At ArenaNet, we’ve always believed that games are art. They have the power to communicate ideas and tell stories. They can change the way we think, reflect our cultures, and move us. As the developer of the award-winning Guild Wars game series, we’re proud to share our passion for the online worlds we’ve created with over 21 million players worldwide.
ArenaNet develops and publishes games for every kind of person, which means our games need to be built by every kind of person. We believe the best experiences come from working together, celebrating differences, and helping each of our team members shine.
We are looking for a Contract Senior Creature Concept Artist to create high-quality creature concepts. In this role, you will focus on designing ambient and enemy creatures in close collaboration with the Creature team and Lead Concept Artist.
The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in anatomy, shape language, and the ability to design creatures that feel authentic within the game world based on gameplay prompts. We are looking for a highly skilled, self-motivated individual who can work independently and has a genuine passion for creature design and creating extraordinary assets for AAA games.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Generate high-quality concept art that aligns with the game’s vision and storytelling.
- Concept and develop creature designs based on game design prompts.
- Collaborate with the design team to visualize ideas through quick sketches and iterations.
- Work across disciplines to ensure overall quality and cohesion of creature assets.
- Develop concepts for ambient and enemy creatures in collaboration with the Creature team.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL
- Bachelor’s degree in Art or related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
- 5+ years of professional experience as a concept artist in game development.
- Strong foundation in anatomy, shape language, composition, lighting, color theory, and visual storytelling..
- Expertise in creating high-quality concept art that conveys the vision and mood of the game.
- Proven ability to create both quick sketches/color comps and polished finished paintings.
- Ability to communicate ideas effectively through visual storytelling and articulate design choices
- Highly proficient in Photoshop and other digital tools.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and deliver high-quality work on schedule.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and time-management skills.
- Ability to give and receive feedback constructively and professionally.
- Understanding of technical aspects of creature and gameplay design.
- Excellent attention to detail, with a passion for creating high-quality, innovative work.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating a deep understanding of visual storytelling and high-quality creature concept art.
PLUSES (Nice To Have)
- Experience creating art for fantasy-style games.
- Familiarity with 3D modeling tools such as Zbrush.
- Knowledge and experience playing MMO and other RPG games.
This is a one-year contract position.
Application Deadline: Monday, November 17th by 10am Pacific Time.
This contract position is paid hourly, with additional overtime compensation when applicable. While we’re providing the full range for transparency, our target hiring rate generally falls between the minimum and midpoint of that range.
This role is eligible for benefits through our third-party employing agency, which may include medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) plan, and flexible and dependent care spending accounts.
Don’t meet every single requirement on this job post? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At ArenaNet, we believe diversity in culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and backgrounds make us a better team – we celebrate it. So, if you’re excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Top Skills
What We Do
We’re ArenaNet— and we’ve created a studio that makes online worlds infused with innovation, hand-
crafted excellence, and creative passion.We’re not the only ones who share this passion; gamers have purchased over 3 million copies of Guild Wars 2 since launch, and players and press have consistently called it one of the best MMOs of all time.
Our studio is built on a foundation of innovation, community, and hand-crafted excellence. We’re unlocking the true potential of online roleplaying with game-changing titles like the revolutionary Guild Wars 2. The status quo isn’t good enough for the dedicated worldwide community of GW2 players, which is why we question industry conventions and demand more from ourselves as developers.
We’re always searching for world-class talent. Take a look at our current job openings at ArenaNet’s offices in Bellevue, WA.
