u/IPhrenesis

 Looking for Background Artist!

NOT CHARACTER ART!

I’m looking for a background artist to collaborate on the visual development of my project Occultus.

Backgrounds and environments only.

I am not looking for character design (I will handle that myself)

 Scope of work

Initial visual exploration (thumbnails / simple proposals)

Development and rendering of approx. 6 final styleframes. I will do the character, I will do the integration, I'm just looking for the background, not necessarily super polished.

 Workflow

2–3 quick explorations per scene (sketches / semi-layouts)

Maximum 1 revision before final render, so no, I won't be asking for much changes.

Timeline

 Final project deadline: May 27.

This is not a single final delivery date, but the point where the project is expected to be completed.

Work will be done in stages with constant progress updates.

The exact workflow and timing can be adjusted once I select the artist(s).

I’m not locked into a rigid structure, since I understand that a bit over a month and a half is a tight timeframe for multiple rendered backgrounds.

I’m also looking for someone with real availability starting now.

Budget

$215 USD (as of today's fluctuation in mexican peso, but can be more).

To be considered, please include in your comment:

Your portfolio

Confirmation that you accept the full project budget ($215 USD total) ($3700 MXN).

Your availability

Comments that do not confirm the budget will be ignored.

I’m looking for package pricing, not per-piece rates.

Please provide a clear estimate that includes:

• explorations.
• final rendered backgrounds.

The main focus is on the final renders, so explorations do not need to be highly polished—simple sketches that communicate the idea, composition, and layout (based on references, and allowing space for character integration) are enough.

*I am from México, so I will be looking for prices according to my currency.
Due to currency fluctuations, I will be prioritizing payment in MXN (Mexican pesos) or a fixed total project rate agreed in advance.

Open to discussing the best option depending on location, but I’m looking for price stability across the full project (no variable rates per delivery).

 Style / What I’m looking for

For now, I’m looking for a portfolio focused on backgrounds or environments only, preferably something that can align with my drawing style (I’ll include references below).

• Not cartoon.
• Not hyperrealistic.
• Preferably stylized.

I will also include some examples, but note that the project includes 3 DISTINCT environments, not just urban settings:

• Urban: neon, cyberpunk, Latin American influence
• Celestial: liminal, surreal, semi-corporate in some areas, utopian
• Infernal: decayed, dark, forbidden, gothic

Here’s a quick presentation with examples:

ESP https://canva.link/occulti

ENG https://canva.link/occultieng

I would also like to know your approximate weekly availability, to better understand the workflow.

Details

Since I know about the time and budget, I am not looking for some extra time consuming and hyperpolished. I am actually looking for something more experimental. Hard shadows, concept art-like strokes where maybe some spots are left undefined.

I have these examples: the first one is from a game, but that's the most close example I found. As you can see, the background is quite polished but not that much: some are just almost flat surfaces. As for the next two drawings (the angel) those are my own style, the characters I'd implement in the backgrounds would have that style, so that's why I said I wasn't looking for anything hyper polished.

My art (I redrew a frame). Probably final look I'm trying to achieve since it's a style frame.

My art.

NOT my art. Example (minus characters, the background seems quite ''flat'' and has hard shadows as well as high contrast).

 Important

Once the work begins, I cannot accommodate dropouts or leaving the project unfinished.

I will also not accept ghosting, long silences, or lack of communication.

This is a very important project for me. I already had a pipeline in place, but due to external factors, I now need to move faster than expected.

- Constant communication is required.

- There is a Discord server where updates and progress will be shared.

 If you’re interested, please comment!

Have a great day, and thank you for reading!