Black out the octopus and his friends until only their shapes are left. If a child can still say who is who, you drew them.
Tatako is hiring a Character Artist to draw the cast of our series and songs, from the octopus’s oldest friends to the new faces a story needs. Your drawings are the source: puppets, sets and episodes are all built from them. This is project work, booked character by character with the Art Director.
About Tatako
Tatako is a first-words app for families raising a child with two languages. A lesson takes about five minutes, there is nothing to read, and a small round octopus keeps everyone company. He has eight arms, no socks, and usually loses count at seven.
The language of home stays the language of home. Tatako adds a second one on top, at a toddler’s pace, from the very first words. A guide voice can explain what to do, and you can switch it off whenever you like. Every lesson has three small steps: Hear it, say it. Touch it. Name it. In the last step the picture comes back without the word, and the child names it first.
We started with English: first words and phrases, from “hello” and “mommy” to colors, animals and what the teacher says at preschool. More languages are on the way. Tatako works in the browser on any phone or tablet.
The role
- Remote project work, open to candidates anywhere in the world
- Fluent English
- An agreement signed before you start: your work is made for Tatako, Inc. and its rights go to the company in writing
By the end of your first project, a character has a finished model sheet, its expressions are drawn, and a puppet maker can start building from your pages without a single question.
What you will do
- Draw the main cast yourself: front, side, back and the poses that show who each character is.
- Make model sheets a puppet maker can build from: true proportions, textures, colors and how each part moves.
- Test every design as a black silhouette and at phone size, then take away whatever does not help.
- Give each friend a shape, height, color and walk of their own, so no two can ever be mixed up.
- Fill the expression sheet: surprise, pride, a shy smile and the exact moment a count goes wrong.
- Design new characters and props as stories need them, all from one family of simple, soft forms.
- Check each new design against characters already out there, so every member of the cast is unmistakably ours.
What you bring
- 3+ years as a character designer for animation, picture books, toys or games.
- A portfolio of simple, appealing characters with strong silhouettes.
- Your own hand: the work starts on your page, and you can show the sketches behind every final drawing.
- A sense of how felt, clay and wire behave, or the curiosity to learn it from the puppet maker.
- Charm without sugar: cute characters who still have a flaw and a point of view.
- Clean handoffs: layered files, color values and notes another artist can follow.
Bonus points
- Your designs have become toys or puppets you could hold.
- You have illustrated books for young children.
Why you will love it
- Every puppet and every episode starts from your sheet.
- A small cast, so each character gets real attention and a real personality.
- A very forgiving subject: round, sockless and always pleased to see you.
How to apply
Meet the octopus at tatako.com, then email join@tatako.com with your LinkedIn profile or portfolio. Make sure it shows a character you designed, from early sketches to the final sheet.
If your experience matches the role, our team will get in touch to discuss next steps.