SBRspiral Character Creation

I am looking for an illustrator to create a cast of about 16 core characters plus 12 zodiac-inspired ones for a humorous endurance sport brand focused on triathlons. The characters need to be hand-drawn in a messy, expressive style—something that feels unpolished and full of personality, capturing the chaotic and emotional reality of triathlon training. Each character should reflect a unique mental spiral or personality type that people experience in endurance sports, from intense data nerds to laid-back rest-day fans and those quirky, gel-fueled thinkers. Alongside the character designs, I would need supporting graphics that include character quotes for use on merchandise, such as stickers, t-shirts, mugs, and water bottles. These should fit with the brand’s scrappy and chaotic style. I am in the early design stages, open to creative direction, but one important detail is that one character should keep a green hoodie and a spiral face. Example images are available for reference.

Budget range:
Very small project ($250 – 750 USD)

Examples:
Early on into the design phase so happy for the design of the character to change. Mrs keep green hoodie and spiral face though

Who are you, and what do you do?
I’m working full-time, studying and training for a triathlon. I want to show the emotional side of triathlons and shine a light on the mental health surrounding endurance sport.

In what capacity are you hiring?
For a personal project

Where are you in the hiring process?
I will possibly make a paid hire

What type of work is this?
Single job with potential follow up work

What experience level is needed?:
Beginner, Junior