Illustrator & Animator (Avatar & Brand DNA) - Volunteer in Belfast

Volunteer as an Illustrator & Animator to shape the visual identity. You will design customizable superhero avatars, create VR environment art, prepare print assets, and develop small animations for wellbeing apps, helping bring culturally diverse and engaging experiences.

What difference will you make?

• Establish the visual identity and artistic style of eduSOIL's digital and physical products.
• Create engaging superhero avatar characters that encourage children to connect with wellbeing activities.
• Bring the organisation's brand DNA to life through illustration and animation.
• Strengthen the visual storytelling used across apps, learning tools, and merchandise.
• Support the development of customizable avatars that reflect global cultural diversity.
• Enhance user engagement through appealing characters, environments, and animations.
• Provide visual assets for apps, VR experiences, and digital platforms.
• Support the creation of the VR Art Sanctuary environment with immersive artwork.
• Enable the development of gamified wellbeing experiences in the Nature Mandala app.
• Help produce high-quality print materials such as journals, cards, and learning tools.
• Ensure visual content works consistently across digital and print products.
• Strengthen the organisation's brand recognition through distinctive art styles.
• Support culturally inclusive design that reflects communities in Sudan, India, and South Africa.
• Provide creative assets that support product launches and marketing efforts.
• Improve the overall aesthetic quality of the organisation's products.
• Help build a cohesive visual ecosystem across multiple wellbeing platforms.
• Support collaboration between designers, developers, and product teams.
• Enable the creation of interactive and animated elements that improve user experience.
• Contribute to engaging educational tools that make wellbeing learning more appealing.
• Help build the visual foundation for future eduSOIL products and experiences.

What are we looking for?

Essential Skills

• Strong digital illustration skills for characters, environments, and visual assets.
• Experience in 2D or 3D character design, particularly for customizable avatars.
• Ability to design modular avatar components (hair, clothing, facial features).
• Experience creating assets for mobile apps, games, or digital platforms.
• Ability to prepare high-resolution artwork for print production (POD).
• Skills in animation or motion design for short animations or micro-interactions.
• Knowledge of design tools such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, or similar software.
• Ability to create consistent visual assets aligned with a defined brand style.
• Experience preparing layered files and optimized assets for developers.
• Understanding of visual storytelling and character-driven design.

Desirable (but Not Required)

• Experience designing assets for AR/VR environments.
• Familiarity with gamified app design or interactive visual elements.
• Experience creating environmental artwork and textures for digital environments.
• Knowledge of animation tools such as Blender, Spine, or similar platforms.
• Experience working with print merchandise such as journals, cards, or educational materials.
• Familiarity with design systems and visual asset libraries.
• Experience working in cross-functional product teams with developers and UI/UX designers.

Personal Attributes

• Passion for art, creativity, and storytelling through visual design.
• Interest in wellbeing, education, and meaningful digital experiences.
• Strong attention to detail and artistic quality.
• Ability to express diverse cultural aesthetics through design.
• Creative thinker who enjoys developing new visual concepts.
• Collaborative mindset and comfort working in multidisciplinary teams.
• Adaptable and open to feedback and iterative design processes.
• Self-motivated and able to contribute in a mission-driven volunteer environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities

• Gain experience designing avatars and characters for digital wellbeing apps.
• Build a portfolio with real-world illustration and animation work used in live products.
• Develop skills in designing assets for AR, VR, and gamified digital platforms.
• Learn how to create visual systems that work across digital apps and printed merchandise.
• Work with designers, developers, and product leads in an innovative project environment.
• Contribute to globally inclusive design reflecting multiple cultural communities.
• Gain experience creating brand-driven visual ecosystems across multiple products.
• Develop knowledge in interactive animation and micro-interaction design for apps.

What will you be doing?

• Design customizable superhero avatar characters for digital platforms.
• Create modular avatar components such as hairstyles, clothing, and facial features.
• Ensure avatar designs reflect diverse cultural identities from global hubs.
• Develop character design guidelines aligned with the eduSOIL brand DNA.
• Produce high-quality digital illustrations for apps and learning tools.
• Design environmental artwork for the VR Art Sanctuary.
• Create backgrounds, textures, and visual elements for immersive environments.
• Design nature-inspired visual assets for the Nature Mandala app.
• Develop short animations for app interactions and gamified features.
• Create micro-animations that enhance user engagement.
• Design visual assets for gamification elements in the apps.
• Prepare illustrations for mobile and web interfaces.
• Ensure visual consistency across all products and platforms.
• Collaborate with UI/UX designers to integrate illustrations into interfaces.
• Work with developers to ensure assets are optimized for performance.
• Prepare print-ready artwork for journals and educational materials.
• Design templates for customized print add-ons such as pose cards and journals.
• Ensure print assets meet high-resolution and production standards.
• Adapt illustrations for both digital and physical merchandise.
• Create icon sets and small graphic elements for apps and dashboards.
• Produce visual assets for marketing and product launches.
• Support the creation of brand storytelling visuals.
• Develop visual assets for educational wellbeing activities.
• Create illustrated guides and visual instructions where required.
• Maintain organized asset libraries and design files.
• Prepare layered files for animation and developer integration.
• Support the development of interactive visual content.
• Assist in designing visual rewards and badges for gamified experiences.
• Ensure all illustrations follow accessibility and inclusive design principles.
• Incorporate nature-inspired and calming aesthetics aligned with wellbeing goals.
• Experiment with new visual styles and animation techniques.
• Refine artwork based on feedback from the design and product teams.
• Participate in creative brainstorming sessions with the team.
• Support rapid prototyping of visual concepts.
• Develop style guides for characters and environments.
• Create visual variations for avatar customization features.
• Prepare assets compatible with AR/VR environments.
• Optimize illustrations and animations for mobile performance.
• Contribute to building a cohesive visual identity across products.
• Design illustrations that enhance emotional connection with users.
• Collaborate with product leads to align visuals with learning goals.
• Ensure visuals support engaging storytelling and educational experiences.
• Create visual assets that support multicultural representation.
• Test visual elements within digital platforms to ensure usability.
• Assist with visual documentation and asset guidelines.
• Update and improve existing illustrations based on user feedback.
• Support the creation of visual assets for new product features.
• Maintain high artistic quality across all illustrations and animations.
• Contribute to the development of innovative visual experiences for wellbeing apps.
• Help build the visual soul and identity of the eduSOIL ecosystem.