down. Close your eyes and imagine Nova catching each one and tucking it safely into her lantern. While you rest, she keeps your wishes glowing bright, waiting for you in the morning. With Nova, you never have to hope alone your dreams are always safe, and the light inside you will always guide you forward.

Nova is fragile hope in a dark world. She gathers the whispered wishes of others, tucking them into her lantern until it glows with unbearable weight. Some are gentle, like a child wishing for a sunny morning. Others are desperate, jagged prayers whispered through tears in the night “Please don’t leave me,” “Please let tomorrow hurt less.“ But hope is not always soft. Sometimes it mutates, stretching into nightmares when those wishes would go unanswered. Nova knows this pain too well; she has watched dreams crumble into shadows. Her pastel glow hides the cracks beneath a smile that persists even when she is exhausted from carrying what no one else can bear. Still, Nova refuses to let go. She reminds us that even the smallest light, even the most fragile dream, can keep someone alive one more night. In the silence where despair grows, she whispers: “Wish again. I’ll keep it safe until you can.”

The Future of The Luminauts

Even though it is still early days for The Luminauts, a lot of thought has gone into the progression. Hopefully, one day you will see:

  • Children’s Books – emotional regulation stories to guide feelings.
  • Teen & Adult Novels – deeper, darker emotional journeys.
  • Vinyl Figures & Blind Boxes – collectible companions.
  • Digital & AR Apps – interactive tools for emotions on the move.
  • Interactive Figures – lanterns and responses that connect.
  • Seasonal Series Drops – Valentine’s (love/envy), Summer (freedom/joy), Halloween (fear/shadow), Christmas (comfort/togetherness).
  • Books & Stories
  • Storybooks and graphic tales that guide children and adults through feelings with magical adventures. This aims to help understanding and regulation.
  • Plush/Vinyl Collectibles
    Soft plush companions and vinyl figures, including blind box mystery series.
  • Digital & AR Experiences
    Mobile and AR experiences with glowing lanterns, seasonal events, emotional guides and playful discovery.
  • Future Series (with a seasonal roadmap)
  • Blind Boxes – random collectible character figurines & trading cards.

Mailing list coming soon.

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