Female character concept with expressive red hair and cinematic lighting – stylized digital portrait for film, games, or narrative IP development

Cartoon Concept Design

for Animation, Games, and IPs

Concept Art, IP Development, Visual Storytelling

The visual storytelling that helps your characters live rent-free in people’s heads.
Whether you're developing an animated series, a video game, or a multimedia IP, cartoon concept design is where visual identity begins. I create expressive characters, cohesive visual styles, and high-impact design systems that are tailor-made for your story—not just generic stylization.

From exploratory sketching to final production art, the goal is to give your team clear, usable assets while keeping the process collaborative, strategic, and fun.

Oh—and you don’t have to micromanage anything. I’ve done this enough to know when to lead, when to listen, and how to stick the landing.

Photoshop screenshot of a concept artist drawing character lineup – realistic male figures in modern wardrobe for production-ready character design

What’s Included:

  • Concept exploration sketches

  • Full-body color renders (poses, expressions, turnarounds)

  • Iterative development with client feedback

  • Style consistency and visual storytelling support

  • Optional: 3D mockups, motion tests, or character bibles

  • Deliverables for pitch decks, bibles, or in-engine integration

What’s NOT Included:

  • AI-generated art

  • Template-based design

  • One-size-fits-all shortcuts that weaken your IP

Every design is custom. Every character is story-driven. Every project gets love.

I research, explore, and define the voice of your project before drawing a single line. Expect moodboards, visual references, and style tests that help align vision across your team. Nothing is random. Everything has a reason.

You’ll get a clear roadmap and milestone calendar. We’ll review at each key stage—roughs, sketches, color comps—so you feel confident every step of the way.

You can be as hands-on or hands-off as you like.

Visual Discovery
Character Design
Color & Style Development
Storytelling Consultation
Pitch Art & Bibles
Custom Marketing Illustrations
Anything from Sketch to Final Render

3D Concept Art Services

To book, we require a 33% deposit, a 33% by mid-milestones, and a 33% billed at the end of the project. Reach and and contact for a custom setup/day rate if you have on-going needs.

Character Visdev – Shape, costume, color iterations.

Worldbuilding Paintings – Mood-driven environments, characters and props.

Character headshot with painterly shading and expression design – facial structure studies for narrative character exploration

Shot Planning – Camera, lighting, and tone studies.

Stylized male character portrait illustrations – grayscale and color studies for casting visual direction in entertainment design

66%

pre-production time reduction while working with Ashfall / NetEase Games
Reduced production time by 66% using advanced 3D concept art pipelines and updated methodologies, delivering AAA-standard work with dependable turnaround.

33%

Boosted visual quality by 30% through consistent style guide development and a live material library built inside a 3D render engine during Amnesia Rebirth.

90%

Achieved a 90% first-pass approval rate by delivering sharp, on-brief concept work tailored for high-efficiency AAA production pipelines.

Special rates available for clients looking for extended creative partnerships; contact for custom pricing and project alignment.

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  • It’s very hard to find a professional like Miguel. Very organized, prolific and effective with his workflow. Not to mention the impressive quality of ideas he brings to the table. It’s an honor to have worked with him!

    João Lira, Lead Concept Artist on Star Atlas, ATMTA Group

  • The director loved the works we just delivered from our collaboration! Thank you for helping us.

    Alice Zhang, Translator and Producer, NetEase Games

  • I want to say that your proposal was the most professional I’ve seen in a long time, even better than most freelancers and other AAA studios we’re working with.

    James Ohlen, VP Studio Head, Archetype Entertainment / Wizards of the Coast’ Company.

  • It was fantastic working with you on these, you're an exceptional talent with a wonderful work ethic. You had a tasteful process for creative exploration, and your balance of structure and freedom always invigorated our sessions. Looking forward to the future, Miguel.

    River Gandour, CEO of Third Book

Visual Development Portfolio

stylized character design for animation
stylized character design with skateboard
Red-haired fantasy female character portrait – expressive lighting, skin texture, and color grading for cinematic character visualization
stylized bust character design
stylized 3d character design for production
female char design bust and turn around
male concept art head for production
male concept art illustration head
female head concept design
Modern male and female character outfits in casual wear – design references for grounded, realistic entertainment productions
Stylized soldier concept illustration with gear and uniform – character development for narrative-driven shooter or military fiction world
tower concept design
tower concept design for horror
tower concept design iterations in line art
Historical concept art of frontier-era characters – period wardrobe exploration for drama series, games, or educational media
cowboy character designs
Cowgirl-style character in painterly costume design – traditional western attire interpreted through digital painting for games or animation
Creature design thumbnails showing shape and posture variation – iterative process for building unique non-human characters
Turnaround sheet of fantasy creature silhouettes and poses – early exploration for otherworldly character in high fantasy setting
3D-rendered alien warrior character with sci-fi armor – final concept visualization blending fantasy and science fiction aesthetics
Lineups of tribal or nomadic characters – worldbuilding-focused costume exploration in pre-production concept art
tribal character sketches
shaman concept design
The creative process in concept art visualized through a Venn diagram and reference flowchart – ideation workflow for character and costume development

Every Great Character Starts Here

Before I even touch a stylus, I dive into the why behind the work. What’s the tone? Who’s the audience? How does this character live in the world around them?

This is where we map it all out—moodboards, references, venn diagrams, narrative hooks—all tailored to your project. Whether we’re building a stylized cast for an animated series or visual metaphors for a story-driven game, this step sets the foundation that makes the rest of the process smooth, aligned, and deeply intentional.

