Lead Character Artist

Placements24; Randburg; Hybrid; ZAR 550,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary & bonuses

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off and holidays

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Character Artist in Randburg to guide the character art team in creating high-quality character models. You will mentor juniors, define pipelines, and collaborate with art directors and designers to bring compelling characters to life.

The role emphasizes artistic excellence, technical rigor, and leadership within a collaborative studio environment in Randburg.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in character art for games or similar media, with at least 2 years in a lead role.
• Portfolio showing character modeling, sculpting, texturing, and PBR workflows.
• Progressive leadership and collaboration with art directors and designers.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of character artists.
• Oversee high-poly and low-poly character models, sculpting, UV mapping, and texturing.
• Ensure consistency in art style, quality, and technical execution.
• Collaborate with art directors and designers to realize concepts.
• Develop and refine character art pipelines, tools, and workflows.

Skills

Character modeling

Sculpting (ZBrush)

Texturing (Substance Painter)

PBR workflows

Leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Tools

ZBrush

Substance Painter

Industry-standard 3D software

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a passionate and experienced Lead Character Artist to guide their character art team in Randburg . You will be responsible for overseeing the creation of high-quality character models, ensuring artistic consistency and technical excellence across all projects. This leadership role involves mentoring junior artists, defining character art pipelines, and collaborating closely with art directors and designers to bring compelling characters to life. You will foster a collaborative and innovative environment, pushing the boundaries of character artistry and contributing to the visual success of our titles.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of character artists to achieve exceptional results.
• Oversee the creation of high-poly and low-poly character models, including sculpting, retopology, UV mapping, and texturing.
• Ensure consistency in art style, quality, and technical execution across all character assets.
• Collaborate with art directors and game designers to realize character concepts and gameplay requirements.
• Develop and refine character art pipelines, tools, and workflows for maximum efficiency and quality.

Requirements

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in character art for games or similar media, with at least 2 years in a lead role.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating mastery of character modeling, sculpting (ZBrush), texturing (Substance Painter), and PBR workflows.
• Proficiency with industry-standard 3D modeling and texturing software.
• Excellent understanding of anatomy, proportion, and form in relation to character design.
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous paid time off and holiday schedule.
• Opportunities for professional development and career advancement in Randburg .
• A dynamic, collaborative studio atmosphere focused on creative excellence.