Torchora
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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Illustration Designer

💰 $65,000 - $95,000

DesignCreativeMarketingArtVisual Design

🎯 Role Definition

We are on the hunt for a passionate and skilled Illustration Designer to join our dynamic creative team. In this role, you will be the visual storyteller, transforming concepts and ideas into compelling, on-brand illustrations that captivate our audience. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product, and content, to create a wide array of visual assets that enhance our brand identity and elevate our user experience. The ideal candidate has a strong portfolio, a keen eye for detail, and the ability to work from concept to final execution in a fast-paced environment. If you live and breathe illustration and want to make a significant impact on a growing brand, we want to hear from you!

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Illustrator / Illustrator
  • Graphic Designer with a focus on illustration
  • Freelance Illustrator

Advancement To:

  • Senior Illustration Designer / Lead Illustrator
  • Art Director
  • Creative Director

Lateral Moves:

  • Motion Graphics Designer
  • UI/UX Designer
  • Brand Designer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop and execute high-quality, original illustrations that align with our brand identity and marketing goals for use across various platforms including web, mobile, social media, and print.
  • Collaborate closely with marketing, product, and content teams to translate complex concepts and strategic requirements into compelling visual stories and engaging illustrations.
  • Create a diverse range of illustrative assets, including character designs, spot illustrations, icons, hero images, infographics, editorial illustrations, and full-scene compositions.
  • Maintain, evolve, and champion our brand’s illustration style guide, ensuring consistency, quality, and scalability across all visual outputs and channels.
  • Participate actively in the entire creative process, from initial brainstorming and conceptualization to sketching, mood boarding, iteration based on feedback, and final asset delivery.
  • Manage multiple illustration projects simultaneously, effectively prioritizing tasks and ensuring deadlines are met in a fast-paced, agile work environment.
  • Produce storyboards and concept art to visualize narratives and user flows for animations, marketing videos, and interactive digital experiences.
  • Adapt illustrations for various formats and specifications, optimizing them for performance, accessibility, and visual quality on different digital platforms and devices.
  • Stay current with the latest illustration techniques, emerging design trends, and new software to continuously push the creative boundaries and innovation of our brand's visual language.
  • Prepare and organize final illustration files for seamless handoff to developers, marketers, and other stakeholders, ensuring all assets are properly formatted, layered, and easy to use.
  • Clearly articulate and present creative concepts and design decisions to team members and key stakeholders, effectively incorporating constructive feedback into your work.
  • Contribute to the development and maintenance of visual systems and component libraries that help scale our illustration practice efficiently across the organization.
  • Transform complex data and dense information into easily digestible and visually appealing infographics and data visualizations that clarify key insights for our audience.
  • Design and create custom icons and iconography systems that are intuitive, scalable, and perfectly consistent with the overall brand aesthetic.
  • Work in tandem with the user experience (UX) team to create illustrations that enhance the user interface (UI), guide users through digital products, and improve overall product usability.
  • Generate engaging illustrations for internal communications, company-wide presentations, and culture-building initiatives to foster a visually rich and engaging work environment.
  • Create detailed character sheets, expression guides, and model turnarounds for use in animation, 3D modeling projects, or recurring brand campaigns.
  • Explore different moods, styles, and color palettes during the concept phase to determine the most effective and emotionally resonant visual direction for each project.
  • Rigorously review and proof all illustrations for technical quality, accuracy, and strict adherence to brand guidelines before final publication or launch.
  • Collaborate effectively with animators and motion designers by providing layered, animation-ready illustration files and providing creative input on motion projects.

Secondary Functions

  • Actively participate in creative brainstorming sessions, design critiques, and workshops to foster a culture of collaboration and creative excellence.
  • Assist in managing and curating our digital asset management (DAM) system, ensuring all illustration assets are properly tagged and archived for future use.
  • Provide mentorship and constructive feedback to junior designers or interns, helping them develop their skills and grow within the team.
  • Research and present on competitor visual strategies and industry best practices to inform and inspire our team's creative direction.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
  • Strong experience with digital illustration tools and software such as Procreate, Fresco, or similar.
  • Solid understanding of design principles including composition, color theory, typography, and visual hierarchy.
  • Proven ability in vector illustration and creating scalable, clean artwork.
  • Experience with UI/UX design tools like Figma or Sketch for collaborating on digital product visuals.
  • Skill in digital painting and creating textured, painterly illustrations.
  • Ability to create cohesive iconography and spot illustrations that work within a larger design system.
  • Experience with storyboarding and narrative visualization for motion or sequential art.
  • Knowledge of preparing files for both digital (RGB, SVG) and print (CMYK) outputs.
  • A strong portfolio showcasing a wide range of high-quality, original illustration work.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional Creativity: The ability to generate novel, compelling, and on-brand visual ideas.
  • Collaboration: A team-player mindset with experience working effectively in cross-functional teams.
  • Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to articulate design concepts and rationale.
  • Time Management: Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
  • Attention to Detail: A meticulous eye for detail, ensuring quality and consistency in all work.
  • Adaptability: Flexibility to pivot between different styles and project requirements as needed.
  • Constructive Feedback: Ability to both give and receive feedback gracefully and incorporate it effectively.
  • Problem-Solving: A proactive approach to identifying and solving creative challenges.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • A compelling portfolio of work is paramount. A Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience is required.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or Master of Fine Arts (MFA).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Illustration
  • Graphic Design
  • Fine Arts
  • Visual Communication
  • Animation

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-5+ years of professional experience as an illustrator, visual designer, or a similar role, either in-house, at an agency, or as a freelancer.

Preferred:

  • A robust and diverse online portfolio demonstrating a strong understanding of fundamental design principles and a high level of technical skill in illustration is absolutely essential for consideration. Experience working within an established brand system is highly valued.
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