Illustrator to design a warm, hand-drawn dog mascot for an iOS app (character + icon + variations)

Job Details Type: Fixed-price Budget: $500 (open to discussing for the right portfolio) Experience level: Intermediate to Expert Project length: One-time project, about 1 to 3 weeks Overview We're a small iOS app looking for a talented character illustrator to design our brand mascot: a warm, characterful dog. The mascot is the heart of our brand, so we care deeply about getting the character right, and we're looking for someone whose hand and style we genuinely love. This is a hand-drawn character commission for a general-audience app used by grown-ups. We want warmth, personality, and craft: the kind of mascot an adult consumer brand would be proud of. Not a flat corporate logo, not a children's-book character, and not AI-generated art. Who the character is (short version) A calm, gentle, quietly clever dog who always seems to know where everything is. A loyal helper, not a hyper cartoon. Warm and endearing, with a little quiet wisdom. The kind of dog you'd trust to know where your keys are. We'll share a full creative brief with the chosen illustrator (character, personality, palette, and reference notes). At a high level: Breed direction: we're exploring a beagle or a Jack Russell terrier. You can propose which reads best, or explore both at the concept stage. Style and audience: warm, hand-drawn, a little textured and painterly, expressive and full of personality. The register should read grown-up: warm and characterful, but clearly not a children's-book or kids'-cartoon style. Calm and crafted, not childish, not slick-3D, not AI-gradient, not flat corporate vector. The look we lean toward (a starting point, not a spec): a bold, clean outline and simple, expressive linework, so the character reads at a glance and holds up small at app-icon size. Hand-painted warmth and texture. One ownable, warm-toned marking that makes the character recognizably ours. Keep the proportions grown-up: warm and characterful, but not exaggerated or baby-faced. Make it your own original character, and show us your instinct. What we need (deliverables) One canonical "hero" version: the definitive character, fully rendered with warmth and detail (soft fur, expressive face, gentle shading). One simplified "icon" version of the same character: reduced to a bold outline and flatter color so it stays clear and recognizable at small app-icon size. (Same dog, two levels of detail.) 2 to 3 additional poses or expressions of the hero (for example a warm greeting pose, a curious "on the hunt" pose, a calm resting pose; final list in the brief). Layered source files (Procreate / PSD / AI / SVG as appropriate) plus high-res PNG exports with transparent backgrounds. Requirements (please read before applying) Hand-drawn, original work only. No AI-generated base art. You're welcome to use your normal digital tools; we just need the character genuinely drawn by you, so it's protectable and ownable. We'll ask the selected illustrator for the layered source files and the process timelapse to confirm the work is hand-drawn. Full commercial rights and IP transfer to us for the final character (work-for-hire). We'll handle this through the Upwork contract. Your portfolio must show character or mascot illustration with a warm, hand-drawn feel. Please don't apply if your portfolio is mainly flat-vector corporate mascots, esports or gaming-style logos, or AI-generated pieces. It likely isn't the right fit, and we don't want to waste your time. Animal, pet, or creature illustration experience is a big plus. How to apply Please include: A link to your portfolio (especially any character or animal work). One or two lines on how you'd approach a warm, grown-up dog mascot, and whether you'd lean beagle or terrier and why. Your timeline and any questions. Paid test first: for our top 2 to 3 applicants, we'd like to commission one quick rough sketch of the character as a small paid mini-project (fixed fee, we'll agree the amount) before awarding the full commission. This lets us see your take on the character. It's the best way for both of us to know it's a fit. Looking forward to your application.