Senior Environment Artist – Santa Monica, CA, USA
Description
- Is a contributor to the development of the artistic techniques and processes utilized to define and achieve a product’s visual style or encourage artistic evolution within the studio, this entails expanding methods to improve the production pipeline, tools, systems and visual integrity
- Maintains the artistic goals and vision through all phases of the game development cycle from pre-production through final product release, this entails ensuring environment/level assets are of the highest artistic quality and uphold the integrity of the games design and artistic vision of the game as a whole
- Maintain a good knowledge of the games design to facilitate communication and enable early identification of issues
- Undertakes research and information gathering prior to the commencement of a new task to ensure game design needs, reference materials, artistic direction and technological considerations are effectively managed to meet defined goals
- Facilitates requests or information needs regarding any aspect of the environment/level art creation process as requested
- Capable of resolving a range of complex artistic development issues for both artists as well as other team members
- Actively improves skill set and abilities by keeping aware of industry trends and techniques, evaluating competitive products, learning new software packages and traditional art methods
- Possess strong time management and prioritization skills, this entails collaborating with the Production group to coordinate task lists to ensure assignments are progressing as expected according to schedules, milestones and overall project goals
- Clearly communicate updates and properly escalate concerns to the appropriate team member(s) and manager(s)
Qualifications
- Strong traditional fine art skills, training and production experience (illustration, painting, organic forms, color theory, perspective, 2D & 3D design)
- Proficient in the use of Maya (or 3d modeling package) and Photoshop, Z-Brush/Mudbox experience desirable
- Familiarity with video game product development including, but not limited to workflow, tools, lighting, high and low poly modeling, texture paining, surface sampling, particle systems, mapping techniques, UV layout, in-game animation, material setup, layout, sfx, and engine parameters/optimizations desirable
- Previous or next-gen video game platform experience is desirable (e.g. PS2, PS3, X-box, X-box 360 etc)
- Good communication, organizational, time management and interpersonal skills
- At least 3 years of industry or related experience
- At least 1 published titles considered a strength
- Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts or equivalent