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Character Concept Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

2K

Senior Concept Artist (Characters)

Novato, CA

$100K - $148K/yr

As a Senior Character Concept Artist at Cloud Chamber, you will join our talented development team to help ideate the stunning, stylized characters that will inhabit the world of BioShock.

2K

Senior Concept Artist (Characters)

Novato, CA · On-site

$100K - $148K/yr

As a Senior Character Concept Artist at Cloud Chamber, you will join our talented development team to help ideate the stunning, stylized characters that will inhabit the world of BioShock.

Epic Games

Lead Environment Concept Artist

Cary, NC · On-site

$117K - $135K/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 searching ...

Epic Games

Senior Environment Concept 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 searching ...

Epic Games

Senior Concept 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 is looking for a ...

Nintendo

Lead Concept Artist (Retro Studios)

Austin, TX · On-site

Offer mentorship, guidance, and actionable feedback to internal artists, fostering their growth and ... A strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in character and environmental concept design. * Mastery ...

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Character Concept Artist information

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$104.5K

$120.5K

$128.5K

How much do character concept artist jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for character concept artist in the United States is $120,531.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $121,000.00 and $127,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Character Concept Artist position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Character Concept Artist, you need strong drawing and design skills, a good understanding of anatomy, and a portfolio showcasing creative character concepts, typically backed by a degree in art, illustration, or a related field. Proficiency in industry-standard software like Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, and digital tablet hardware is essential, and additional certification in digital artistry can be beneficial. Excellent communication, openness to feedback, and the ability to collaborate with other artists and departments help you stand out. These abilities ensure your creative work aligns with the project's vision and production needs, making you a valuable member of the art team.

What is a Character Concept Artist job?

A Character Concept Artist is responsible for designing and visualizing original characters for video games, animation, films, and other media. They create sketches, digital paintings, and detailed concept art that help define a character's appearance, personality, and overall aesthetic. Working closely with art directors, game designers, and 3D modelers, they ensure the character designs align with the project's artistic and narrative vision. Strong drawing skills, creativity, and a deep understanding of anatomy, costume design, and storytelling are essential for this role.

What does the typical workday look like for a Character Concept Artist?

A typical day for a Character Concept Artist involves brainstorming and sketching multiple character ideas, refining designs based on feedback, and collaborating closely with other artists, art directors, and game designers. You may attend team meetings to discuss visual direction, present your concepts, and make revisions to align with the project's needs. In addition to creating digital illustrations, you might also prepare turnaround sheets or expression studies to support the 3D modeling team. The pace can be fast, especially when deadlines approach, but daily tasks are varied and allow for a high degree of creative expression. This collaborative and iterative workflow helps ensure the game's or project's characters are visually compelling and cohesive with the overall art style.

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Character Concept Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Character Concept Artist job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 61% Full Time, 22% Part Time, 11% Temporary, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 83% In-person, and 17% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $120,531 per year, or $57.9 per hour.
Character Concept Artist (Senior/Principal)

Character Concept Artist (Senior/Principal)

