Senior Concept Artist, Characters - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NY

Blizzard Entertainment; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a Senior Concept Artist to contribute to a new, unannounced game. This role involves crafting compelling character designs and collaborating with a talented team to establish visual targets. You will leverage both traditional and digital techniques to bring your artistic vision to life. The position offers a hybrid work environment, allowing for flexibility while working on groundbreaking projects. Join a creative team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of game development and storytelling, and make your mark in the gaming world with your artistic talents.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with Company match

Tuition reimbursement

Paid holidays and vacation

Mental health & wellbeing programs

Free and discounted games

Relocation assistance

Qualifications

• 5+ years in game or film industries with proven digital art skills.
• Strong foundational skills in anatomy, color theory, and composition.

Responsibilities

• Produce character-focused concept work to guide 3D asset creation.
• Collaborate with art directors to maintain artistic consistency.

Skills

Digital Art Creation

Character Design

Anatomy Skills

Color Theory

Communication Skills

3D Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts or related field

Tools

Photoshop

Illustrator

ZBrush

Blender

Maya

3D Studio Max

Job description

Team Name: Unannounced Project

Job Title: Senior Concept Artist, Characters - Unannounced Game | Irvine, CA or Albany, NY

Requisition ID: R025032

Job Description:

At Blizzard, we craft genre-defining games and legendary worlds for all to share. Through unparalleled creativity and storytelling, we create immersive universes and iconic characters that are beloved across platforms, borders, backgrounds, and generations - only made possible by building a work environment that nurtures the artistry of game development and unleashes the aspirations of our people.

We are looking for a Senior Character Concept Artist to help us craft a new, unannounced game for Blizzard. You will play a crucial role in establishing the look and feel of characters, vehicles, and weapons that will guide production. You will collaborate closely with art directors, modelers, and designers, leveraging both traditional and digital techniques along with 3D workflows to bring unique and compelling designs to life.

This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA.

Responsibilities:

• Producing a wide range of character-focused concept work to establish visual targets and guide the 3D art team in asset creation, design, and look development.
• Collaborating with the art director and other team leads to maintain artistic consistency and quality.
• Mentoring junior concept artists and providing guidance to elevate the team’s overall skill level.
• Contributing beyond your core expertise by supporting various aspects of visual development, including paintovers and defining material sheets.
• Staying up to date with industry trends, tools, and techniques to improve workflows and drive innovation.
• Assisting in the recruitment and onboarding of new team members.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience in game, film, or related industries.
• Proven ability to create high-quality digital art in a professional setting.
• Strong foundational skills in anatomy, color theory, composition, and figure sculpting.
• Expertise in designing characters, vehicles, and weapons from loose exploration sketches to fully rendered concepts.
• Experience in graphic design, fine arts, and 2D/3D modeling.
• Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, and ZBrush.
• Ability to incorporate 3D problem-solving into the concept design process, including modifying, rendering, and compositing 3D models to achieve the best results.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with a proactive and collaborative attitude.
• Ability to take feedback constructively, anticipate revision needs, and work efficiently with minimal supervision.

Pluses:

• 3D software such as Blender, Maya, or 3D Studio Max.
• Significant experience (10+ years minimum) in the Visual Development processes for games animation or VFX.

Submission / Portfolio requirements:

• Portfolio and/or reel demonstrating relevant artistic skills required.
• Only online artwork submissions will be accepted (e.g. website, blog or online album).

Your Platform:

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com) is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards.

Our World:

Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, Candy Crush and Bubble Witch.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all the qualifications? Let us decide! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to [e-mail].

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.

Rewards:

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $80,800.00 - $149,400.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location.