Creative Illustrator & Designer for Premium Oracle Card Deck

I'm looking for a talented, imaginative illustrator and graphic designer to help bring a creative card collection to life.

The initial project involves designing 26 character-based cards, with a further 26 planned for a second phase.

Each card will feature an individual human character or portrait representing a particular personality, emotional state or behavioural pattern, alongside a small amount of structured written content.

All 26 cards will follow the same design and layout. The initial creative work will involve establishing the overall aesthetic, character illustration style, typography and positioning of the text. Once the first design is agreed, it will serve as the template for the remaining cards, with the character expression and written content changing for each one.

I've already created a preliminary design in Canva, so there is an existing concept to work from. However, I'm not a professional designer, and I'm looking for someone with genuine creative flair who can take my idea and turn it into something far more sophisticated.

The finished cards need to feel high-end, elegant, clean and beautifully designed, with a consistent visual identity throughout the collection. I'm looking for something distinctive and professional, rather than cartoonish, overly decorative or generic.

I'm happy for AI to be used to create the character illustrations, provided the finished artwork is carefully refined and doesn't have that obvious AI-generated appearance.

The cards will need to be suitable for professional printing as well as digital use, with editable source files supplied.

I'd love to hear from designers who enjoy creative projects and have a strong eye for detail, typography and visual composition.

When applying, please include:-

Examples of relevant work or a link to your portfolio.

Your estimated price for completing all 26 cards.

Your availability and anticipated turnaround time.

Whether you use AI-assisted illustration.

Further details, including my existing designs and the written content, will be shared privately with suitable applicants.

I'm looking for someone who can bring their own creative ideas to the project and help create a collection that feels genuinely special.

A small request when applying: I'd really like to hear from you personally, in your own words, rather than receive an AI-generated proposal. I'm looking for someone with genuine creativity and individuality, and I'd love to get a feel for the person behind the work. Please don't use AI to write your application, as AI-generated responses won't be considered. I'm much more interested in an authentic, thoughtful message than a perfectly polished pitch.