Senior Character Artist (CONTRACT)

CONTRACT ROLE

Insomniac Games is looking for a Senior Character Artist. In this role, you will be responsible for modeling character art assets (models, textures, and shaders for characters, props, and other key assets) at the highest quality level set by Lead Artists and Art Directors. They mentor, tutor, and assist other artists to improve workflows and content pipeline.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

• This role places an emphasis on the ability to author highly naturalistic heads (neutrals) at a high-quality level, based on photogrammetry and photometric data. Evidence of these skills must be demonstrated in the portfolio.
• Creates complete character content (bodies, cloth, armor, etc) at a consistently expert quality level delivered on schedule and meeting performance targets.
• Works with Art Directors and Lead Artists to establish art direction and with the character art team to maintain art direction for the game, providing constructive feedback as needed.
• Mentors, tutors, and aids others based on documented workflows.
• Provides support for both independent and embedded Co-Dev resources and organizes work for Ex-Dev resources including creating briefs and reviewing and integrating deliveries.
• Experiments with and evaluates techniques to improve efficiency, workflow, and visual fidelity in our character art pipeline.
• Assists in establishing and maintaining performance targets and collaborates with other departments to ensure art is implemented appropriately in the game engine.
• Assists with creating documentation in Confluence, or equivalent.
• Assists with tasking in JIRA, Flow, or equivalent.
• Other duties may be assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This job has no supervisory responsibilities, however this role mentors more junior artists.

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. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Computer Skills: 

• Advanced understanding of Maya (or Max), Substance Painter, Zbrush, Marvelous Designer, or equivalent, and Photoshop.
• Advanced understanding of generating normal maps from high poly models.
• Advanced understanding of PBR (Physically Based Rendering) shader.
• Advanced understanding of complex node-based shader networks such as those used in Unreal Engine, Substance Designer, etc.
• Understanding of source control via Perforce or equivalent.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.

Other Skills: 

• Strong foundation skills with the ability to work with detailed or loose concept art, or reference art/ materials.
• Expert knowledge of human and animal anatomy.
• Advanced understanding of hair creation process, both card and strand based.
• Advance knowledge in organic and hard surface modelling.
• Advanced traditional painting skills, and Ability to create models and shaders for a range of art directions, from photorealistic to stylized.
• Ability to meet deadlines under tight schedules.
• Willingness to receive direction from lead artist and peers and work closely with a team.