Lead Digital Artist - Game Development

Placements24; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Highly competitive remote salary

Performance-based bonuses and profit分享

Health and wellness benefits

Job summary

Placements24 is sourcing a Lead Digital Artist for a pioneering game development studio in Cape Town. This high-impact role leads a remote art team to define and execute the visual vision for immersive game worlds, spanning characters, environments, and UI assets.

You will mentor 3D modelers, texture artists, animators and designers, ensuring high-quality, consistent visuals and strong artistic direction across projects. A passion for games and remote collaboration is essential.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in digital art for video games.
• 3+ years in Lead Artist or Art Director role.
• Portfolio showcasing character design, environment art and strong artistic direction.

Responsibilities

• Define artistic vision and style for new game titles.
• Lead, mentor, and provide feedback to 3D modelers, texture artists, animators, and UI designers.
• Oversee creation of all visual assets ensuring alignment with game aesthetic.
• Collaborate with designers, programmers, and producers to integrate art assets into the game engine.
• Develop and maintain art style guides and asset creation pipelines.
• Conduct regular art reviews to ensure quality and adherence to requirements.
• Stay updated with trends, technologies, and techniques in game art.
• Contribute to asset creation when necessary; demonstrate mastery of software.
• Champion a positive, productive remote working environment for the art team.

Skills

Lead Artist

Art Direction

Remote Leadership

Character Design

Environment Art

3D Modeling

Texturing

Unreal/Unity

Tools

Maya

3ds Max

ZBrush

Substance Painter

Photoshop

Unreal Engine

Unity

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a pioneering game development studio located in the scenic city of Cape Town , is searching for an exceptional Lead Digital Artist to spearhead our visual development efforts. This is a crucial role for a highly skilled and imaginative artist with a passion for creating immersive and visually stunning game worlds. You will be responsible for defining and executing the artistic vision of our upcoming projects, leading a talented team of artists, and ensuring the highest standards of quality and consistency in all visual assets. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the cutting-edge of the Arts & Entertainment industry, working remotely from anywhere while shaping the visual identity of games that will captivate audiences worldwide. Join our innovative team and leave your mark on the future of interactive entertainment from your home studio in Cape Town .

Key Responsibilities

• Define and drive the artistic vision and style for new game titles.
• Lead, mentor, and provide constructive feedback to a team of 3D modelers, texture artists, animators, and UI designers.
• Oversee the creation of all visual assets, including character models, environments, props, UI elements, and special effects, ensuring they align with the game's overall aesthetic.
• Collaborate closely with game designers, programmers, and producers to integrate art assets seamlessly into the game engine.
• Develop and maintain detailed art style guides and asset creation pipelines.
• Conduct regular art reviews and provide direction to ensure artistic quality and adherence to project requirements.
• Troubleshoot and resolve artistic challenges encountered during development.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest trends, technologies, and techniques in game art and visual development.
• Contribute directly to asset creation when necessary, demonstrating mastery of relevant software.
• Champion a positive and productive remote working environment for the art team.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in digital art for video games, with at least 3 years in a Lead Artist or Art Director role.
• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing exceptional artistic skill, including examples of character design, environment art, and strong artistic direction.
• Expertise in industry-standard 3D modeling, sculpting, texturing, and rendering software (e.g., Maya, 3ds Max, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Photoshop, Unreal Engine/Unity).
• Proven ability to lead and inspire a remote art team, fostering collaboration and delivering high-quality results.
• Strong understanding of color theory, composition, lighting, and form.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to clearly articulate artistic concepts and feedback.
• Experience with different art styles, from realistic to stylized.
• Passion for video games and a deep understanding of the game development process.
• Ability to work effectively in a fully remote setting, manage time, and meet deadlines.
• Experience within the Arts & Entertainment sector is highly valued.

Benefits

• Highly competitive remote salary.
• Performance-based bonuses and potential profit sharing.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits package.
• Opportunities for continuous learning and professional growth with access to online courses and conferences.
• Generous vacation and personal leave allowance.
• Flexible working hours to accommodate remote lifestyles.
• Collaborative and supportive online team culture.
• Contribute to exciting, high-profile game projects from Cape Town and beyond.