We run a website for programmers called www.raywenderlich.com that contains tutorials about game programming for the iPhone.

We are in the process of creating a "Platformer Game Starter Kit" that teaches readers how to make their own mario-like game for the iPhone. We are looking for a pixel artist to create the art for the demo game in the starter kit.

You can see a demo of the current beta build with placeholder art here: Platformer Game with Placeholder Art

One of the nice things about working on this project is that the buyers of this starter kit will be game programmers looking to make their own games. There is a high chance that some of them would be interested in hiring you to make custom art for their own game projects. Plus, the website we are selling it on gets a high amount of web traffic (over 1 million pageviews/month) so it's great exposure for a budding game artist.

If you are interested in this project, please email us at razewarellc@gmail.com with the following information:

a) A link to your portfolio
b) Your bid for the cost of this project (we want a fixed price for the project)
c) Why you want to take this project
d) If you have an iPhone or iPad

We will be looking for experienced pixel artists with a proven track record of getting jobs done. We will be looking for you to start immediately, so make sure your schedule is clear.

Thank you, and the full art requirements follow!

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iOS screen dimensions are 320x480. However this is pixel art so the "pixels" can/should be made artifially big for a more "retro" feel, like this game: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/velocispider/id433011745?mt=8

3 Tilesets for levels -

     1) Outside
     2) Inside Cave
     3) Lava/Hell level
     
     Transitions between the three
     
     Each tileset should contain some hazards (spikes, lava, things we can't touch)
     
Parallax background elements for 3 levels
     level 1 - mountains/trees/skyline
     level 2 - cave background
     level 3 - Hell environment, fire and brimstone!!!
     
     These parallax background should be able to loop horizontally and be 3 verical screens high so that the level doesn't have to be flat. Backgrounds don't have to be pixel art necessarily, foreground objects are more important.
     
Main Character - about 32 x 64
     Walking animation
     Jumping animation
     Double jump spin (single frame)
     dying animation
     wall sliding animation (might be nice to have some dust coming off the wall)
     
Creeper - something like a goomba on mario about 40 x 40
     walking
     jumping
     dying
     
seeker - something like a boo in mario (it stops coming toward you when you face it) but I like the idea of an eye of cthulu like what you see here: http://www.quartertothree.com/fp/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/cthulhu.jpg about 60 x 60
     seeking (flying eye open)
     stopped (eye shut)
     attacking (when you get close, enemy accelerates towards player)
     dying
     
     
BOSS
     a creature with 3-5 heads and a main body. Needs to be built in pieces because I'll use segments for the neck and there will be physics so the necks act like ropes with the heads seeking the player.
          
     No animation will be necessary for this as the movement will be done with joins and physics bodies
     
Powerups 32 x 32
     double jump
     wall slide/wall jump
     Coins
     life enery
     
HUD
     left/right buttons
     jump button
     life bar (5 units)
     Coins icon