Associate Environment Artist

Makeshift Software; Columbus (OH); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium texture libraries access

MOVE AI motion capture

Z CAM E2-M4 camera capture

Faceware Mark IV mocap helmets

Job summary

Makeshift Software Inc. is hiring an Associate 3D Environment Artist to help build the world of Hexborn. You’ll create terrains, vegetation, and set pieces that support both stylized and photorealistic lighting, collaborating with senior artists to learn our terrain toolchain and PBR workflow.

You’ll start with guided work and mentorship, then assume more independent scope as you gain familiarity with our pipeline and the project’s evolving art direction.

Qualifications

• Portfolio showing environment art fundamentals (composition, lighting, material work).
• Willingness to work across stylized and photorealistic styles as art direction evolves.
• Eagerness to learn from senior environment artists and grow within a production pipeline.

Responsibilities

• Support terrain, foliage, and set-dressing across dungeons, ruins, and outdoor environments.
• Help execute both stylized and photorealistic environment work as the game shifts toward blended visuals.
• Apply and iterate on PBR materials under senior artists' guidance.
• Assist with terrain sculpting and dressing within the Unity terrain pipeline.
• Work with kitbashed modular environment pieces to build world content efficiently.
• Collaborate with senior artists, concept artists, and level designers, growing into more independent scope.

Skills

Blender, 3DS Max, or Maya

Environment art fundamentals

Stylized & photorealistic styles

Willingness to learn in production

Tools

Blender

3DS Max

Maya

Job description

Makeshift Software Inc. | Remote (3–6 months) → Hybrid On-Site Full-Time

About Hexborn

Hexborn is our upcoming dark fantasy action RPG — a brutal blend of hack-and-slash combat, deep dungeon crawling, guild progression, and player-driven rivalry set in a world consumed by an ever-expanding corruption known as the Graveglass Blight. Players rise from an unknown mage into the leader of a legendary guild, mastering arcane combat, recruiting allies, forging relics, and descending into cursed ruins and large-scale raids to uncover the truth behind their rare ability to fly.

The demo is live now on Steam.

We're in the midst of an art direction shift — moving from a strongly stylized anime aesthetic into a blend of photorealism and anime influence. We need an environment artist who's excited to grow into that new visual identity alongside our senior team — helping build the cursed ruins, catacombs, and Blight-corrupted landscapes that define it, from terrain and foliage through to set-dressing.

The Role

We're looking for an Associate 3D Environment Artist to help build the world of Hexborn — terrains, vegetation, and modeled set pieces that hold up under both stylized and photorealistic lighting — while working closely with our senior environment artists to learn our terrain toolchain and PBR texturing pipeline. You'll take direction and reference from concept art and senior artists, and grow into fuller creative ownership as you get comfortable with our tools and world.

This is a hands‑on production role with real mentorship built in. You won't be shaping direction on your own from day one — you'll pair closely with senior artists and technical artists, get regular feedback, and take on more independent scope as you build up your familiarity with our pipeline.

What You'll Do

• Support terrain, foliage, and set-dressing work across Hexborn's dungeons, ruins, and outdoor environments
• Help execute both stylized and photorealistic environment work as Hexborn transitions toward its blended anime/photorealism look
• Apply and iterate on PBR materials under the direction of senior environment artists
• Assist with terrain sculpting and dressing within our Unity terrain pipeline
• Work with kitbashed modular environment pieces to help build out world content efficiently (see reference below)
• Collaborate closely with senior environment artists, concept artists, and level designers, growing into more independent scope over time

What You'll Need

• Some professional or strong portfolio-level experience with Blender, 3DS Max, or Maya (Blender preferred)
• A portfolio showing environment art fundamentals — composition, lighting sensitivity, and material work
• Willingness to work across both stylized and photorealistic styles as our art direction evolves
• Eagerness to learn from senior environment artists and grow within a structured production pipeline

Our Current Direction

We're actively pivoting from a strongly stylized anime style toward a blend of photorealism and anime aesthetics, leaning on kitbashed modular environment pieces to build out our world efficiently.

For a sense of the kind of asset kits we work with:

• Kitbash reference collection

Perks & Tools

• Studio access to premium texture libraries: GameTextures, Quixel Megascans, and Poliigon
• MOVE AI markerless motion capture + Z CAM E2-M4 camera capture system
• Faceware Mark IV mocap helmets for facial performance capture
• Industry-grade workstation, built to spec: see our standard build
• Remote-first for the first 3–6 months, transitioning to hybrid on‑site thereafter

Work Arrangement

We'll start fully remote for a 3–6 month grace period while you ramp up and get embedded with the team, then transition to a hybrid on‑site schedule.

Makeshift Software Inc is the developer and publisher of Hexborn.