ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Video Game Concept Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Epic Games

Lead Environment Concept Artist

Cary, NC · On-site

$117K - $135K/yr

What You'll Do Epic Games is searching for an experienced Lead Environment Concept Artist to support and supervise environment concept content created by external partners as part of our ...

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 ... Collaborating with a passionate group of game developers you will be responsible for creating high ...

Cloud Chamber

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 ... Collaborating with a passionate group of game developers you will be responsible for creating high ...

ZeniMax Media

Senior Concept Artist

Rockville, MD · On-site

$85K - $185K/yr

Bethesda Game Studios strives to offer its employees a well-balanced home and work life by ... Salary Range Senior Concept Artist - The typical base pay range for this position at the start of ...

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 ... Collaborating with a passionate group of game developers you will be responsible for creating high ...

Cloud Chamber

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 ... Collaborating with a passionate group of game developers you will be responsible for creating high ...

Epic Games

Senior Environment Concept Artist

Cary, NC · On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

What You'll Do Epic Games is searching for an experienced Senior Environment Concept Artist to support and supervise environment concept content created by external partners as part of our ...

Epic Games

Senior Concept Artist

Cary, NC · On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

Whether it's building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make ... What You'll Do Epic is looking for a Senior Concept Artist to join the Rocket League team. This is ...

Airrack

Airrack Thumbnail Concept Artist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$136K - $157K/yr

THE ROLE We're looking for a world-class freelance Thumbnail Concept Artist -- the creative brain ... You take a video title or a raw idea and engineer a concept that stops the scroll : sketched out ...

Airrack

Airrack Thumbnail Concept Artist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$136K - $157K/yr

THE ROLE We're looking for a world-class freelance Thumbnail Concept Artist - the creative brain ... You take a video title or a raw idea and engineer a concept that stops the scroll: sketched out ...

Airrack

Airrack Thumbnail Concept Artist

Los Angeles, CA

$136K - $157K/yr

THE ROLE We're looking for a world-class freelance Thumbnail Concept Artist - the creative brain ... You take a video title or a raw idea and engineer a concept that stops the scroll : sketched out ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsVideo Game Concept Artist Jobs

Video Game Concept Artist information

See salary details

$5

$15

$28

How much do video game concept artist jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 16, 2026, the average hourly pay for video game concept artist in the United States is $15.27, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.46 and $18.27 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Video Game Concept Artist do?

A Video Game Concept Artist is responsible for creating the initial visual designs and illustrations that define the look and feel of characters, environments, props, and other elements in a video game. They work closely with game designers, art directors, and other team members to translate ideas and written descriptions into compelling visuals. Their artwork serves as a guide for 3D modelers, animators, and other artists throughout the game's development process. Concept artists help establish the game's visual style and mood, ensuring consistency and creativity across all assets.

What is the difference between Video Game Concept Artist vs Character Designer?

AspectVideo Game Concept ArtistCharacter Designer
Primary FocusCreating overall visual concepts for game environments, characters, and assetsDesigning specific characters' appearance, costumes, and personality
Skills RequiredConcept art, illustration, understanding of game art pipelinesCharacter anatomy, costume design, illustration skills
Work EnvironmentGame development studios, freelance projectsGame studios, animation, and entertainment industries
Common UsageDeveloping initial visual ideas for gamesCreating detailed character visuals for production

While both roles involve illustration and visual design, a Video Game Concept Artist focuses on broad concepts for the entire game environment and characters, whereas a Character Designer specializes in detailed character visuals. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify career paths and job expectations in the game industry.

What Does a Video Game Concept Artist Do?

As a video game concept artist, you sketch various visual elements for video games, such as character models, character clothing, background scenery, objects, and menus. You may follow requests to design graphics that fit with the director's vision, provide notes for future animation, and adjust concepts based on factors like the amount of lighting in the scene. Video game concept artists produce both 2D and 3D art as needed. This is a primarily creative job, and video game concept artists frequently create multiple concepts for other staff members to choose from. You may also work collaboratively with other concept artists.

How do Video Game Concept Artists typically collaborate with other members of the game development team?

