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Lead Character Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Absurd Ventures

Lead Character Artist

Santa Monica, CA

$170K - $200K/yr

As Lead Character Artist, you will be responsible for creating and overseeing the production of high-quality character assets. You will have a direct impact on the visual identity of our games ...

Absurd Ventures

Lead Character Artist

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$170K - $200K/yr

As Lead Character Artist, you will be responsible for creating and overseeing the production of high-quality character assets. You will have a direct impact on the visual identity of our games ...

teamLFG

3D Character Art Lead

$153K - $230K/yr

As a leader for the character art team, you'll demonstrate a balance of artistic expertise with a ... Responsibilities: • Lead 3D character art and coordinate work with a multidisciplinary team ...

Absurd Ventures

Senior VFX Artist

San Rafael, CA

$145K - $180K/yr

Apply now and lead our character art team as the Lead Character Artist with Absurd Ventures. The base pay range for this position is $145,000 to $180,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on ...

Epic Games

Character Outsource Lead

Cary, NC · On-site

ART What We Do Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment ... What You'll Do Epic Games is searching for an experienced Character Outsource Lead to help support ...

teamLFG

OR

As a leader for the character art team, you'll demonstrate a balance of artistic expertise with a ... Responsibilities: Lead 3D character art and coordinate work with a multidisciplinary team ...

Epic Games

Character Animation Lead

Cary, NC · On-site

ART What We Do Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment ... What You'll Do Epic Games is looking for a Character Animation Director to join our Special ...

Epic Games

Lead Environment Concept Artist

Cary, NC · On-site

$117K - $135K/yr

... character and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire. What You'll Do Epic Games is ... Lead, mentor, and provide artistic direction for a small team of environment concept artists What ...

NxT Level

Technical Artist

Chicago, IL · On-site

$130K - $156K/yr

Lead efforts in building foundational systems for art to establish scenes, animation, rigging, FX ... Understanding of animation pipelines, including character and environment systems * Strong ...

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How much do lead character artist jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 10, 2026, the average hourly pay for lead character 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 are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Lead Character Artist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Lead Character Artist, you need advanced skills in 3D modeling, sculpting, texturing, and anatomy, typically backed by a degree in art or related fields and a strong portfolio. Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, and experience with game engines like Unreal or Unity are highly valued, along with familiarity with workflow management systems. Leadership, communication, and the ability to mentor team members are crucial soft skills for guiding a creative team and collaborating across departments. These combined abilities ensure the creation of high-quality, visually compelling characters that align with project goals and meet production timelines.

What is the difference between Lead Character Artist vs Character Artist?

AspectLead Character ArtistCharacter Artist
ResponsibilitiesOversees character design, guides team, sets artistic directionCreates detailed character models, follows project guidelines
ExperienceTypically 5+ years, leadership skills required2-4 years, strong modeling skills needed
Work EnvironmentCollaborative team, often in AAA or indie studiosFocused on modeling, texturing, and character creation
CredentialsPortfolio, relevant experience, sometimes leadership trainingPortfolio demonstrating character work, technical skills

The main difference between a Lead Character Artist and a Character Artist lies in scope and responsibility. The Lead oversees the entire character art process, guides the team, and sets artistic standards, while the Character Artist focuses on creating detailed character models within project parameters. Both roles require strong artistic skills, but the Lead also needs leadership and project management abilities.

How does a Lead Character Artist typically collaborate with other departments during game development?

A Lead Character Artist works closely with concept artists, animators, riggers, and game designers to ensure character models are visually compelling and meet technical requirements. They regularly attend cross-disciplinary meetings to align on art direction, gameplay needs, and pipeline processes. Effective communication and feedback are key, as the lead artist must balance creative vision with technical constraints and help resolve any issues that arise between teams. This collaborative approach ensures that characters fit seamlessly into the game world and perform well within the engine.

What are Lead Character Artists?

Lead Character Artists are experienced professionals in the game or film industry who oversee the creation of character models and assets. They guide a team of artists, ensuring that all character designs meet the project's artistic vision and technical requirements. In addition to creating high-quality character models themselves, they collaborate closely with art directors, animators, and other departments to maintain consistency and quality. Their role often includes mentoring junior artists, providing feedback, and organizing the workflow for character asset production.
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Who are the top companies hiring for Lead Character Artist jobs? The top employers for Lead Character Artist jobs are:
What states have the most Lead Character Artist jobs? States with the most job openings for Lead Character Artist jobs include:
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Lead Character Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Lead Character Artist job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 14% Full Time, 79% Part Time, and 7% Temporary. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $53,524 per year, or $25.7 per hour.

Lead Character Artist

Absurd Ventures

Santa Monica, CA

$170K - $200K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 12 days ago

Job description

Summary 

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Lead Character Artist to join our dynamic team. As Lead Character Artist, you will be responsible for creating and overseeing the production of high-quality character assets. You will have a direct impact on the visual identity of our games, bringing characters to life with stunning detail and artistic excellence. 

Core Responsibilities 

  • Lead the character art team in the creation of high-quality character models. 
  • Collaborate with the Art Director to define the visual style of characters. 
  • Sculpt, model, and texture characters to meet the artistic and technical requirements of the project. 
  • Contribute in planning, organization and prioritization of tasks with Production for internal, OS, and co dev partners. 
  • Create and maintain character pipeline documentation for training and onboarding 
  • Proactively identify risks in character art production timelines and effectively communicate risks to Production and Directors. 
  • Mentor and provide feedback to other character artists. 
  • Ensure character assets are optimized for performance and memory usage. 
  • Work closely with rigging, animation, and technical art teams to ensure characters are ready for implementation. 
  • Stay current with industry trends and techniques in character art. 

Core Qualifications 

  • Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, Game Art, or related field. 
  • 7+ years of experience in character art within the video game industry. 
  • Strong proficiency in Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter. 
  • Significant experience in Unreal Engine 
  • Excellent understanding of anatomy, form, and silhouette. 
  • Experience with PBR and hand-painted texturing workflows. 
  • Proven track record of creating high-quality character models for AAA titles. 
  • Ability to lead a team and work collaboratively across departments. 

Plus if... 

  • Experience with character rigging and skinning. 
  • Knowledge of Marvelous Designer or similar tools for clothing simulation. 
  • Experience with rigid body dynamics and cloth simulation in Unreal Engine 
  • Previous work in a leadership role on a major game title. 

Description 

  • Full-time job with benefits. 
  • Role is on-site in Santa Monica, CA. 
  • Office is located near downtown Santa Monica - near metro and freeway. 

The base pay range for this position is $170,000 to $200,000 per year. Actual compensation is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer a competitive package of benefits including vacation time, sick time, company holidays, parental leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) matching to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity. 

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