Senior Environment Surfacing Artist

Skydance Animation; Madrid; Hybrid; EUR 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Skydance Animation is seeking an experienced Environment Senior Surfacing Artist to collaborate with Production, Art Directors and Supervisors to develop the look of environments and props. You will craft materials, textures and surfacing solutions across diverse styles, using USD, Houdini, RenderMan, and Substance tools within modern production pipelines.

You will ensure high-quality surfacing across assets, solve technical challenges, and contribute to a collaborative team environment in a

Qualifications

• 5+ years in the VFX or animation industry
• 3+ years in the animation industry desirable
• Strong artistic sensibility and/or technical expertise related to 3D animation and VFX
• Experience in Renderman and/or Arnold
• Experience with Substance 3D Painter/Designer and/or Mari
• Strong knowledge of UV creation and layout
• Understanding of workflows of Modeling, Set Dressing, Lighting, FX, and Compositing
• High English level desirable

Responsibilities

• Create and develop stylized and realistic textures using references, painting, procedural workflows and existing textures
• Research visual references and develop surfacing solutions independently
• Translate Production Designer’s vision into cohesive surfacing solutions
• Ensure surfacing quality and consistency across assets and environments
• Create, refine, and maintain materials using shading workflows balancing artistic and physical properties
• Troubleshoot technical issues and track progress to resolution
• Take ownership of assigned assets and ensure timely delivery
• Collaborate with Supervisors, Leads and upstream/downstream departments (Modeling, Set Dressing, Rigging, Lighting, FX, Compositing)
• Share knowledge and support growth of less experienced artists
• Propose solutions to artistic and technical challenges and define best path forward
• Demonstrate strong organization and time management across multiple assignments
• Maintain clear, proactive communication

Skills

Strong artistic sensibility

Technical expertise in 3D animation &V

High English level

Tools

Renderman

Arnold

Substance Painter

Substance Designer

Mari

Houdini

Solaris

Katana

USD

OSL

Job description

Skydance offers a dynamic, inclusive, and ever-evolving culture where innovative ideas are welcomed, and growth fostered. The partnership between unique creativity and technological advancements are demonstrated within each pillar of the company. At the heart of it all is a commitment to boldly entertaining and relevant storytelling.

While all Animation studios look to hire people who are creative and hard-working, Skydance Animation is specifically looking for pioneers who seek to push the limits of what the world’s most collaborative art form can achieve, and to give those pioneers the space and the resources to build a new studio that’s doing something different.

For more information on how we process your personal information, please review the Privacy policy located at https://privacy.paramount.com/recruitment-privacy-notice.

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As an Environment Senior Surfacing Artist, you will collaborate with the Production team, Production Designer, Art Director, and Environment Supervisor to develop the visual language and surface aesthetics of environments and props throughout the film. You will create and refine materials, textures, and surfacing solutions across a wide range of artistic styles while maintaining the creative vision of the project. You will work within modern production workflows using tools and technologies such as USD, Substance Painter/Designer, Houdini, RenderMan, and RizomUV.

Responsibilities

Creates and develops stylized and realistic textures using photographic references, hand-painted techniques, procedural workflows, and existing texture assets, adapting approaches to different artistic styles and production requirements.

Researches visual references and develops surfacing solutions independently when concept art or direct visual guidance is unavailable.

Translates the Production Designer’s vision into cohesive surfacing solutions that support the overall visual language of the film.

Ensures surfacing quality, consistency, and adherence to the established visual direction across assets, environments, and sequences.

Creates, refines, and maintains materials using standard and procedural shading workflows, balancing artistic requirements with appropriate physical properties and visual style.

Troubleshoots technical issues, tracks progress, and follows through to resolution.

Takes ownership of assigned assets, ensuring quality and timely delivery.

Collaborates with Supervisors, Leads, and upstream/downstream departments, including Modeling, Set Dressing, Rigging, Lighting, FX, and Compositing.

Shares knowledge and supports the growth of less experienced artists.

Proposes solutions to artistic and technical challenges, defining the best ways to proceed.

Demonstrates strong organizational skills, including task prioritization and effective time management across multiple assignments.

Maintains clear, proactive, and transparent communication.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in the VFX or animation industry.

3+ years in the animation industry is desirable.

Strong artistic sensibility and/or technical expertise related to 3D animation and VFX are required.

Experience in Renderman and/or Arnold.

Experience with Substance 3D Painter, Substance 3D Designer, and/or Mari.

Strong knowledge of UV creation and layout.

Understanding of related departments' workflows, including Modeling, Set Dressing, Lighting, FX, and Compositing.

Experience optimizing complex scenes and rendering workflows.

Experience managing large scenes, complex environments, and demanding sequences.

Knowledge of Houdini, Solaris or Katana is desirable.

USD and/or OSL knowledge is a plus.

Knowledge of vegetation workflows (instances and scatters) is a plus.

Understanding of displacement workflows (maps and geometry output).

High English level desirable

#Animation #LI-Hybrid

Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company brings to life stories of immersive worlds across its feature film, television, interactive, and animation divisions.