Illustrator & Paper Engineer (3D Papercraft Kits)

Pixyls Crafts Inc. Remote, anywhere in the world Full-time USD $80,000-100,000 per year About Pixyls Pixyls makes premium craft kits for creative adults. Every design comes from a real, named artist. We dont use AI art, and our customers frame what they make. We sell across Canada, the US and internationally, and in stores like Indigo. The role We just built our first 3D layered paper canvas, and we want an artist to take it from one prototype to a whole product line. This is a pioneer role. Youll define what a Pixyls 3D papercraft kit is: how it looks, how its built, how it ships flat, and how a customer turns it into a piece with real depth thats worth displaying. Youre an artist first. You draw beautifully, you think in layers and depth, and you cant help turning your art into things that stand up off the page. What youll do Illustrate original layered scenes, and adapt our artists work into compositions with real depth (not flat cut-outs stacked on top of each other) Invent and develop our 3D papercraft kits from first sketch to factory: layered canvases, scenes, shadow boxes, pop-up and book-nook style builds and formats we havent thought of yet Engineer the structure: layer stacks, spacers, tabs, slots, folds, scores and die cuts that are satisfying to build and hold up over time Print, cut and build prototypes at home, test them with real people, and refine until the build is clear and the result is beautiful Model kits in 3D to plan depth, light and assembly, and render previews for approval and marketing Integrate our sticker-by-number system so stickers and paper structure work together Prepare print-ready production files (dielines, kiss cuts, colour, foil, holographic and spot layers) and check proofs and factory samples Work with our manufacturers, mostly overseas, on materials, paper weights, tolerances and unit cost Write and illustrate clear assembly instructions Build the templates and file standards so the line can scale and other artists can design for it What you bring In order of importance: A very strong illustrator or artist. Your portfolio is the first thing well look at. Vector illustration and a strong sense of colour, composition and depth. Papercraft or paper engineering experience. Layered paper art, shadow boxes, pop-ups, paper models or structural packaging. Show us something you designed and built. Architecture or product design experience. 3D modelling (Rhino, SketchUp, Blender, Fusion 360 or similar), physical prototyping, and designing things meant to be built. Also: Your own prototyping setup at home: a colour printer and a cutting machine (Cricut, Silhouette, laser cutter or similar) Expert in Adobe Illustrator Print production knowledge: bleed and trim, paper stocks, die lines, special finishes Detail-oriented. You catch the 1mm error before it becomes 10,000 units Self-directed and comfortable owning a new product category end to end, working remotely A few hours of overlap with Toronto time (Eastern) for calls Nice to have Experience with overseas manufacturers and factory samples Rendering or animation skills (Keyshot, Blender, Cinema 4D) for product visuals A love of crafting, miniatures, dioramas or anything you build with your hands Why Pixyls Youll lead a brand new product line, not maintain an old one Work from anywhere in the world Your work goes from sketch to shelf in months, not years Small, fast team where your ideas get made A brand that values real artists, real materials and real craft How to apply Send your resume and portfolio to . Include: Your strongest illustration work At least one 3D paper piece you designed and built, with photos of the finished piece and any process work (sketches, models, dielines) A line about your home prototyping setup (printer and cutter)