Character Artist — AAA Game Sculpting & Texturing

Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Japan); Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Naughty Dog in Santa Monica is seeking a skilled Character Artist for on-site work. You will sculpt and texture outfits, characters, and animals to create a believable world.

Collaboration across concept art, shading, and rigging ensures a high-quality production pipeline for our acclaimed titles. The role requires a strong foundation in anatomy, clothing folds, and skin texture, plus hands-on experience with Zbrush, Maya, Substance Painter, and Photoshop.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in any field or foreign equivalent.
• Two years of experience as a character artist.
• Experience working on AAA titles as a character artist.
• Knowledge of clothing folds and human anatomy.
• Understanding of game production pipeline.
• Ability to create clothing assets that feel lived-in through texturing.
• Ability to make skin look natural with color variations (veins, discoloration, imperfections).
• Proficiency with Zbrush, Autodesk Maya, Substance Painter and Photoshop.

Responsibilities

• Perform sculpting/modeling different outfits, people and animals for a realistic world setting.
• Texture clothing with wear, grime, and damage to add backstory to assets.
• Texture for skin with sub-surface scattering and imperfections.
• Conduct retopology and efficient UV layout.
• Create hair cards/fur and set up shaders.
• Collaborate with Concept Art, Shading and Rigging to develop a high-quality production pipeline.

Skills

AAA-title experience

Clothing folds knowledge

Human anatomy knowledge

Game production pipeline understanding

Texture clothing wear (grime, damage)

Skin color variation realism

Education

Bachelor's degree (any field)

Tools

Zbrush

Autodesk Maya

Substance Painter

Photoshop

Job description

Naughty Dog in Santa Monica is seeking a skilled Character Artist for on-site work. You will sculpt and texture outfits, characters, and animals to create a believable world.

Collaboration across concept art, shading, and rigging ensures a high-quality production pipeline for our acclaimed titles. The role requires a strong foundation in anatomy, clothing folds, and skin texture, plus hands-on experience with Zbrush, Maya, Substance Painter, and Photoshop.