Lead Artist (Game Development)

TL;DR

Lead Artist (Game Development): Defining and championing the artistic vision for a Narrative Adventure game with an accent on visually compelling worlds, UI, and storytelling-focused art. Focus on leading a team of artists, overseeing asset production, and integrating art seamlessly into gameplay using Unreal Engine.

Compensation: This role is part of an equity-based project. You’ll earn a percentage of the profits when the game ships within a 12-month rolling calendar.

Company

Fun Waffle Game Studios is a creative powerhouse that brings rich, immersive storytelling to life through games, focusing on a new Narrative Adventure title inspired by classic point-and-click adventures.

What you will do

• Establish and maintain the artistic vision for the game, ensuring alignment with narrative and gameplay objectives.
• Guide and mentor a team of artists, fostering a collaborative and inspiring environment.
• Oversee the production of concept art, characters, environments, props, and UI elements.
• Collaborate closely with designers, writers, and programmers to integrate art seamlessly.
• Leverage Unreal Engine to implement and optimize assets, focusing on lighting, materials, and performance.
• Provide creative and technical feedback to the art team, balancing innovation with production efficiency.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a Lead Artist or Senior Artist, with at least one shipped title.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating artistic skills, including character design, environmental storytelling, and UI art.
• Expertise in industry-standard tools such as Photoshop, Blender/Maya, ZBrush, and the Substance Suite.
• Proficiency in Unreal Engine, with experience in lighting workflows, material creation, and performance optimization.
• Strong understanding of composition, color theory, and creating assets tailored to narrative-driven gameplay.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills, with a passion for mentoring.

Nice to have

• Experience with UI/UX design and implementation in Unreal Engine.
• Advanced lighting techniques, including dynamic and baked lighting.
• Passion for classic point-and-click adventure games and narrative-driven titles.
• Familiarity with procedural content creation tools, such as Houdini.

Culture & Benefits

• Lead a team of talented artists in a creative and inspiring environment.
• Opportunity to define and champion the artistic vision of a new Narrative Adventure game.
• Focus on fostering collaboration and promoting creativity and excellence.