Video Game Concept Artists work closely with game designers, art directors, and 3D modelers to ensure that the visual concepts align with the game's vision and technical requirements. They often participate in brainstorming sessions, present their artwork for feedback, and revise their designs based on team input. Effective communication is crucial, as concept art serves as the visual foundation for other departments, guiding the style and mood of characters, environments, and props throughout production.

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

To thrive as a Video Game Concept Artist, you need strong drawing and design fundamentals, a creative imagination, and typically a degree in art, illustration, or a related field. Proficiency with digital painting tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, and graphics tablets is essential, and familiarity with 3D modeling software can be advantageous. Collaboration, communication, and the ability to take feedback gracefully are crucial soft skills for excelling in team-based environments. These skills and qualities ensure the creation of compelling visual concepts that guide the game's aesthetic and enhance the overall player experience.
More about Video Game Concept Artist jobs
What cities are hiring for Video Game Concept Artist jobs? Cities with the most Video Game Concept Artist job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Video Game Concept Artist jobs? The most popular types of Video Game Concept Artist jobs are:
What states have the most Video Game Concept Artist jobs? States with the most job openings for Video Game Concept Artist jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Video Game Concept Artist jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Video Game Concept Artist jobs are:
Video Game Concept Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Video Game Concept Artist job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, and 50% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $31,769 per year, or $15.3 per hour.
Lead Environment Concept Artist

Lead Environment Concept Artist

Epic Games

Cary, NC • On-site

$117K - $135K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 15 days ago

Job description

WHAT MAKES US EPIC?
At the core of Epic's success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it's building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we're always innovating.
Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We're constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.
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 for an experienced Lead Environment Concept Artist to support and supervise environment concept content created by external partners as part of our collaboration with Disney. Reporting to the project Art Director and working closely with the Outsource Manager and Environment Art Leads, you will help drive the visual quality, consistency, and world-building direction of environment concept art across the project.
This role requires a highly skilled environment concept artist with strong leadership instincts, exceptional communication skills, and experience working within AAA game production pipelines. You will collaborate with both internal and external teams to ensure concept work aligns with the project's artistic vision, gameplay needs, and production requirements while helping establish a clear quality bar for outsourced environment art.
In this role, you will
  • Partner closely with the Art Director, Environment Art Leads, Outsource Managers, and internal art teams to support external environment concept vendors
  • Communicate the project's visual direction and world-building goals to outsource partners while ensuring all submitted work meets Epic and Disney quality standards
  • Create and oversee high-quality environment concept designs that support the visual identity and storytelling needs of the project
  • Develop mood boards, paint-overs, visual target references, callouts, and production documentation to guide external teams
  • Help define environment pipelines, workflows, and quality benchmarks for outsourced concept art production
  • Review outsource submissions and provide clear, actionable artistic feedback to ensure consistency in style, tone, composition, and functionality
  • Collaborate closely with environment art, level design, lighting, VFX, and gameplay teams to ensure concepts support downstream production requirements
  • Identify risks, communication gaps, or quality concerns early and escalate appropriately to leadership when needed
  • Lead, mentor, and provide artistic direction for a small team of environment concept artists
What we're looking for
  • Exceptional portfolio demonstrating strong environment concept art skills, visual storytelling, composition, color theory, lighting, and world-building
  • Deep understanding of environmental design principles, including architecture, atmosphere, scale, shape language, and gameplay readability
  • Experience working as a Senior or Lead Environment Concept Artist on at least one shipped AAA title
  • Strong ability to communicate visual direction and collaborate effectively with both internal developers and external outsourcing partners
  • Experience creating production-ready concept packages, including callouts, orthographic designs, paint-overs, and reference sheets
  • Understanding of downstream game development workflows and how concept art supports environment art, lighting, level design, and VFX production
  • Excellent organizational, communication, and feedback skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced production environment
  • Proven ability to maintain high artistic standards while balancing production realities and schedules
  • Experience working with stylized and/or highly immersive world-building aesthetics is a strong plus
  • Bonus: Fluency in an additional language such as Chinese, Spanish, German, Italian, or Russian
EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE
Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company-wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.
ABOUT US
Epic Games is a leading interactive entertainment company. For over 30 years we've been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.
Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!
Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.
Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here.

Apply