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Lead 2D Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Valicy

3D Artist

Wilmington, NC

NC Art Reports To: Art Lead Status: Exempt Online art portfolio (Required at the time of ... A solid grasp of form, color, and light for both 2D and 3D art assets is essential. The 3D Artist ...

Booming Games

Technical Artist

Oregon, WI · On-site

$70 - $110/hr

As a Technical Artist, you will work closely with the Art Lead and Product Owner to create visually ... Knowledge of Spine 2D animation * Knowledge of particle systems (Pixi) * Familiarity with HTML and ...

Jam City

Level Design Artist

San Francisco, CA

$90K - $110K/yr

Work with your Art Lead and Art Director in establishing and maintaining the look of the project ... Strong 2D concept and illustration skills. * Shader creation experience in any shader graph tool.

Jam City

Level Design Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

Work with your Art Lead and Art Director in establishing and maintaining the look of the project ... Strong 2D concept and illustration skills. * Shader creation experience in any shader graph tool.

Jam City

Level Design Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

Work with your Art Lead and Art Director in establishing and maintaining the look of the project ... Strong 2D concept and illustration skills. * Shader creation experience in any shader graph tool.

WPP Production

Flame Artist

New York, NY · On-site

$125K - $295K/yr

Supervised Sessions: Lead in-studio or remote sessions with directors, agency creatives, and ... Perform complex 2D and 3D compositing, beauty retouching, rig removal, and CGI integration.

Epoch Games

Lead 3D Game Artist

Winston Salem, NC

Ability to manage others, especially 3D Game Artists * Ability to work with and provide ... Pixologic ZBrush / Mudbox Recommended 2D Image Software (either or both): * Photoshop (CS4 and up)

Universal Music Group

For artists, it's a way to develop and further articulate their brand. For fans, it's another ... Utilize 2D, 3D, compositing, visual effects, and emerging technologies where appropriate * Ensure ...

Umusic

Lead Motion Designer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

For artists, it's a way to develop and further articulate their brand. For fans, it's another ... Utilize 2D, 3D, compositing, visual effects, and emerging technologies where appropriate * Ensure ...

Umusic

Lead Motion Designer

New York, NY · On-site

For artists, it's a way to develop and further articulate their brand. For fans, it's another ... Utilize 2D, 3D, compositing, visual effects, and emerging technologies where appropriate * Ensure ...

Umusic

Lead Motion Designer

Philadelphia, PA

For artists, it's a way to develop and further articulate their brand. For fans, it's another ... Utilize 2D, 3D, compositing, visual effects, and emerging technologies where appropriate * Ensure ...

Marymount University

... and lead with purpose and confidence. Title Adjunct Professor, Color and 2D Design Direct ... EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS Master of Arts degree is required with a minimum of 18 graduate ...

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Lead 2D Artist information

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$10

$25

$72

How much do lead 2d artist jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 29, 2026, the average hourly pay for lead 2d artist in the United States is $25.73, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.38 and $24.04 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a lead 2D artist?

Lead 2D Artists are senior professionals in the art department who oversee the creation of two-dimensional artwork for video games, animations, films, or other media projects. They are responsible for guiding a team of 2D artists, setting the visual style, ensuring consistency, and collaborating with other departments to achieve the project's artistic vision. In addition to hands-on art creation, they mentor junior artists, review work, and help manage schedules and deadlines. Their role is crucial in maintaining high-quality visuals and ensuring that the team's output aligns with the project's goals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a lead 2D artist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Lead 2D Artist, you need advanced artistic skills, a strong portfolio, and a background in fine arts or digital illustration, often supported by a relevant degree. Expertise with industry-standard tools like Adobe Creative Suite, Toon Boom, or Clip Studio Paint is typically required, along with knowledge of asset pipelines. Leadership, communication, and creative direction are vital soft skills for guiding teams and collaborating across departments. These abilities ensure visual consistency, efficient workflow, and the successful execution of a project’s artistic vision.

How does a lead 2D artist typically collaborate with other departments in a game development studio?

