Talented AI Illustrator & Character Designer for Children's/YA Book (Freelance)

About the Project: I am seeking a highly skilled and innovative AI illustrator to collaborate on my upcoming book, "Ens men dog så forskellige" (Alike Yet So Different). This ambitious project tells the engaging story of two islands, Coconut Island and Pearl Island, and their inhabitants over a 150-year historical period. The narrative follows a core cast of recurring characters (Elisabeth, Viktoria, Kella, Leopold, Charla, etc.) as they grow, change, and live through generations of island history. We are looking to create approximately 400 illustrations that bring this world and its characters to life. Our Vision for the Illustrations: We envision the illustrations in a vibrant, expressive, cartoon/animated film-like style. The goal is for the book to feel like a visually dynamic animated story, captivating readers of all ages. Your Role & Key Responsibilities: The most critical aspect of this project is your ability to leverage AI image generation tools to achieve unprecedented character consistency and accurate aging across a vast number of illustrations and a long timeline. You will be responsible for: AI-Powered Character Design & Consistency: Utilizing advanced AI tools (e.g., Midjourney, Stable Diffusion with LoRAs, DALL-E 3) to design and consistently render our main characters across different ages (childhood to old age) and numerous situations (approx. 400 illustrations). This includes maintaining distinct facial features, body language, and overall recognizable identity for each character throughout the 150-year narrative. Illustrating Diverse Scenes: Creating full-color, detailed illustrations for a wide range of scenes, from character portraits to complex environmental shots showcasing the two islands and their evolving cultures. Style Cohesion: Ensuring all illustrations maintain a cohesive, cartoon/animated film-like aesthetic throughout the entire book. Collaboration & Iteration: Working closely with the author, incorporating feedback, and making necessary revisions to align illustrations with the book's narrative and vision. Technical Proficiency: Demonstrating a deep understanding of prompt engineering, AI model usage, and potentially manual refining/overpainting in image editing software (e.g., Photoshop) to achieve the highest quality and consistency. Who We Are Looking For: A young, talented, and highly enthusiastic AI illustrator with a passion for storytelling and character development. Demonstrated expertise in AI image generation tools (mention specific tools you are proficient in: Midjourney, Stable Diffusion (e.g., with LoRA training, ControlNet), DALL-E 3). Strong portfolio showcasing your ability to create expressive cartoon/animated style illustrations, with a particular emphasis on character design and the ability to maintain consistent characters across multiple images and varying ages. Excellent understanding of prompt engineering and advanced techniques for controlling AI output. Proficiency in digital painting/editing software (e.g., Photoshop) for refining AI-generated images is a significant plus. Reliable, with good communication skills and ability to meet deadlines. Experience with long-term projects is beneficial. To Apply, Please Submit: Your portfolio link, specifically highlighting projects or examples where you've tackled character consistency and aging using AI. A brief cover letter explaining your approach to managing character consistency for a project with 400 illustrations spanning 150 years, using AI tools. Your estimated rates (e.g., per illustration, project estimate for 400 illustrations, or hourly rate). Please specify if you prefer to work on a per-illustration basis. Your availability and estimated timeline for a project of this scope. Highly Desired (Paid Test Project): We may request a small, paid test project to evaluate your ability to create 2-3 illustrations of the same character from our book in different age stages (e.g., childhood, young adult, elderly) to assess your character consistency skills with AI. We are excited to find an innovative artist who can push the boundaries of AI illustration to create a truly unique and memorable visual experience for our readers!