2D Background Painter & Color Artist

Job Description

Onward Star Studios is seeking a talented 2D Background Painter / Color Artist to work on our upcoming animated project, Seedling.

We are looking for an artist who specializes in digital painting, color, and environmental artwork. The position will focus exclusively on creating and painting the backgrounds and environments used throughout the series.

We will provide existing layouts, concepts, and creative direction. We are looking for someone who can take these materials and transform them into beautiful, colorful, and fully rendered environments.

Who We’re Looking For

Our ideal candidate specializes in 2D digital painting, background painting, and environmental artwork.

A major part of Seedling’s visual identity revolves around plants and nature, so we are particularly interested in artists who are skilled at creating:

• Colorful and imaginative natural environments
• Fantasy-inspired botanical environments and landscapes
• Forests, gardens, buildings, towns, and interiors
• Expressive use of color, lighting, shading, and texture
• Painterly environments and stylized 2D artwork
• Strong color palettes and cohesive environmental styles

An important aspect of Seedling’s visual style is that the series was designed without traditional line art. Because of this, we are specifically looking for artists who are comfortable creating finished environments through color, painted shapes, and digital painting rather than relying on traditional outlined background drawings.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities will focus exclusively on background painting and environmental artwork, including:

• Painting and rendering finished 2D backgrounds.
• Coloring and developing existing background layouts and rough concepts.
• Painting natural landscapes, forests, gardens, buildings, and interiors.
• Developing colorful plant and botanical environments.
• Applying lighting, shadows, textures, and environmental details.
• Maintaining consistent colors and painting styles throughout the series.
• Following existing layouts, concepts, and creative direction.
• Working with the director to ensure backgrounds match the established visual style.

This position does not involve character design, animation, rigging, storyboarding, or scene layout development.

Ideal Background

We’re particularly interested in artists with experience in 2D background painting, digital painting, environment painting, children’s animation, independent animation, or television animation.

Professional television animation experience is valuable, but a strong portfolio and demonstrated painting ability are more important to us than a specific job title.

Experience with programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Procreate, or other digital painting software is a plus.

Portfolio

Your portfolio should ideally demonstrate finished 2D background paintings, environmental artwork, digital painting, landscapes, and/or plant and nature artwork.

We especially want to see artists who can take an existing layout or rough environmental concept and transform it into something colorful, original, charming, and visually memorable.

Examples of finished background paintings created without traditional outlines are particularly encouraged.

Compensation is negotiable based on experience, portfolio, availability, and level of involvement.