2D Animation Lead & Visual Development Artist for Children’s Animated Pilot

I’m developing the first animated pilot for Puff Port, a new children’s brand initially launching with a bicycle helmet designed to accommodate puffs, braids, ponytails, and other hairstyles that traditional helmets often do not accommodate well. Puff Port was inspired by my own experience trying to find properly fitting bicycle helmets for my daughters when they wore their hair in puffs. While the helmet is our first product, the larger vision is to build Puff Port into a culturally meaningful brand centered on Black girls and their families — through products, stories, characters, and eventually a larger entertainment and media world. We are developing a short 2D animated pilot, approximately 3–5 minutes, centered on a young Black girl, her family, natural hair, confidence, humor, and childhood experiences. The first story will focus heavily on the challenge of wearing a traditional bicycle helmet with puffs and the frustration of feeling like she has to change her hair in order to participate. However, we do not want this to feel like a traditional product commercial. The goal is to create a funny, emotionally engaging, culturally authentic animated story with characters that audiences could potentially follow well beyond the first piece of content. ⸻ Who I’m looking for I am looking for a 2D Animation Lead / Visual Development Artist who can do more than simply animate pre-existing artwork. I want someone with strong creative instincts who can help establish the visual identity of the Puff Port world. This includes helping us determine: * What the lead girl looks like * Her facial features, expressions, hairstyle, clothing, proportions, and personality * What her parents, siblings, friends, and other recurring characters look like * How natural Black hair — particularly puffs, braids, and textured hairstyles — is represented * What her bedroom, home, neighborhood, school, and other environments look like * The overall visual style of the series * Color palette and design language * How expressive and comedic the character animation should be * How the Puff Port helmet fits naturally into the animated world I am not looking for a generic corporate explainer-video animator or primarily a motion-graphics designer. This project requires character acting, facial expressions, storytelling, comedy, and personality. ⸻ What the role may ultimately include The ideal person can lead most or all of the following: * Visual development * Art direction * Character design * Character turnarounds/model sheets * Facial-expression sheets * Wardrobe and hairstyle development * Background/environment design * Storyboarding * Animatic creation * 2D character animation * Lip synchronization to recorded dialogue * Compositing * Editing * Titles and end cards * Integration of sound effects/music, if this is part of your skill set * Final exports for multiple platforms You do not necessarily need to personally perform every part of production. If you are strongest in visual development and animation but typically collaborate with a sound designer, editor, background artist, etc., please explain your normal process. ⸻ Where we are in the process The product itself is currently being engineered and prototyped. I am also working with several professional screenwriters on the creative direction for the animated property. One writer will ultimately be selected to develop the series foundation and write the first pilot. Therefore, I am beginning the animation search before the final screenplay is complete because I want the animation lead involved early enough to help establish the visual world rather than receiving a completely predetermined project at the end. The selected animation lead will eventually receive: * Final screenplay * Puff Port brand materials * Logo * Product renderings and helmet designs * Character/story background * Recorded voice performances * Creative direction from the founder and screenwriter ⸻ First animated project The initial piece is expected to be approximately 3–5 minutes. It needs to work as a complete animated story, but we are also intentionally designing it so the finished production can generate multiple marketing assets, potentially including: * Full 3–5 minute pilot * 90-second version * 60-second version * 30-second advertisements * 15-second advertisements * 5–10 second hooks * Vertical social-media versions * Kickstarter content * Website and brand content We therefore need someone who understands both animated storytelling and short-form digital content. ⸻ Visual direction The animation should feel: * Warm * Funny * Expressive * Contemporary * Family-oriented * Visually distinctive * Culturally authentic * Appealing to children roughly ages 5–10 while also engaging their parents Black characters should feel thoughtfully and authentically designed. Representation of different skin tones, facial features, natural hair textures, puffs, braids, and other hairstyles is particularly important to this project. The larger story world is influenced by the cultural specificity, humor, family relationships, and emotional honesty found in shows such as The Proud Family and Everybody Hates Chris, but we are not looking to copy the style or characters of any existing property. Puff Port needs its own original identity. ⸻ What I would like to see in your proposal Please include: 1. Your strongest examples of 2D character animation 2. Examples of original character design or visual development 3. Examples involving children, families, comedy, or narrative storytelling 4. Any work featuring Black characters and/or textured natural hair, if available 5. Examples of background/environment design 6. The software you typically use 7. Which parts of the production process you personally handle 8. Which parts, if any, you normally outsource or collaborate on 9. Your typical process from screenplay → storyboard → animatic → finished animation 10. Your approximate timeline for a polished 3–5 minute animated short 11. Your estimated pricing for: * Visual development/character design phase * Full 3–5 minute animation production Most importantly, I would like to understand your creative point of view. I am not just looking for someone who can execute instructions. I want someone who can help create a visual identity and characters that could potentially grow with Puff Port for years.