Senior Character Artist - 3D Modeling & Sculpting

Placements24; Benoni; Hybrid; ZAR 420,000 - 660,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits

Career growth in Arts & Entertainment

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Character Artist in Benoni, Gauteng to create high-fidelity, game-ready character assets. You will sculpt, retopologize, texture, and integrate characters for real-time rendering, collaborating with riggers and animators to ensure correct deformation.

The ideal candidate brings a strong portfolio, expertise in Maya/Blender, ZBrush, and PBR workflows with Substance Painter and Photoshop, and a deep understanding of anatomy for both human and creature characters.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a 3D Character Artist with a strong portfolio.
• Expert proficiency in Maya or Blender and ZBrush.
• Advanced knowledge of PBR texturing with Substance Painter and Photoshop.
• Strong understanding of human and creature anatomy and proportions.
• Experience with real-time engines Unreal Engine or Unity.

Responsibilities

• Create high-quality, game-ready 3D character models from concept art.
• Sculpt high-poly details and perform retopology for real-time use.
• Texture with PBR workflows using Substance Painter and Photoshop.
• Ensure models meet engine specs and texture memory limits.
• Collaborate with riggers/animators to ensure proper deformation.
• Maintain visual consistency with art direction and team standards.
• Stay updated on industry techniques and share knowledge with juniors.
• Contribute to the look development and overall character quality.

Skills

3D character artistry

Sculpting

Texturing

Anatomy knowledge

Art direction adaptation

Tools

Maya

Blender

ZBrush

Substance Painter

Photoshop

Unreal Engine

Unity

Marvelous Designer

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a respected game development studio located in Benoni, Gauteng, is looking for a highly skilled Senior Character Artist specializing in 3D modeling and sculpting. This pivotal role involves creating high-fidelity, game-ready character assets that are crucial for bringing our virtual worlds to life. You will be responsible for all aspects of character creation, from initial concept interpretation and high-poly sculpting to efficient low-poly modeling, texturing, and rigging integration. The ideal candidate possesses an exceptional eye for detail, anatomy, and form, combined with advanced technical skills in 3D software. Join us in Benoni and contribute your artistic talent to the creation of compelling characters for our next generation of games.

Key Responsibilities

• Create high-quality, game-ready 3D character models based on concept art and art direction.
• Sculpt detailed high-poly models using ZBrush or similar software.
• Retopologize and optimize models for efficient real-time rendering in game engines.
• Create realistic and stylized PBR textures using software like Substance Painter and Photoshop.
• Ensure character assets meet technical requirements for integration into the game engine (e.g., polygon count, texture memory).
• Collaborate with riggers and animators to ensure character models deform correctly.
• Work closely with the art director and team to maintain visual consistency and achieve desired aesthetics.
• Stay updated on the latest character art techniques and technologies in the industry.
• Provide feedback and guidance to junior character artists.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a 3D Character Artist in the game industry, with a strong portfolio showcasing high-quality character models.
• Expert proficiency in 3D modeling software (e.g., Maya, Blender) and sculpting software (e.g., ZBrush).
• Advanced knowledge of PBR texturing workflows and software (e.g., Substance Painter, Photoshop).
• Strong understanding of human and creature anatomy, proportions, and form.
• Experience with real-time rendering engines (e.g., Unreal Engine, Unity).
• Ability to interpret and execute art direction effectively in Benoni, Gauteng.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Attention to detail and a passion for creating believable characters.
• Experience with Marvelous Designer or similar cloth simulation software is a plus.

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, and a creative work environment in Benoni. You'll have the opportunity to work on exciting projects with a talented and passionate team, contributing significantly to the visual appeal of our games. We support professional development and offer a path for career growth within the Arts & Entertainment field.