Character Illustrator for Original Black Female Soldier Character

I’m looking for an illustrator and character designer to develop an original Black female soldier character for an independent creative brand. Her appearance will be inspired by my own military background and reference photos, with a recognizable resemblance while remaining a distinctive, repeatable character rather than a portrait. The visual style should be sophisticated, semi-realistic, painterly, and editorial; anime, superhero/comic-book, children’s-cartoon, and photorealistic styles are not suitable.

The first stage is a small paid facial character study, with potential follow-up work to create multiple views, expressions, poses, and a character/model sheet. I will provide clear photo references from different angles. The work must be created without generative AI, as this is original commercial intellectual property. Experience illustrating Black women, natural Black hair, character turnarounds, and maintaining character consistency across illustrations is preferred.

Budget range:
Up to $500

About the client
I’m a U.S.-based military professional developing an original character and creative brand inspired in part by my own experience as a Black female soldier. This is an early-stage independent project, and I’m looking for an illustrator who is interested in helping me thoughtfully develop the character from the beginning.