Co-Illustrator for Christian Children's Book: Strict Style-Matching & Ability to Paint Fire Required

• *About the Project:

Hello, I am the Art Director at a publishing company, and I need some assistance with a fully illustrated children's book for our client. I have already completed 2 out of 3 in the series, but I will need some extra hands to complete the final book.

• *The Role & Workflow:

What I need from you is the final artwork after I complete all the revised sketches for character design/storyboarding/layout. Overall, what I need is for you to paint and render over the exact sketches I provide, so the weight of composing shouldn't be on your shoulders.

• *Style & Technical Requirements:
• Volume: It will be about 10-12 full-spread illustrations (including Cover).
• Art Style: "2D rendered painterly" style.
• Key Skills: Must be able to replicate established character style, volume, texture, and overall aesthetic from the series. Most importantly, able to paint fire - for the main character of all the series is the "embodiment of fire", to put it simply.
• Software Flexibility: I do most of my work on Adobe Photoshop and Procreate, but you are free to work in any software program you are comfortable with - As long as the final files are delivered as fully layered, organized PSD files (in case I need to edit any small details).
• Client Standards: The client is very meticulous about the art matching the style from the first series (before I came along), so we will need flexibility and professionalism to follow any directions given by me and/or the client.
• Formatting: Will need to be formatted for print afterwards (I can assist in that area if needed) to both IngramSpark and Printopya.
• Strict Human-Art Requirement: NO AI-GENERATED WORK IS ACCEPTED. All painting and rendering must be done by hand. Finding AI elements in your files will result in immediate contract termination and a formal refund dispute filed with Upwork.
• *Timeline & Payment Structure:
• Timeline: Our primary production target is 3 months from the day my revised sketches are delivered. However, we are allocating up to a 4-5 month window to safely accommodate the client's meticulous feedback and review process.
• Project Budget: Payment for the full book project will be split into two milestones: a 30% advance deposit funded at the start of the book, and the remaining 70% released upon final completion.
• Paid Selection Process: We will begin with a short, paid test run (rendering an existing sketch) to ensure a perfect style match. This will be paid via a small, dedicated $20 milestone. If you are selected for the full project, this $20 functions as an advance and will be deducted from the final milestone payout of the total budget.

If all goes well, an opening to be one of my Art Director assistants, part-time, could be available!

• Serious Inquiries Only*

Thank you :-)