Cartoon concept design isn’t just drawing. It’s visual storytelling with purpose.

Concept artist’s moodboard setup with multiple monitors – reference gathering and creative exploration for entertainment character projects

Your Vision Meets a Battle-Tested Process

Two monitors. One for your vision. One for mine. This is where the exploration begins—collecting references, sketching shapes, testing silhouettes, and building visual vocabulary from the ground up.

Clients love seeing their ideas come to life in real time, layered over deep research and years of creative intuition. This is where concepts become tangible—fast, flexible, and tailored to your unique world.

Let’s make visuals that stick.

  • professional and beautifully shot wacom tablet for digital drawing and design

    You’ll receive a complete visual development package, plus process transparency via a shared Miro board (or a tool you already use). I include sketch-to-final breakdowns, pitchable assets, and if you need help scaling or staffing up, I’ll recommend trusted animators, storyboarders, or background artists from my network.

  • concept art workstation background, with professional software rendering

    I don’t juggle clients — I carve out my calendar for you. That means the whole creative vision, from characters to environments to color scripts, gets my full attention. You’re not a slot on a spreadsheet. You get my time, my brain, and my best.

  • professional freelance artist taking notes on a macbook and leading a online meeting.

    Every asset is built with production in mind. From exploratory sketches and visual tone maps to prop callouts, style guides, and lineup sheets — these are tools built for teams. I don’t just draw, I create worlds that animators, directors, and producers can use to tell the story better, faster, and with heart.

  • resources and physical design books on a professional artist desk

    I believe humor, tone, and message are inseparable from the visuals. Cartoons are a delivery system for meaning — silly, sharp, profound, or all three. The difference between forgettable and iconic often lives in the visual language. My job is to find that voice and dial it up.

  • a beautiful selection of sketchbooks being reviewed by a professional artist and designer

    My workflow blends traditional and digital tools: Photoshop, Storyboard Pro, After Effects, Toon Boom, and more. I stay updated with pipelines used by major studios and indie creators alike — so you’re getting both adaptability and artistic consistency.

Front and back view of fantasy costume concepts for female character – color studies and texture research for post-apocalyptic or RPG design

Sketch. Comp. Final. Let’s Go.

From loose pencil lines to polished renders, I design cartoon characters that are bold, stylized, and built to tell stories—whether they’ll live in an animated pilot, a keyframe scene, or a side-scroller.

Every stage in this process is shared with you, with room for feedback and iteration. My goal? To make sure the character feels right—not just in the final polish, but all along the way.

This isn’t cookie-cutter. It’s collaborative cartoon design, done right.

Presentation-ready character concept sheet with detailed annotations – designed for pitching in game development or live-action productions

Iterate With Intention

This part? It’s where the real magic happens. Your notes, my pencils, our shared brainpower. Whether it’s refining a gesture, adjusting color palettes, or tweaking a design to better fit your brand, we’ll do it together—with clarity, kindness, and zero ego.

I love this part of the process. It’s where good characters become great.

And if you’re wondering—yes, I do take feedback well.

Artist podcast recording session – creative discussion about the role of visual storytelling and character design in media industries

Real Collaboration. Real Fun.

It’s just you and me on a call, trading ideas, smiling through the chaos, and making great work that actually feels good to make.

Working with me doesn’t feel like outsourcing—it feels like gaining a partner who cares just as much about the outcome as you do.

I’m here to help your characters live their best lives—and make you look like a genius in the process.

Let’s talk. Let’s build. Let’s make it fun.

  • Do I need to know animation pipelines or industry terms?

    Not at all. Whether you’re a writer, studio, or startup with just an idea, I help bridge the gap. I walk you through everything — from style development to deliverables — even if this is your first time working with a visual artist.

  • Can I bring in a script or rough character idea to start from?

    Absolutely. I’ve worked from everything — from polished scripts to napkin doodles and voice notes. The earlier I’m brought in, the more I can help shape the visuals around your vision.

  • What’s included in your cartoon concept art service?

    Style development, character lineup sheets, expression and pose sheets, environment concepts, moodboards, Miro boards with visual references, and full process videos — all tailored to production, pitching, or marketing. If needed, I also provide recommendations for animation teams and pipelines.

  • What’s your usual client — indie creator or studio?

    Both. I work with indie animators, YouTubers, education platforms, and animation studios. Budget is flexible — the focus is on how impactful the cartoon is and what we can create together.

  • Can this be used to pitch to networks or raise funding?

    Yes. I’ve helped clients create pitch bibles, teaser visuals, and visual storytelling decks that supported funding rounds and publisher interest.

  • Can I just get a character design or a one-off piece?

    Yes — whether you need a single standout illustration for a Kickstarter, a social media campaign, or a full set of production assets, we can customize the scope based on your needs.

  • What’s your design style — do you do 2D, vector, painterly, etc?

    I adapt to the tone and audience of your cartoon. From clean vector looks for preschool content to stylized painterly for more narrative-driven shorts, I provide style frames early on so we’re aligned from the beginning.

  • What if you're not available?

    Hardly will happen, what you can do is reach out and if we cannot schedule you in my calendar, i can recommend you to someone i know and have collaborated with, that’s the worst case scenario

Digital painting session in progress – stylized red-haired portrait being illustrated in Photoshop for character art portfolio or visual storytelling

Ready to bring your project to life?

Whether you're developing a new IP, pitching a series, or building a game with heart, I'm here to make your characters sing on screen (and on paper, pitch decks, posters—wherever you need them).

Let’s build something unforgettable.