AI Visual Development Artist

About Us

At Trickle Up, we are building a dedicated AI Animation Studio to produce premium quality animated content for broadcast and digital platforms. We work at the intersection of creative vision and cutting-edge AI technology, and we are looking for exceptional talent to help us define what AI-powered visual storytelling looks like at its best.

About the Role

As an AI Visual Development Artist you will be the creative foundation of every project we produce. You will be responsible for establishing the entire visual identity of a project — from character design and environment creation through to storyboards and style guides — ensuring that every visual element is consistent, cinematic, and production-ready.

This is not a passive generation role. You will combine strong artistic instincts with expert prompt engineering to produce visuals that meet the highest creative standards, then refine them to perfection using professional design software.

What You Will Do

1. Design cinematic characters, environments, props, and concept art for animated productions
2. Create comprehensive Character Bibles, Environment Bibles, and Style Guides that define the visual language of each project
3. Generate storyboard keyframes and master frames to guide the animation pipeline
4. Develop, test, and optimise AI prompts for image generation across multiple tools
5. Ensure character and environment consistency is maintained across every scene and deliverable
6. Refine and composite AI-generated artwork using professional image editing software
7. Collaborate closely with the Animation and Production teams throughout the production pipeline
8. Organise and maintain a structured asset library for every project

What We Are Looking For

1. Strong foundational understanding of composition, lighting, colour theory, and visual storytelling
2. Expert-level prompt engineering skills across multiple AI image generation platforms
3. Proven ability to create and maintain consistent character designs across a production
4. Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to artistic quality
5. Creative problem-solving ability with the capacity to iterate quickly under production deadlines
6. Portfolio demonstrating visual development work — character design, environments, or concept art

AI Tools

1. ChatGPT and Claude for creative ideation and brief development
2. Midjourney, Flux, GPT Image, Ideogram
3. Leonardo AI (preferred)
4. Adobe Firefly (preferred)

Design Software

1. Adobe Photoshop (required)
2. Adobe Illustrator (preferred)
3. Figma (preferred)

Nice to Have

1. Experience in storyboarding and concept art for animation
2. Background in environment design
3. Familiarity with Unreal Engine basics
4. Understanding of 3D fundamentals