2D Illustrator / Lottie Animator for Telegram Mini App (remote)

What are you working on?

• The name of the project(s): Epic Gift
• At what stage of the project(s)? Live product with 1,200,000+ users; expanding PlayHub and adding new game modes.

About Epic Gift

Epic Gift is a gaming Telegram Mini App where users open cases, play different game modes, and win Telegram Gifts.

Product scale

The product already has more than 1,200,000 users. Our fully remote team has more than 30 people, and we hired more than seven new specialists during the last two months.

What we are building

We are expanding PlayHub and gradually adding new game modes. The first assignments will focus on PlayHub, a section that contains different game modes. New modes are added approximately once every two weeks.

Team size and structure?

30+ people in a remote team: Product/UX/UI Designer, developers, and other specialists.

For which tasks (responsibilities)?

Who we are looking for

Epic Gift is looking for 2-3 illustrators and 2D animators for regular project-based cooperation.

You are welcome to apply if you only illustrate, only animate, or combine both disciplines. We do not expect every person to cover the entire production cycle. Assignments are distributed according to specialization, and an illustrator may work together with an animator.

Your work will be used directly inside a Telegram Mini App: game-mode cards, characters, gifts, interface elements, and reward effects. The main assignments are product assets, not advertising videos.

For illustrators

• Create or refine illustrations for game-mode cards.

• Draw characters, gifts, and other game objects.

• Adapt existing materials to the product's visual style.

• Prepare characters and objects for animation by separating elements into layers and delivering source files.

• Work with the designer and animator to define character reactions and object changes during gameplay.

For animators

• Animate game-mode cards, Telegram Gifts, characters, and other prepared objects.

• Create micro-animations for buttons and interface elements.

• Produce idle animations and reactions to wins, losses, waiting, and other game events.

• Create victory and reward effects.

• Use motion to show users what is happening inside the game.

• Export and optimize animations for the application and deliver source files to developers.

Full-cycle specialists

If you can both illustrate and animate, you can take assignments from initial artwork through final animation.

Motion principle

Motion must help users understand the game. We do not want every element moving simultaneously and distracting the user.

What kind of professional are we looking for?

Portfolio first

Your portfolio quality and your personal contribution to the work matter more to us than the number of years listed on your CV.

What we value

• Experience illustrating or animating Telegram stickers, emojis, or gift concepts.

• Telegram contest submissions that you can show.

• Work with characters, objects, and 2D graphics for mobile games, casual games, slots, iGaming, or Telegram Mini Apps.

• Ability to work within an established style, discuss revisions, and meet agreed deadlines.

Direct Telegram experience is an advantage, but we will also consider strong portfolios containing similar work for other products.

For illustrators

You must be able to create suitable artwork and prepare materials for transfer to an animator. After Effects and Lottie knowledge is not required.

For animators

Practical experience exporting and optimizing Lottie animations for products is required. You must understand the technical limitations, work with prepared layers, and deliver the result in the agreed format: Lottie JSON or TGS when appropriate.

Experience limited to video production without Lottie export is not sufficient for this role. Drawing from scratch is not required.

AI use

AI may be used for ideation or initial exploration, provided that the final result is cohesive, professional, and suitable for further production and animation.

What is important for us in a person?

How we work

• Ability to work within an established visual style.

• Willingness to discuss revisions and intermediate results.

• Responsibility for agreed deadlines.

• Clear communication with the Product/UX/UI Designer, animator, or developers.

• Attention to whether motion helps users understand the game without becoming distracting.

Why do we enjoy working here?

Why work with us

• Regular assignments as new modes and products are launched.

• Direct collaboration with the Product/UX/UI Designer and developers.

• The option to take illustration-only, animation-only, or full-cycle assignments.

• The visual direction, deliverable format, deadlines, price, and review stages are agreed before work begins.

• If a short practical assignment is needed, it will be paid regardless of the final hiring decision.

• We are building a pool of 2-3 reliable specialists and may work with several people at the same time.

What are the conditions and bonuses?

Working format

• Remote, project-based, or part-time cooperation.

• Flexible schedule; you may work on other projects in parallel.

• Scope, deadlines, and price are agreed before each assignment begins.

• Payments in USDT.

How each assignment starts

Before each assignment, we agree on what needs to be illustrated or animated, references and visual direction, the final and source-file formats, deadlines, price, and intermediate review stages.

We first approve the static concept. For animation assignments, we also agree on the motion concept before moving to final production. This prevents conceptual revisions after several days of animation work.

Possible full-time option

If a stable full-time workload becomes available later and the cooperation works well for both sides, we may discuss a transition to full-time with one specialist at an indicative salary of $3,000-3,500 per month. This is a possible future arrangement, not the current compensation for part-time work.

The selection process

Selection stages

1. We review your portfolio and short answers to our questions.

2. We hold a video call with the recruiter.

3. You meet the co-founder.

4. If necessary, we offer a small paid practical assignment tailored to your specialization.

5. We make a decision and agree on the terms of cooperation.

Timeline

The process usually takes two to seven days, including weekends. When we find a strong candidate, we may decide faster.

What to send

• Your Telegram username and email address, also CV.

Application

gift official

The Telegram Mini App opens after the bot is launched.