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Character Concept Art Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Cloud Chamber

Lead Character Artist

Novato, CA · On-site

$150K - $180K/yr

... Leads, Concept, Environment, Design, Gameplay, and Animation teams to prototype assets and ensure character specifications align with project goals. * Collaborate with the Art Director and ...

IGT

Art Lead

Chicago, IL · On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

... and character designs. * Develop production-ready assets that align with creative direction ... Maintain visual consistency and bring artwork from initial concept through final production.

SciPlay

2D Game Artist

Austin, TX

... character design, with 3d skills being a plus. Responsibilities : * Follow the direction of the Art Manager to create high-quality concept art for game content and events screens that adhere to the ...

Cloud Chamber

Lead Character Artist

Novato, CA · Remote

$150K - $180K/yr

... Leads, Concept, Environment, Design, Gameplay, and Animation teams to prototype assets and ensure character specifications align with project goals. * Collaborate with the Art Director and ...

2K

Lead Character Artist

Novato, CA · On-site

$150K - $180K/yr

... Leads, Concept, Environment, Design, Gameplay, and Animation teams to prototype assets and ensure character specifications align with project goals. * Collaborate with the Art Director and ...

SciPlay

2D Game Artist

Austin, TX · On-site

... character design, with 3d skills being a plus. Responsibilities : * Follow the direction of the Art Manager to create high-quality concept art for game content and events screens that adhere to the ...

Catface

Creative Producer

Austin, TX · On-site

$85K - $95K/yr

Use concept art, storyboards, references, mockups, or other rapid prototyping methods to explore ... Strong storytelling instincts, with an eye for character, comedy, pacing, emotional beats, and ...

Catface

Creative Producer

Austin, TX · On-site

Use concept art, storyboards, references, mockups, or other rapid prototyping methods to explore ... Strong storytelling instincts, with an eye for character, comedy, pacing, emotional beats, and ...

Catface

Creative Producer

Austin, TX · On-site

Use concept art, storyboards, references, mockups, or other rapid prototyping methods to explore ... Strong storytelling instincts, with an eye for character, comedy, pacing, emotional beats, and ...

Epic Games

Senior Environment Artist

Cary, NC · On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

ART What We Do Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment, character and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire. What You'll Do Epic Games is looking for ...

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Character Concept Art information

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$27K

$69.6K

$121.5K

How much do character concept art jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for character concept art in the United States is $69,553.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $36,000.00 and $99,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is character concept art?

Character concept art is the process of creating visual representations of characters for use in video games, movies, animation, and other media. Concept artists design the look, style, and feel of characters before they are fully developed, helping to establish their appearance, clothing, personality, and overall vibe. These artworks serve as references for 3D modelers, animators, and other production team members. The goal is to communicate the character's essence and ensure consistency throughout the production process.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a character concept artist?

To thrive as a Character Concept Artist, you need strong drawing, anatomical understanding, and visual storytelling skills, often backed by a degree in illustration, fine arts, or a related field. Proficiency with digital art software such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, or Procreate is standard, and experience with 3D modeling tools like ZBrush is valuable. Creativity, adaptability, and effective communication are essential soft skills for collaborating with art directors and multidisciplinary teams. These competencies are crucial for developing compelling, production-ready character designs that align with a project's vision and technical requirements.

How do character concept artists typically collaborate with game designers and 3D modelers during a project?

Character Concept Artists play a crucial role in the early stages of game development by visualizing and refining the look of characters. They frequently collaborate with game designers to ensure their concepts align with the game's narrative and mechanics, and with 3D modelers to provide detailed references for accurate modeling. Regular feedback loops, team meetings, and iteration cycles are common, allowing the concept artist to adjust their designs based on technical constraints or creative input. This collaboration helps ensure that the final in-game characters are both visually compelling and feasible to produce.

What is the difference between Character Concept Art vs Character Illustration?

AspectCharacter Concept ArtCharacter Illustration
Primary FocusDesigning and developing character ideas, silhouettes, and overall lookCreating detailed, polished images of characters for specific purposes
Work EnvironmentGame studios, animation, film, concept art agenciesPublishing, advertising, entertainment industries
Skills & ToolsSketching, brainstorming, 3D modeling, concept developmentDigital painting, rendering, detailed coloring

Character Concept Art focuses on developing initial character ideas and designs, often in the early stages of a project. Character Illustration involves creating finished, detailed images of characters for final presentation or marketing. While both roles require artistic skill, concept artists prioritize ideation and design, whereas illustrators focus on detailed, polished visuals.

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What are the most commonly searched types of Character Concept Art jobs?

The most popular types of Character Concept Art jobs are:

What states have the most Character Concept Art jobs?

