Weekend Sketch Artist Drawing Jobs in California

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.