Contract Character Artist (Gamedev)

TL;DR

Contract Character Artist (Gamedev): Designing and building memorable, unsettling, and visually striking 3D characters for games and animated content with an accent on stylized creature work and real-time pipelines. Focus on creating high-quality models, collaborating with animation teams, and iterating on designs to fit the horror aesthetic.

Location: Remote

Company

A startup multimedia studio best known for the hit indie horror game "Poppy Playtime".

What you will do

• Concept, model, texture, and polish high-quality 3D characters for games and animated content.
• Collaborate with the Art Director to develop characters that fit the established visual language and tone.
• Create detailed character sheets, breakdowns, and reference packages for internal and external teams.
• Work with riggers and animators to ensure characters are built to deformation and performance specs.
• Iterate rapidly on designs based on feedback from leads and creative directors.
• Contribute to developing and documenting character art pipelines and best practices.

Requirements

• 3+ years of professional experience as a character artist in games, film, or animation.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating stylized and/or creature character work.
• Proficiency in industry-standard tools: ZBrush, Maya or Blender, and Substance Painter.
• Solid understanding of anatomy, form, silhouette, and color theory.
• Experience with real-time game art pipelines (polycount budgets, LODs, texture atlasing).
• Strong communication skills and ability to work in a fast-paced indie setting.

Nice to have

• Experience in the horror, dark fantasy, or toy-aesthetic art genres.
• Familiarity with Unreal Engine 5.
• Background in concept art or 2D illustration.
• Experience working on stylized or IP-driven properties.

Culture & Benefits

• Remote-friendly work environment.
• Health, dental, and vision benefits.
• Creative ownership and the chance to shape beloved characters.
• Collaborative, tight-knit team environment.