Steam Capsule Artwork for 2D Indie game

We are looking for a skilled digital illustrator to create the Steam capsule key art for our upcoming 2D indie game: Cole Hunter: Pay₿ack. This artwork is strictly promotional — it must grab attention in the crowded Steam store, communicate the game’s sci-fi action theme instantly, and feel professional and polished.

WHAT WE NEED

A vibrant, eye-catching capsule illustration that integrates the following elements:

CORE VISUAL ELEMENTS

- A distinctive space ship as the focal point (stylized, exaggerated proportions, strong silhouette).
- Afterburners/glow effects to signal speed, power, and genre convention.
- Space background scenery (stars, nebula, planets, asteroids) that enhances but doesn’t overpower the ship.
- The main character’s portrait (Cole Hunter) integrated if possible — balanced against the ship so both can be recognized.
- Our game’s title/logo (COLE HUNTER PAY₿ACK), clean PSD will be provided, worked cleanly into the composition, instantly legible at all sizes.

STYLE & DIRECTION

- Genre conventions: Must look in line with space shooters/roguelites on Steam (see attached moodboards). Think *Everspace*, *Redout: Space Assault*, *Elite Dangerous* — ships with glowing afterburners, bold angles, and space environments that pop.
- Clarity at small scale: Design must read instantly at the smallest capsule size — clear silhouettes, bold colors, no clutter.
- Tone: Playful, action-oriented sci-fi with a touch of grit. The ship and hero should feel iconic, not generic.
- Color palette: Strong contrast, vibrant but not oversaturated. Needs to feel “in brand” with the references provided.

DELIVERABLES

1. Final artwork exported for all Steam capsule sizes:
* Main capsule (1232 x 706 px)
* Small capsule (462 × 174 px)
* Library header (920 × 430 px)

2. Layered source file (PSD or AI), with key elements on separate layers (ship, background, logo, character, FX).

3. Transparent PNG of the logo/wordmark extracted from the final composition.

REFERENCES (provided)

- Moodboards of Steam capsules & genre conventions
- Current capsule (for improvement)
- Portrait of protagonist Cole Hunter (image + video)
- Game logo (COLE HUNTER PAY₿ACK)
- Ship texture reference

REQUIREMENTS / KEY DIRECTIONS

- Artwork must be professional quality — amateur or quick jobs will not be accepted.
- Must include afterburners/glow FX and a sense of movement.
- Must balance logo legibility and hero ship clarity at all sizes.
- Must follow Steam’s capsule guidelines (composition, text safety margins).
- All layers must be clean, named, and organized for future edits.

BUDGET & TIMELINE

- Budget: Standard
- Deadline: Max 5 weeks

When the artwork feels polished, on-brand, and ready to sell the game at first sight, the job is complete.