Apparel Graphic Designer (Hand Illustration) for US Coastal Lifestyle Brand. Paid Test Project, Then Ongoing Work.

I run ATEOTD, a coastal lifestyle apparel brand in the US. Think of brands like Vuori, Faherty, and Quicksilver: quiet, premium, restrained. Small placements, limited ink colors, nothing loud.

The brand has a second layer. Our phrases come from scripture, but they are chosen so that a stranger with no faith background would read them as simply well written. We never print verse citations on garments. If a design feels "churchy," it has failed. If it feels like a great vintage surf graphic that happens to carry weight, it has succeeded.

I am hiring one illustrator, starting with a single paid test design. If the work is strong, this becomes ongoing per-design work. I only run one design at a time, and I am honest with you up front: I am picky. What I offer in return is clear briefs, fast decisions, and steady work if we fit.

The Work

Hand-illustrated graphic tees. Surf, and minimal coastal styles. Designs print DTG on garment-dyed tees, so:

Maximum 2 to 3 ink colors per design
No fine details below roughly 1.5mm (they will not print reliably)
Designs must work on muted garment colors (dusty blue, khaki, seafoam)

Hard Requirements

No AI-generated artwork. None. Not as a base, not "cleaned up," not for reference compositing. Original illustration only. I will ask to see process work (sketches, WIP screenshots) and I check.

Editable source files. Layered Adobe Illustrator files (vector, with both outlined and live-text versions where type is used), plus print-ready PNG at 300 DPI on transparent background.

You must be comfortable working from written briefs in English.

Sample Brief (this is the actual test design)

Phrase: "Let the sea roar"

Direction: A contained emblem in the retro surf style: an ocean scene built from flat, layered organic shapes inside an arch frame. A breaking wave as the focal point, a low sun, and a simple horizon. Four flat ink colors maximum, drawn from a muted coastal palette (dusty blue, sage, ochre, cream). No gradients, no outlines doing heavy lifting, no fine detail. The phrase is part of the lockup, either arced along the inside of the frame or set beneath the scene like a badge, never floating as a caption. A slight handmade quality at the edges is welcome; sterile vector perfection is not. Back print, roughly 10 to 12 inches tall

Three links to hand-illustrated apparel or print work you made (not a full portfolio dump, your three best)
Two or three sentences on your illustration process, including what tools you draw in
Confirmation that you understand and agree to the no-AI rule
How many days you would need for the test design

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