Toy Character Designer / Illustrator

SOWO is a New York based wooden toy brand developing illustrated storytelling toys for children ages 3+. We’re preparing our first collection for a 2027 launch and are looking for the right artist/designer to help establish the visual language of the SOWO world.

This is not a children’s book illustration project.

We’re specifically looking for someone with a strong background in character design, toy design, consumer products, licensing, collectibles, games, or other physical products who can think beyond individual illustrations and help create a recognizable, repeatable character system.

THE FIRST COLLECTION:

Our first set, 'City Animals', consists of six characters:

• Pigeon
• Bodega cat
• Blue nose pitbull / Staffy
• Raccoon
• Squirrel
• Rat

The physical silhouettes have already been designed and finalized. The selected artist will create the artwork that lives within those silhouettes.

The toys are flat, freestanding wooden pieces approximately 2-4 inches tall, so the artwork needs to remain strong, readable and recognisable at a small physical scale.

THE VISUAL DIRECTION:

We’re looking for something that feels:

• Bold and graphic
• Character-driven
• Slightly quirky
• Warm and playful without feeling overly childish
• Distinctive enough to become recognizable as SOWO
• Appealing to children while still being visually interesting to adults

The broader SOWO world draws from subtle early 90s through early-2000s childhood nostalgia and New York neighborhood culture.

We are NOT looking for:

• Generic children’s-book illustration
• Disney-inspired character design
• Anime/manga
• Highly rendered realism
• Generic vector mascots
• Characters that feel overly babyish
• Artwork that simply follows a current illustration trend

Personality is important, but we don’t want to lock each character into a predetermined role or story. Children should still be able to decide for themselves who these characters are.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

You may be an illustrator, toy designer, character designer, product designer, or multidisciplinary artist.

We’re especially interested in artists who have experience with one or more of the following:

• Toy or collectible design
• Character development / character systems
• Physical children’s products
• Games or play products
• Consumer-product illustration
• Licensing or branded character IP
• Vector-based illustration
• Artwork designed for printing or manufacturing

You do not need to have worked for a major toy company.

We’re much more interested in strong design instincts, originality, versatility and your ability to create a cohesive visual language across very different characters.

PROJECT & COLLABORATION:

This first project includes six City Animals.

We’re looking for a collaborative artist who is comfortable with sketches, creative direction and revisions as we establish the visual system together.

For the right person, this is intended to become a long-term relationship. 'City Animals' is only the beginning. Future SOWO collections will include people, vehicles, buildings, neighborhood objects and additional characters.

Commercial usage and full ownership of the final approved designs will be required and reflected in our agreement.

Our current target budget is approximately $200 per character, with some flexibility for an exceptional fit.

TO APPLY:

Please send:

1. Your portfolio.
2. 2-5 specific pieces from your portfolio that you believe are most relevant to this project.
3. A short description of your experience with character design, toys, physical products, games, collectibles or consumer products, if applicable.
4. Your flat-rate quote for the six-character project.
5. Your location/time zone and current availability.

Please do not create unpaid sample artwork for your application.

Shortlisted artists may be invited to complete a paid character design test before the full project is awarded.