Senior Lookdev Artist - Multiple Positions

RodeoFX; Toronto; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Rodeo FX is seeking a Look Development Artist to craft photoreal textures and shading for production assets. You will work with Texturing, Lighting, and Compositing to deliver high-quality, lighting-ready assets and ensure seamless integration into sequences.

The role emphasizes expertise in Houdini, Maya, Mari, Substance Painter/Designer, and PBR workflows, with a focus on realism, technical reliability, and collaboration across multiple teams.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in lookdev and/or texturing in VFX or animation.
• Strong proficiency in Houdini (Solaris/Karma) and/or Maya, as well as Nuke.
• Solid knowledge of rendering engines such as Arnold and/or Karma.
• Advanced expertise in texturing with Mari and/or Substance Painter/Designer.
• Strong understanding of PBR workflows, UVs, color management, and displacement.
• Good understanding of the interaction between textures, shaders, lighting, and rendering.
• Ability to deliver clean, optimized, production-ready assets.
• High level of autonomy, strong organizational skills, and ability to manage priorities effectively.
• Collaborative mindset, clear communication, and constructive attitude.

Responsibilities

• Develop complete looks by combining textures, shaders, and validation lighting tailored to production needs.
• Create or refine textures to ensure visual and technical consistency of assets.
• Produce validation renders (turntables, AOVs, benchmarks) to support dailies reviews.
• Deliver robust, lighting-ready assets within deadlines and established standards.
• Propose clear and effective artistic solutions based on a strong understanding of materials and surfaces.
• Ensure visual consistency across texturing, shading, and lighting for all assets.
• Achieve a high level of realism through attention to micro-details and surface variation.
• Interpret and enhance visual references with critical thinking and artistic judgment.
• Design physically plausible shaders optimized for production and pipeline compatibility.
• Create, adapt, or fix textures (UVs, tiling, displacement, color space) to ensure performance in lookdev.
• Build clean and efficient setups that support Lighting and Compositing workflows.
• Quickly identify and resolve technical issues to avoid production bottlenecks.
• Collaborate closely with upstream and downstream teams to ensure smooth asset continuity.
• Partner with Lighting and Compositing to ensure consistency in the final render.
• Clearly communicate technical requirements related to textures and shading.
• Actively participate in dailies and integrate feedback proactively.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of workflows between Texturing and Lookdev.
• Support the development of tools, templates, and best practices to improve production efficiency.
• Stay up to date with advancements in rendering, shading, and texturing.

Skills

Houdini

Maya

Nuke

Arnold

Karma

Mari

Substance Painter

Substance Designer

PBR workflows

UVs

Color management

Displacement

Textures

Shading

Lighting

Rendering

Autonomy

Communication

Tools

USD pipelines

ShotGrid

Python

Job description

This role requires expertise in realistic texturing. The artist must be able to create high-quality textures using photographic references, scans, digital painting, or procedural materials.

The Look Development Artist creates and refines the look of 3D models to achieve photorealistic rendering, combining textures, shading, and surface properties. They contribute directly to the artistic and technical quality of delivered assets, ensuring they meet Rodeo FX's high standards and integrate seamlessly into sequences. Working closely with Texturing, Lighting, Compositing, Supervision, and Production teams, they actively contribute to the pipeline and the achievement of creative and technical goals.

Key Responsibilities:

Master your craft

• - Develop complete looks by combining textures, shaders, and validation lighting tailored to production needs.
• - Create or refine textures to ensure visual and technical consistency of assets.
• - Produce validation renders (turntables, AOVs, benchmarks) to support dailies reviews.
• - Deliver robust, lighting-ready assets within deadlines and established standards.

Creative Quality

• - Propose clear and effective artistic solutions based on a strong understanding of materials and surfaces.
• - Ensure visual consistency across texturing, shading, and lighting for all assets.
• - Achieve a high level of realism through attention to micro-details and surface variation.
• - Interpret and enhance visual references with critical thinking and artistic judgment.

Technical Quality

• - Design physically plausible shaders optimized for production and pipeline compatibility.
• - Create, adapt, or fix textures (UVs, tiling, displacement, color space) to ensure performance in lookdev.
• - Build clean and efficient setups that support Lighting and Compositing workflows.
• - Quickly identify and resolve technical issues to avoid production bottlenecks.

Communication

• - Collaborate closely with upstream and downstream teams to ensure smooth asset continuity.
• - Partner with Lighting and Compositing to ensure consistency in the final render.
• - Clearly communicate technical requirements related to textures and shading.
• - Actively participate in dailies and integrate feedback proactively.

Teach, learn and grow

• - Contribute to continuous improvement of workflows between Texturing and Lookdev.
• - Support the development of tools, templates, and best practices to improve production efficiency.
• - Stay up to date with advancements in rendering, shading, and texturing.

Nice to Have

• - Experience with USD pipelines
• - Familiarity with ShotGrid or similar production tracking tools.
• - Experience in tool development or scripting (Python).
• - Experience in hybrid environments (feature film, advertising, series).

Qualifications

• - Minimum of 6 years of experience in lookdev and/or texturing in VFX or animation.
• - Strong proficiency in Houdini (Solaris/Karma) and/or Maya, as well as Nuke.
• - Solid knowledge of rendering engines such as Arnold and/or Karma.
• - Advanced expertise in texturing with Mari and/or Substance Painter/Designer.
• - Strong understanding of PBR workflows, UVs, color management, and displacement.
• - Good understanding of the interaction between textures, shaders, lighting, and rendering.
• - Ability to deliver clean, optimized, production-ready assets.
• - High level of autonomy, strong organizational skills, and ability to manage priorities effectively.
• - Strong technical and artistic rigor, with great attention to detail.
• - Collaborative mindset, clear communication, and constructive attitude.

Additional Information

The salary range listed reflects the expected compensation for this position and level. Final compensation will be determined based on the candidate’s relevant experience, skills, qualifications, and the scope of responsibilities.

Candidates whose experience aligns more closely with a different level may be considered for an appropriately leveled position, with compensation corresponding to the responsibilities and expectations of that role.

• - This position corresponds to an existing vacancy, opened to support the team’s current needs.
• - Multiple temporary contracts available, with a strong possibility of extension.
• - Flexible start dates.
• - The artist must also have strong expertise in realistic texturing to produce high-quality textures from photographic references, scans, digital painting, or procedural materials.

Diversity : At Rodeo FX, diversity is a core value. We’re committed to creating an inclusive, equitable workplace where different perspectives are embraced. Every team member brings unique insight that strengthens our creativity, challenges our thinking, and helps us deliver better work.

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