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Character Concept Art jobs near you
Infographic showing various Character Concept Art job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 77% Full Time, 20% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $69,553 per year, or $33.4 per hour.

Lead Character Artist

Cloud Chamber

Novato, CA • On-site

$150K - $180K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 15 days ago

Job description

As a Lead Character Artist at Cloud Chamber, under the supervision of the Art Director, you will play a key role in establishing the overall visual quality bar and guidelines for character development on the project. In this role, you'll lead a team of artists to achieve their full potential, collaborate with a passionate group of game developers to craft compelling stylized character assets that support our aesthetic, meet technical requirements, and gameplay needs, ultimately bringing the richly imagined world of BioShock to life.
What You'll Do:
  • Manage, coach, and mentor a team of character artists to support their career growth, development, and artistic output.
  • Set artistic standards in Unreal Engine, build exemplary reference assets, and establish clear workflows to ensure consistent quality.
  • Work closely with Directors, Leads, Concept, Environment, Design, Gameplay, and Animation teams to prototype assets and ensure character specifications align with project goals.
  • Collaborate with the Art Director and Outsourcing Manager to assign and schedule character assets for external development partners.
  • Contribute to material pipelines, track team output, supervise bug distribution, and provide input on custom tools and software.

What We'll Do Together:
At Cloud Chamber, we are champions of high standards, pushing for progress and embracing change. We will work closely and constructively across design, art, engineering, animation, and audio teams to realize our creative ambitions. Together, we will stay current on technological advancements and identify solutions to overcome developmental obstacles to deliver a world-class AAA experience.
Skills & Experiences:
  • 10+ years of professional experience in the video game industry, with 2 or more shipped titles as a character artist (preferably on a first-person title).
  • Proven success managing, guiding, and mentoring a team of character artists.
  • Expert proficiency in 3D creation tools including 3ds Max, Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Marvelous Designer, and Unreal Engine.
  • Mastery of the PBR pipeline for texture creation, including baking tools, Substance Painter, and Photoshop.
  • Exceptional background in traditional art with an expert understanding of human anatomy, composition, proportion, volume, light, and color.

Who You Are:
  • A reliable, positive force multiplier, actively seeking opportunities to integrate work across disciplines and contribute to a healthy, supportive team environment.
  • A solid communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly, package information for diverse audiences, and deliver difficult feedback with empathy and professionalism.
  • Experienced in working in cross-disciplinary teams with strong communication skills.
  • Persistent and self-motivated with a proactive mindset.
  • Able to maintain effectiveness and quality under pressure, ambiguity, and fast-changing priorities.
  • An active listener able to build and maintain trust-based relationships across all levels of the organization, understand differing perspectives, and navigate organizational complexity with tact and emotional intelligence.
  • Highly open to feedback and direction, possessing a desire to learn new skills, and capable of producing quick, quality revisions based on new insights or constraints.
  • Strong ownership of tasks, striving to drive work forward autonomously while maintaining a critical eye for detail and organization, ensuring high standards of quality.
  • Dedicated to upholding Cloud Chamber's core values, contributing to a positive and respectful company culture while striving for excellence in all endeavors.

Who We Are:
At Cloud Chamber we strive to make BioShock games that move people: evocative, immersive, and meaningful experiences that stay with you long after you've rolled credits. Great games are born from great collaborations, supported by a culture that brings out the best in our teams. We work openly, learn through play, take ownership, push ourselves to be better, and deliver for our players.
#LI-Remote
The pay range for this position in California at the start of employment is expected to be between $150,400 and $180,000 USD per Year. However, base pay offered is based on market location, and may vary further depending on individualized factors for job candidates, such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and other objective business considerations. Subject to those same considerations, the total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a bonus and/or equity awards and eligibility to participate in our 401(K) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program. Regular, full-time employees are also eligible for a range of benefits at the Company, including: medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance coverage; 14 paid holidays per calendar year; paid vacation time per calendar year (ranging from 15 to 25 days) or eligibility to participate in the Company's discretionary time off program; up to 10 paid sick days per calendar year; paid parental and compassionate leave; wellbeing programs for mental health and other wellness support; family planning support through Maven; commuter benefits; and reimbursements for fitness-related expenses.
For candidates located in Quebec:This position requires professional proficiency in both French and English. Proficiency in English is required to collaborate with our U.S. teams and international partners, as well as to handle specialized technical documentation (reading, writing, and communication).
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to ensuring that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform their essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us if you need reasonable accommodation.
Please note that 2K Games and its studios never use instant messaging apps or personal email accounts to contact prospective employees or conduct interviews. When emailing prospective employees, we only use 2K.com accounts

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