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Concept Art Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Nintendo

Concept Artist [Contract] (Retro Studios)

Austin, TX · On-site

$125K - $144K/yr

Collaborate with the Art Director, Artists, and Designers to define the look of our games by ... Take ownership of concept work for various game features while actively collaborating with other ...

PUBG Madglory

Principal Concept Artist

Madison, WI · On-site +1

$128K - $147K/yr

Understands concept artwork not as standalone images but as part of the game experience. * Can ... Collaborate with Art Directors, Design, and 3D teams to ensure concepts are realized in the final ...

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 ...

Floss Creatives Limited

3D Creative Art Director

Portland, OR · On-site

$128K - $134K/yr

The concept deck will include clear design concepts, style frames and potentially 5 seconds 3D ... Concept Art Responsibilities: Project leadership includes conceptualising design briefs, planning ...

Skydance

Art Director

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$2.9K - $4.0K/wk

Create and contribute high-quality concept art, visual development materials, and key imagery * Collaborate with the Production Designer to lead and oversee the Los Angeles and Madrid based Art ...

Skydance

Art Director

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$2.9K - $4.0K/wk

Create and contribute high-quality concept art, visual development materials, and key imagery * Collaborate with the Production Designer to lead and oversee the Los Angeles and Madrid based Art ...

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Concept Art information

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$27K

$69.6K

$121.5K

How much do concept art jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for 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 the difference between Concept Art vs Character Designer?

AspectConcept ArtCharacter Designer
Primary FocusCreating visual representations of ideas, environments, and overall art conceptsDesigning and developing the appearance, personality, and style of characters
Skills & ToolsSketching, painting, digital illustration, understanding of anatomy and environment designCharacter anatomy, costume design, personality development, digital illustration
Work EnvironmentGame studios, animation, film, advertisingVideo game companies, animation studios, film production
Industry UsageUsed in early development stages to visualize ideasUsed to define character look and feel for production

While both roles involve digital illustration and visual storytelling, Concept Artists focus on broad visual concepts and environments, whereas Character Designers specialize in creating detailed character appearances and personalities. Both roles are essential in the creative process, often collaborating during game or film development.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Concept Artist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Concept Artist, you need strong drawing, painting, and visual storytelling abilities, typically supported by a relevant degree or portfolio of creative work. Mastery of digital art software such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, or Procreate is essential, and familiarity with 3D modeling tools can be beneficial. Creativity, adaptability, and effective communication enable artists to translate ideas and feedback into compelling visual concepts. These skills are crucial for developing original designs that guide the visual direction of games, films, or other media and for collaborating successfully within creative teams.

What is concept art?

Concept art is a form of illustration used to convey ideas and visual representations for characters, environments, props, and other elements before they are finalized in films, video games, animation, and other creative projects. Concept artists help establish the look and feel of a project by creating visuals that guide production teams. Their work serves as a blueprint, ensuring everyone involved shares the same creative vision. Concept art can range from rough sketches to highly detailed paintings, often evolving as the project develops.

How does a concept artist typically collaborate with other departments during a project?

Concept artists work closely with multiple departments, such as game designers, 3D modelers, and animators, to ensure their visual concepts align with the project's vision and technical requirements. Regular meetings and feedback sessions are common, where concept artists present sketches and iteratively refine their work based on input from art directors and team leads. This collaborative process helps translate early ideas into cohesive assets that can be effectively realized in the final product, making communication and adaptability essential skills for success in this role.
More about Concept Art jobs
What cities are hiring for Concept Art jobs? Cities with the most Concept Art job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Concept Art jobs? The most popular types of Concept Art jobs are:
What states have the most Concept Art jobs? States with the most job openings for Concept Art jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Concept Art jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Concept Art jobs are:
Concept Art jobs near you
Infographic showing various Concept Art job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $69,553 per year, or $33.4 per hour.

Concept Artist [Contract] (Retro Studios)

Nintendo

Austin, TX • On-site

$125K - $144K/yr

Contractor

Medical, PTO

Re-posted 6 days ago

Nintendo rating

7.5

Company rating: 7.5 out of 10

Based on 11 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

153rd of 241 rated software companies

Job description

THIS IS AN ONSITE CONTRACT POSITION - Austin, TX
Position includes:
  • Paid weekly
  • Health care benefits available
  • Paid time-off provided
  • Paid holidays observed
  • Access to Nintendo discounts

RETRO STUDIOS:
Founded in 1998, Retro Studios is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo Co., Ltd., and a powerhouse in game development. Working hand-in-hand with Nintendo, we craft award-winning titles for the company's cutting-edge platforms, blending innovation, artistry, and gameplay excellence.
Our home base is Austin, Texas, a vibrant city known for its creative energy, live music, stunning natural scenery, and forward-thinking culture. With year-round sunshine and endless options for outdoor adventures, Austin offers the perfect backdrop for world-class developers to stay inspired, balanced, and at the top of their game.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:
  • Collaborate with the Art Director, Artists, and Designers to define the look of our games by working to establish consistent visuals for characters, environments, props, and effects, with an emphasis on boss characters.
  • Work closely with Design to rapidly iterate gameplay thumbnails to be used in conjunction with design specifications to communicate gameplay properties, interactions and sequencing of boss characters.
  • Adopt a broad range of styles from realistic to highly stylized based on goals and direction for a given project to produce concept art with an appropriate sense of color, drama, shape language, personality, and design.
  • Take ownership of concept work for various game features while actively collaborating with other disciplines such as Design, Art, and Engineering to achieve high-quality, innovative concept art.
  • Produce boss, character, environment, and prop concept art in the form of thumbnails, sketches, breakdowns, reference sheets, paintings, and other digital imagery.
  • Provide visual contextualization support for game design efforts at all stages.
  • Perform research as necessary to support visual development.
  • Work with Art Director and Leads to provide feedback and guidance to artists.
  • Create storyboards, background illustrations, and promotional artwork.
  • Provide and receive feedback professionally.

*This job description outlines primary duties and requirements and is not intended to identify all tasks that may be performed; individuals occupying the position may be required to perform other duties. The company may modify job duties from time to time, either in practice or in writing.
SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS:
  • Has 3 or more years' gaming industry experience as a concept artist, including at least one complete product cycle shipping AAA title.
  • Must present online portfolio with high-quality, varied examples of character and environment concept art.
  • Excellent 2D drawing skills with a strong grasp of composition, color theory, perspective, lighting, environment and architecture.
  • Examples of modern rendering process using 3D art and modeling tools (Maya, Blender).
  • Mastery of fundamental artistic principles.
  • Experience executing a wide range of artistic styles.
  • Good communicator, self-motivated, driven to grow professionally.
  • Undergraduate degree in art-related subject, completion of an intensive art training program, or equivalent professional experience.

Retro Studios is an equal opportunity employer. We offer a welcoming and inclusive environment in service to one another, our products, the diverse consumers we represent, and the communities we call home. We do all of this with kindness, empathy, and respect for each other.

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