Junior Level Artist

ABOUT THIS POSITION

Digital Extremes is looking for a Junior Level Artist to join our team! The Level Artist will be following, and on occasion helping to define art direction through collaboration with the entire creative team including but not limited to the Creative Director and Art Director. The incumbent will also be collaborating with the Level Design team and the Environment Art team to understand and balance the artistic and gameplay direction of the project, and to ensure the successful execution of the game’s visual and technical design on a level by level basis. The Level Artist is responsible for championing and maintaining the artistic goals of the level from start to finish. As a Level Artist you will find yourself collaborating with many other departments on the dev team and you should be comfortable doing so. Practical experience across other departments is an asset.

The candidate will have genuine enthusiasm and interest in video games combined with strong oral and written communication skills. They must provide a portfolio of their work that demonstrates an understanding of composition, colour theory, architecture, and storytelling and be able to describe the artistic and gameplay reasons of why these compositions work. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Follow and on occasion help to define art direction through collaboration with the Creative Director and Art Director
• Work closely with the Art Director while collaborating with the Level Design team to understand and balance the artistic and gameplay direction of the project to ensure the successful execution of game’s visual and technical design on a level by level basis
• Use analytical thinking and the defined art sets, props, visual FX and lighting techniques to design visually dynamic and technically efficient environments that support the narrative and gameplay goals of the level
• Use traditional 2D and 3D art skills in the production of environments, including the construction of high level compositions and proxy models from which final assets will be built
• Work closely with the Level Design team to fulfill the primary feature requirements of the game as it relates to the artistic goals of a level, and contribute to the team’s goal of reaching the project’s vision. Ensure the visual quality of each environment through tuning, bug fixing, and play-testing
• Collaborate with artists, engineers and designers to ensure effective integration of art, game design, and technology
• Work as a team member with production and development, promoting creative thinking processes within the team and integrating their input to translate the game vision into gameplay reality
• Review levels for visual integrity, playability, and fun factor while considering the creative direction, game play, and the target platforms
• Contribute innovative and original ideas toward all aspects of the game’s production and development
• Deliver work on time and according to schedule as prepared by the Art Director and Producer
• Engage with the entire production team to stay current on the scope and understanding of the project
• Actively participate in the feedback loop including accepting feedback from and providing feedback within the art and level design team as required
• Multitask effectively, prioritize competing demands, and trouble-shoot any issues relative to the role that may arise 

REQUIREMENTS

• College diploma or University degree in 3D, Game Development, Graphic Arts, Fine Arts or similar field
• 5 years’ of relative experience in the creation of game environments and a strong understanding of game engine fundamentals such as performance optimization, and game engine tools
• A portfolio of your own work which demonstrates a diverse range of environment types and an ability to tell a story through composition, staging, and lighting
• The ability to learn new software quickly, including our proprietary game engine
• Exemplary oral and written communication skills
• A genuine enthusiasm and interest in video games