Art Director

Summary

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Art Director to join our dynamic team. As Art Director, you will be responsible for leading and inspiring our talented artists to deliver visually stunning and cohesive game worlds that captivate players and bring our game concepts to life. You will have a direct impact on the overall visual direction of our projects, ensuring they meet the highest artistic standards and align with the game's design and narrative goals.

Core Responsibilities

• Provide artistic vision and leadership to the art team, setting the overall direction and ensuring consistency across all visual aspects of the game.
• Collaborate closely with the game director, designers, and other stakeholders to define the visual style, mood, and tone of the game, ensuring it aligns with the creative vision.
• Develop and communicate a clear art direction to the team, providing guidance on aesthetics, art techniques, and technical requirements.
• Oversee the creation and implementation of concept art, character designs, environments, props, and visual effects, ensuring they meet the highest quality standards and remain faithful to the game's vision.
• Lead and mentor the internal and external art team/s, fostering a collaborative and inspiring environment that encourages creativity, innovation, and professional growth.
• Conduct regular quality control processes, performance evaluations, provide constructive feedback, and identify training needs to help the team continuously improve their skills and achieve their full potential.
• Collaborate with technical artists and programmers to ensure efficient integration of art assets into the game engine, while considering technical constraints and performance optimization.
• Stay up to date with industry trends, emerging technologies, and advancements in art techniques, and incorporate relevant innovations into the development process when appropriate.
• Manage external art outsourcing when necessary, ensuring quality, deadlines, and budget requirements are met.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 7+ years of games industry experience with a minimum of 3+ years of experience in a leadership role as an Art Director in game development. Must include at least one released title.
• Strong portfolio showcasing exceptional artistic and creative skills, with a focus on game-related work
• In-depth understanding of game development pipelines, including concept art, character design, 3D modeling, texturing, lighting, and visual effects
• Proficient in industry-standard software tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, 3D modeling software (e.g., Maya, 3ds Max), and game engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity)
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate a team
• Strong conceptual thinking and the ability to translate abstract ideas into visually compelling art direction
• A keen eye for detail, composition, color theory, and visual storytelling
• Knowledge of current gaming trends, art styles, and technical advancements
• Proven ability to consistently and positively contribute to a high-paced, dynamic work environment with the ability to prioritize multiple functions and tasks and manage work time efficiently
• Proven ability to take initiative and build strong, productive relationships with people at all levels
• Ability to adhere to an expectation of complete confidentiality on all business matters
• A passion for video games and a deep understanding of the gaming industry

Description

• Full time job with benefits
• Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA
• Office is located near downtown Santa Monica – near metro and freeways

This is a rare and unique opportunity to join our brand new studio and team at the ground level. Join and play a crucial role in shaping the visual identity of our exciting games. Together, we will create immersive worlds that transport players to extraordinary experiences and redefine the boundaries of entertainment. Apply now and let your artistic vision shine with Absurd Ventures.

The base pay range for this position is $146,000 to $192,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer a competitive package of benefits including paid time off, sick time, company holidays, parental leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.

About Absurd Ventures

Absurd Ventures is a media company creating new IP across all platforms and for all formats.Absurd Ventures is building narrative worlds, creating characters, and writing stories for a variety of genres, without regard to medium, to be produced for live-action and animation; video games and other interactive content; books, graphic novels, and scripted podcasts.