Illustrator Needed for Original Commercial T-Shirt Artwork

Project Overview I am looking for a talented illustrator/graphic artist with strong vector and apparel-production experience to create original artwork for a new apparel business. I have several AI-generated concept mock-ups that will be provided to the selected contractor after hiring. These mock-ups are intended to communicate the general creative direction, composition, and visual style I am looking for. The mock-ups are reference material only. I am specifically hiring an artist to take the concepts and create new, original artwork from scratch using their own artistic skills and creative judgment. This is not a project to simply reproduce, trace, vectorize, upscale, or modify the provided AI images. Critical Requirement: Original Human-Created Artwork This requirement is extremely important to me. The final artwork needs to be created by the human artist, rather than generated by an AI system based on the provided references. I am specifically looking for: Original human-created illustration Original line work Original shapes and graphic elements Original composition and artistic interpretation Human-created typography/lettering where appropriate Human-created textures and visual details Please do not use image-to-image AI, generative AI, tracing, automatic vectorization, or similar techniques to simply recreate the reference artwork. The reference images are being provided to communicate an idea—not as artwork to be copied. If you normally use AI tools in your workflow, please disclose that in your proposal. For this project, I need the final creative artwork to be independently created by the human artist. Critical Requirement: Production-Ready Vector Artwork This is not simply an illustration project. The final artwork will be sent directly to an apparel manufacturer for printing, so the selected artist must have experience taking an illustration or hand-drawn concept and turning it into a professional, production-ready vector graphic. The final master artwork should be: Vector-based Layered and fully editable Professionally organized Suitable for apparel printing Scalable without loss of quality Prepared with appropriate separations/layers for the intended printing process Free of unnecessary rasterized elements Created so that individual graphic elements can be edited or modified later I need the actual editable vector source file, not simply a high-resolution PNG exported from a raster image. The artist should be comfortable working in software such as Adobe Illustrator or an equivalent professional vector-illustration application. Experience preparing artwork for screen printing, DTG, DTF, sublimation, or other professional apparel-printing processes is highly desirable. Please include examples in your portfolio that demonstrate your ability to take an illustration or drawing and turn it into a polished, production-ready vector graphic. Apparel Experience The artwork will be used primarily for T-shirts and other apparel, so experience designing for apparel is highly desirable. The artist should understand how artwork needs to work when printed on clothing, including: Strong composition Appropriate detail at apparel-print sizes Effective use of negative space Print-friendly artwork Strong visual impact from a reasonable distance Transparent backgrounds where appropriate Color and layer management Print-production considerations Ability to adapt artwork for different garment applications Experience with sports apparel, outdoor apparel, cycling, mountain biking, or racing jerseys is a strong plus. Final Deliverables The primary deliverable will be a fully editable, layered vector master file suitable for professional apparel production. I will need: Editable vector source file Properly organized layers Original vector artwork High-resolution transparent PNG export Print-ready artwork Appropriate color specifications Individual graphic elements kept editable where practical Versions/adaptations for different apparel placements as required The final vector file should be organized professionally enough that another designer or apparel manufacturer can open the file and understand how the artwork is constructed. Please do not flatten the artwork into a single image. I want the underlying vector artwork and layers preserved. Copyright and Ownership The artwork will be used commercially as part of a new apparel business. I must receive full commercial rights and ownership of the commissioned final artwork, including the copyright, subject to the terms of the final Upwork agreement. The artist must be able to confirm that the final artwork is original and created by the artist. Please disclose any: AI-generated elements Stock artwork Pre-existing artwork Third-party illustrations Purchased graphics Fonts with licensing restrictions Other third-party assets used in the work. I need a clear chain of ownership for the finished artwork because I intend to use the designs commercially and potentially pursue copyright registration. What I'm Looking For I'm looking for someone who can bridge the gap between illustration and professional graphic production. The ideal artist can look at a rough concept or hand-drawn reference and say: "I understand the artistic idea. Now I'll create my own original illustration and build it into a professional vector artwork file that is ready to manufacture." I'm particularly interested in someone with demonstrated experience in: Hand-drawn illustration Vector illustration Apparel graphics T-shirt design Production artwork Screen-print preparation Sports/outdoor graphics Typography Converting sketches or drawings into finished vector artwork Please Include in Your Proposal Please provide: 3–5 examples of your original illustration work Examples of T-shirt or apparel artwork you've created At least one example demonstrating your ability to turn a drawing, sketch, or illustration into finished vector artwork Examples of production-ready apparel files if available A brief description of your typical illustration/vectorization process Confirmation that you can create the final artwork without using generative AI to recreate the supplied reference images Confirmation that you are comfortable transferring the agreed commercial rights and copyright ownership of the commissioned artwork Your estimated timeline Your proposed price Please prioritize portfolio examples that demonstrate actual vector illustration and production-artwork skills. Potential for Ongoing Work This initial project may lead to additional illustration and apparel-design work. I am interested in establishing a consistent visual quality across a collection of products, so a successful contractor may have opportunities for additional designs in the future. Important The detailed concept, reference images, and creative direction will be provided privately to the selected contractor after hiring. The public job posting intentionally does not include the specific brand, product concept, slogan, or artwork details. If you are an experienced illustrator who can create original human artwork and turn it into professional, layered vector artwork ready for apparel production, I'd love to see your portfolio.