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Concept Art Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Associate Concept Artist

Austin, TX

$125K - $144K/yr

Refine thumbnails into concept art that clearly communicates product form, visual hierarchy, story connection, and consumer appeal. * Identify the hero pieces in a collection along with the ...

Associate Concept Artist

Austin, TX · On-site

$60K - $70K/yr

Refine thumbnails into concept art that clearly communicates product form, visual hierarchy, story connection, and consumer appeal. * Identify the hero pieces in a collection along with the ...

Associate Concept Artist

Austin, TX · On-site

$125K - $144K/yr

Refine thumbnails into concept art that clearly communicates product form, visual hierarchy, story connection, and consumer appeal. * Identify the hero pieces in a collection along with the ...

3D Creative Art Director

Portland, OR · On-site +1

$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 ...

Art Lead (San Francisco)

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$140K - $147K/yr

You're incredibly strong at illustration and concept art. You've created countless original characters. * You love games and the culture surrounding them deeply. You've played more games than you can ...

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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 22, 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

Infographic showing various Concept Art job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 79% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $69,553 per year, or $33.4 per hour.

Principal Concept Artist, Environment/Character - League of Legends

Riot Games

Los Angeles, CA

$136K - $157K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 15 days ago


Job description

As a Concept Artist at Riot you will bring characters, creatures, environments and props to life.  Drawing inspiration from as little as a napkin sketch or as much as a full-blown narrative concept, you will generate ideas and craft designs that are resonant, compelling and iconic. As a problem solver, first and foremost, you will help come up with visual solutions for game concepts.

As a Principal Concept Artist for League of Legends at Riot Games, you will bring champions, and gameplay moments to life through compelling, stylized visuals. Your work will help define iconic experiences for players around the world. You'll join the League of Legends, where you'll navigate constrained game design spaces and find elegant, thoughtful ways to express fantasy. Reporting to the Concept Art Lead, you'll help shape the future of League's art style, set standards through your work, and uplift your teammates through feedback and mentorship. This role is for someone who thrives on creative problem-solving, deeply understands the League IP, and believes that player delight starts with strong visual storytelling.

Responsibilities:
  • Partner with creative leadership to explore new cosmetic thematics that elevate League's champions, environments and express powerful fantasy
  • Concept compelling characters, environments, props, and skin lines that support gameplay clarity, aesthetic appeal, and originality
  • Translate design intent and gameplay constraints into visually satisfying concepts that align with League's art and game design direction
  • Develop moodboards, style guides, and pitch materials grounded in research, taste, and trend awareness. Create production-ready concept art and orthographics for 3D artists, VFX, and animation teams
  • Actively participate in craft reviews and offer/receive feedback with clarity and intent
  • Mentor and support other artists by modeling quality, consistency, and collaboration
  • Work closely with cross-disciplinary partners to ensure visual solutions serve both gameplay and fantasy
Required Qualifications: 
  • 10+ years of professional experience in concept art for games or animation
  • A strong portfolio highlighting early ideation, a range of visual styles, and case studies that showcase your process and creative decision-making
  • Expert-level proficiency in Photoshop (or equivalent software)
  • Strong grasp of stylized art fundamentals: anatomy, form, lighting, color, and value
  • Ability to draw inspiration from diverse sources including fantasy, pop culture, historical references, and global trends
  • Portfolio demonstrating strong concept work across characters, props, and environments, balancing visual storytelling with gameplay clarity
  • Strong communicator who thrives in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments
Desired Qualifications:
  • Shipped content for at least AAA title
  • Familiarity with League of Legends, its champions, cosmetics, and player expectations
  • Experience designing for isometric camera gameplay
  • Ability to deliver broad-appeal visuals while pushing boundaries in creative expression
  • Learning mindset and openness to evolving tools and workflows

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about players' experiences, this could be your role!

Our Perks:

Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children, and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information.

At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you're working directly on a new player-facing experience or you're supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we're better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, we're looking forward to your application.

It's our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

  • Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data
  • Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
  • Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
  • Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security. 

(Los Angeles Only) Base salary range between $166,600.00 - $232,800.00 USD + incentive compensation + equity + 401K with company match + medical, dental, vision, and life insurance + short and long-term disability + open PTO.


Riot Games logo

About Riot Games

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Riot Games was founded in 2006 by Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill with the intent to change the way video games are made and supported for players. In 2009, Riot released its debut title League of Legends to worldwide acclaim. The game has since gone on to become the most played PC game in the world and a key driver of the explosive growth of esports. Players are the foundation of our community and it's for them we continue to evolve and improve the League of Legends experience.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Los Angeles, CA, US

Year founded

2006

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