Bring Mateo to Life – Teen Life Guide with Heart & Hoodie Style

Education

This illustration is for a teen life skills book called Teen Life Skills Survival Guide, created to help young people build confidence, improve communication, and feel a real sense of belonging in a world that often makes them feel out of place. The book is fun, practical, and motivational—filled with relatable advice, real-world tools, and encouragement. The target audience is teens ages 12–18, especially those who may feel overwhelmed, misunderstood, or unsure of themselves. It’s also meant to support the adults in their lives—parents, teachers, and mentors—by bridging the gap between generations and helping teens navigate real-life challenges with confidence.

I’m looking for a black-and-white, comic-style illustration of a teen character named Mateo. He’s the symbolic “guide” in a motivational life skills book for teenagers. Think: chill, older-brother energy—someone who’s been through hard stuff and gets it. Cool without trying. Supportive without being preachy. Mateo’s Vibe: Age: 17–18 Ethnicity: Caucasian Hair: Black, tousled, slightly messy (effortless, not styled) Outfit: Casual but expressive — hoodie layered over a t-shirt, jeans, sneakers Expression: Relaxed smirk or soft smile, kind eyes Facial Hair: Clean-shaven or light goatee is okay — no full beard Energy: Calm, grounded, protective. The guy who listens first, lifts you up with his words, and reminds you that you belong. Inspiration: Mateo is loosely inspired by actor Tyler Hynes (as a teenager)— quiet intensity, emotional depth, hoodie-core style, and genuine heart. Illustration Style: Clean black-and-white linework (for a printed book) Slightly stylized, comic or graphic novel-inspired Not cartoony, not anime — ideally a style that feels modern, warm, and grounded Teen readers should instantly feel like he’s someone they’d trust Pose Idea for This Contest: Mateo standing or leaning casually (e.g., against a locker or sitting on a bench), with room for a speech bubble. He appears at the end of each chapter offering encouragement. Optional props: map, notebook, phone — open to ideas that help tell his story visually. Additional Info: This is the core character pose — if the style fits, I may commission additional illustrations (more poses, younger version for a children's book, even character-based branding like a logo). Feel free to ask questions or share a rough sketch first if you’d like — I’m actively engaged and excited to collaborate!

Mateo will also appear on my website (TeenLifeSkillsHQ), so while this contest is for a black-and-white version for the printed book, I may request a color version for digital use in the future. Please keep his look clean, expressive, and versatile enough to be used across both print and digital platforms. Thank you so much for helping bring this character to life—he’s not just part of the book, he’s the face of the brand. Teens need someone who feels like they get it—and Mateo is that guide. I’m excited to see your vision. These images show the actor who inspired the look and vibe of Mateo. He should NOT be copied exactly, but his energy is what we're aiming for—cool without trying, emotionally grounded, big-brother energy. The younger photo is ideal for Mateo’s age (17–18), showing the light facial scruff and tousled hair. The more polished images are just to show his structure, warm eyes, and relaxed confidence. Mateo should look teen-appropriate—just a hint of scruff is fine, but not a full adult beard or business look.

Every design category has flexible pricing for all budgets. Illustration or graphics starts at HK$2,699.