Lead Character Artist (Stylized Focus)
Long term contract
We are looking for an experienced Lead Character Artist to oversee and elevate the quality of character art across multiple projects. The ideal candidate is an expert in creating stylized characters with a keen eye for both artistic vision and technical performance. You will act as the "keeper of quality," having the responsibility of mentoring and guiding the character art team, organizing discipline syncs, while ensuring stylistic consistency and excellence across our work. Your expertise in PBR, NPR, and hand-painted texturing will be essential in crafting a wide range of iconic, stylized character designs that inspire and captivate. This is a hands-on position where you will lead by example versus strictly a management role.
Key Responsibilities:
Set and maintain the artistic quality bar for character art across multiple projects, ensuring consistency and excellence in style, design, and technical performance.
Oversee the creation of stylized characters from concept to final model, including sculpting, texturing, and shading.
Lead the development of characters in various stylized styles, emphasizing PBR, NPR, and hand-painted techniques.
Collaborate with art directors, technical artists, and project leads to define and maintain a cohesive visual direction.
Develop and manage optimized topology, UV layouts, and rigs to ensure characters meet performance standards for various platforms.
Provide mentorship and feedback to the character art team, fostering growth and supporting professional development.
Organize and lead discipline syncs to ensure best practices are shared and maintained across projects.
Partner with production to estimate scope, set schedules, and maintain deliverable timelines.
Stay current with industry trends, tools, and techniques to continuously enhance workflows and quality.
Qualifications:
Proven experience as a Character Artist with experience having been in a leadership or mentorship role in the gaming industry.
A portfolio demonstrating expertise in creating stylized characters, including sculpting, texturing, shading, and rendering.
Strong understanding of PBR, NPR, and hand-painted texturing workflows and their application in a variety of art styles.
Excellent knowledge of topology, UV layouts, and optimization for real-time performance.
Proficiency in industry-standard software (e.g., ZBrush, Maya, Blender, Substance Painter, Photoshop).
Experience with Unreal Engine and Unity workflows is highly desirable.
Strong technical skills and understanding of character art pipelines and performance requirements.
Outstanding communication, organizational, and leadership abilities.
A passion for mentoring and inspiring a team of artists to achieve their best work.
Why Join Dardo Studios?
Shape the creative vision and quality of character art across multiple projects.
Work alongside a passionate team of artists and game developers committed to excellence and innovation.
Contribute to a culture of mentorship, collaboration, and learning within a highly creative and inclusive environment.
Be part of a studio where your voice and expertise make a lasting impact on our projects and team.
If you are a talented and passionate character artist with a proven track record of leadership and artistic excellence, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now and help us craft iconic characters that inspire players worldwide!