A Lead 2D Artist works closely with game designers, animators, and programmers to ensure that the visual elements align with the overall creative vision and technical requirements of the project. They often participate in cross-functional meetings to provide feedback, share concepts, and make adjustments based on input from other teams. Effective communication and teamwork are essential, as the Lead 2D Artist not only oversees the art team’s output but also ensures that assets are delivered on time and integrate smoothly into the game engine. This collaborative environment helps maintain consistency and quality across all visual aspects of the project.

What is the difference between Lead 2D Artist vs 2D Artist?

AspectLead 2D Artist2D Artist
ResponsibilitiesOversees project art direction, manages team, ensures style consistencyCreates individual 2D artwork, executes assigned tasks
Required SkillsAdvanced illustration, leadership, project managementStrong drawing skills, software proficiency, creativity
Work EnvironmentCollaborative team setting, often in game or animation studiosIndependent or team-based, project-specific work
CredentialsPortfolio, experience, sometimes a degree in art or related fieldPortfolio, relevant software skills, often a degree or training

The main difference between a Lead 2D Artist and a 2D Artist lies in scope and responsibility. The Lead 2D Artist manages the artistic vision and team, while a 2D Artist focuses on creating artwork. Both roles require strong artistic skills, but the Lead position involves leadership and project oversight.

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What job categories do people searching Lead 2D Artist jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Lead 2D Artist jobs are:

Lead 2D Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Lead 2D Artist job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $53,524 per year, or $25.7 per hour.

3D Artist

Valicy

Wilmington, NC

Full-time

Re-posted 11 days ago

Job description

Job Title: 3D Artist
Location: Wilmington, NC
Department: NC Art
Reports To: Art Lead
Status: Exempt
Online art portfolio (Required at the time of application) - This can be work-related or personal projects outside of work-related activities
WHO WE ARE:

We are Valicy.

We make games. We also make the machines they run on.
What we're building matters. How we treat people matters more.
OUR MISSION
We exist to create excellent gaming experiences, treat our customers the way we want to be treated, and positively impact people's lives through a culture of care.
Seven values guide how we work. We call it our FIGHTER mindset:
Fun: Enjoy the journey together
Innovative: Consistently pushing new boundaries through creativity
Growth: Committed to growing personally and professionally
Humble amp; Passionate: It’s important to be both
Teamwork: Built on trust, healthy conflict, commitment, accountability, and results
Excellence: Pursuing high standards in everything we do
Relational: Building trust and relationships with customers and teammates


If this is the kind of place you've been looking for, let's talk.

SUMMARY: The ideal candidate for 3D Artist has experience modeling, texturing, and lighting engine-ready assets in a stylized world. A solid grasp of form, color, and light for both 2D and 3D art assets is essential. The 3D Artist will work across all aspects of a game's visual design, UI, art, and more. Blending artistic expertise and technical ability, the 3D Artist will create visually stimulating content that will enhance game playability and showcase original experiences to a wide player audience.
QUALIFICATIONS:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Understand company Mission, Vision, and Values and be an ambassador of MVV.
- Create high-quality 3D and 2D assets to meet fast-paced deadlines.
- Demonstrate strengths in modeling, texturing, and lighting of 3D assets.
- Organize and implement assets in the Unity 3D game engine.
- Collaborate effectively with a team of artists and programmers to offer creative solutions to both art and game design challenges.
- Produce concept sketches and quick edits to communicate artistic concepts with the team.
REQUIREMENTS:
- A strong portfolio demonstrating a breadth of art styles and techniques
- 1-3 years experience in a related position
- A high level of proficiency using Maya to create fun and stylized characters/assets
- An eye for color and composition in 2D and 3D designs
- Skilled in Photoshop
- Ability to sculpt stylized assets or characters in Zbrush
- Experience in the Unity3D game engine (importing assets, animation editor, shuriken particle system)
Preferred Requirements:
- Art degree (Associates or Bachelors)
- Experience in casino or mobile gaming industry
- Understanding of the visual style and gameplay of top tier slot games
- Experience with Substance Painter
This Job Description is to be used as a guide for accomplishing Company objectives. The description incorporates the most typical duties performed and covers only the primary functions and responsibilities of the position. It is recognized that other related duties not specifically mentioned may also be performed. The inclusion of those duties would not alter the overall evaluation of this position.

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