Principal Character Artist in Amsterdam
Guerrilla is looking for a Principal Character Artist who has the drive to push our character art to the next level, and who understands that great video game character art starts – but does not end with –amazing sculpture. The successful candidate will be the central figure of a small character team, including freelancers and external partners.
What you will do
- You will set high quality standards for your team and the studio as a whole, and ensure that those standards are maintained by setting processes and convention, then supervising and tutoring;
- You will supervise and inspire your colleagues to greater heights by actively mentoring and training the character artists on your team, both creatively and technically;
- You will review assets to make sure they meet the quality standards you’ve defined;
- You will work closely with the Art Directors and Lead Artists to ensure high quality output that is stylistically consistent.
Who you are
- You have expert-level understanding of game character creation from production, from modeling, to surfacing, to rendering and articulation;
- You have the confidence and ambition to beat the best of what’s out there. Specifically:
- You understand surfacing and lighting, both from an artistic and technical POV, and know how to create truly believable materials;
- You have an appreciation of rigging and articulation, and can build characters for perfect deformation;
- You’re a master of anatomy, in terms of both form and motion;
- And last but not least – you’re a world class sculptor, who can work in any style – real or expressive, hard-surface or organic.
- You’re not intimidated by the technical side of games production. You know real-time computer graphics inside and out, and keep yourself at the cutting edge. You understand how to get the best from the hardware without compromising performance or stability;
- You understand the difference between co-operations and collaboration, and know how to get the most from collaborating with individuals outside your own discipline;
- You’re open to and will act on criticism and feedback. You can take, understand and apply art direction, even if you might not personally agree;
- You have a realistic appraisal of your own strengths and weaknesses, and you’re constantly striving to improve. You keep abreast of all the latest technology, workflow tips and tools;
- You have the knowledge to establish effective pipelines and processes, and the ability to set the standard for the rest of the character art team;
- You have experience working with freelancers and subcontractors.
- You have a solid understanding of game design principles and an appreciation of how character art decisions can affect both playability and design production.
- You’re high on initiative, have great written and verbal communication skills, and know how to manage your time effectively.
Application Advice
- All applications MUST contain a portfolio of work
- We review countless applications. Follow these golden rules when submitting a portfolio:
- Start with your best and most recent work
- Only include material that you’re confident will impress us
- Focus on the discipline you’re applying for. If you’re an asset artist you need to show us game ready assets. Only include other work if it’s relevant
- Make sure it’s presented in a format which is easy to access and read
- Remember that this is a games development position. Work examples in games and game engines are more valuable to us.
- Our interviews are direct and challenging. Make sure you prepare and research beforehand.
- Working in the games industry is not always a creative wonderland and can sometimes be frustrating, tedious or difficult. Research and ensure that your expectations are realistic.