Bonfire Studios

Irvine, CA • On-site, Remote

Full-time

Posted yesterday

Job description

What's the one game you couldn't put down? The game that connected you with friends, and made you feel like you belonged? If a game has ever defined a chapter of your life, then you already know the spark we're chasing. Our mission is to ignite that same feeling for players; the thrill of competition, the joy of community, and the belonging of finding your own corner of a larger world.
Great games begin with people who dare to dream big. If that sounds exciting, you might be exactly who we're looking for.
Bonfire is a group of experienced and ambitious developers, proud to be creating our first original IP: Arkheron. It is a fast-paced, competitive PVP game set in a surreal dark fantasy world where 15 teams of three battle their way up the Tower. In a world built from memories, you will loot powerful items to create and adapt a unique build-out that will change your strategy and combat experience with every Ascension.
The best way to understand our Art team is in their own words - here's how they describe their work.
Our goal is to immerse players in an extraordinary and haunting realm. From initial concept art to final in-game elements, we are crafting a compelling aesthetic experience that seamlessly blends with and brings to life the game's narrative, level design, combat and audio. We play the game daily and our deep understanding of it allows us to deliver visuals that put the player experience first, while still pushing artistic boundaries to fully capture the unique tone and unforgettable atmosphere of the Arkheron's world.
As a Senior/Principal Character Concept Artist at Bonfire, you'll help shape the look and feel of Arkheron by creating characters that are both captivating and believable. This role calls for a strong balance of imagination and design clarity, resulting in bold ideas and then refining them into concepts that elevate every aspect of our game. You'll explore anatomy, costume, and prop design to ground your characters in authenticity while capturing Arkheron's distinctive tone.
YOU'LL CONTRIBUTE BY:
  • Creating concept art for characters, creatures, and props; from loose exploratory sketches to fully rendered designs.
  • Developing visually striking and clear character skin concepts that strengthen the narrative and align seamlessly with the IP.
  • Partnering with Art Directors, Artists, Animators, and Designers to ensure characters and creatures not only look compelling but function well in-game.
  • Collaborating with 3D Artists through detailed paint-overs and feedback to refine designs and solve visual challenges.
  • Producing well-researched mood boards and rapid iterations that inspire new themes and directions for the art team.
  • Bringing your unique passions and perspective to the broader studio and contributing beyond your core discipline that help shape not just the look of Arkheron, but also the creative practices of the team.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT YOU BECAUSE YOU:
  • Bring a stunning portfolio that showcases your strongest work and highlights your range as a concept artist.
  • Have built a career creating characters, costumes, and creatures that push the limits of quality and creativity (whether in AAA games or film) leaving players and audiences with designs they remember.
  • Demonstrate outstanding draftsmanship and artistic fundamentals, with deep knowledge of costume and fashion design across eras and cultures, a strong sense of materials, and the ability to communicate them visually.
  • Can illustrate FX and animation through storyboards, and bring expert-level proficiency in Photoshop to your work.
  • Hold yourself to a high quality bar, and proactively adapt to creative challenges to ensure the art always elevates the game.
  • Thrive on collaboration, adapting your communication style (written, verbal, and visual) to meet the needs of your teammates.
  • Actively seek and apply feedback across disciplines, staying curious about other teams' challenges and using those insights to strengthen how art supports gameplay.
  • Embrace accountability, consistently meet deadlines, and bring a self-starting, self-managing approach that keeps you moving in step with development.

THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE ROLE FOR YOU IF:
  • You're happiest on large teams with clear, specialized lanes. At Bonfire, we're a small, senior group where everyone wears a few different hats.
  • Radical transparency and direct feedback feel uncomfortable. We rely on openness and shared ownership to do our best work together.
  • You'd rather follow an established process than help shape and evolve one. Here, we're always iterating as the team and game grow.
  • Playfulness and creativity don't feel essential to you. For us, they're core ingredients in making something truly special.
  • You prefer to stay narrowly focused on your craft. This role is about collaborating across disciplines and influencing areas beyond your immediate specialty.

YOU'LL LOVE WORKING AT BONFIRE BECAUSE WE:
  • Embrace bold challenges with creativity and courage, making the tough calls to build a game we're proud to play every day.
  • Keep fun at the core: we play Arkheron daily, staying grounded as players. If it's not more fun than yesterday, we fix it. We don't chase trends; we listen by playing.
  • Stay truly independent, with decisions driven by the team - not by investors or a board.
  • Thrive in a culture of passion, trust, and shared ownership; where transparency matters and egos don't.

The base salary range for this role is $174,800 - $221,817. Depending on your experience and level (whether you're closer to mid-level or principal), your offer may land above or below that range. We don't just look at years on a résumé - we think about the impact you can have on the team and the game. Of course, compensation at Bonfire goes beyond salary. Every new teammate receives equity, plus a full benefits package and some extra perks to make work (and life) better. When we connect, we'll happily walk you through the full details.
Want to get a feel for what it's like to work here? You can check out more about our culture, team, benefits, and perks at www.bonfirestudios.com. And don't worry - anything you share with us in the application process is just for recruiting and won't be shared. You can read more in our privacy policy.

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