Senior Character Concept Artist (Contractor)

Who we are

At Fortis Games we aspire to make great games that bring people together while redefining how game companies work. We believe in building a sense of belonging through our games, their communities, and how we operate and treat each other. Through our game communities, we will create powerful connections and lasting memories. We will foster a culture of diversity, equity and belonging where together our diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds impact the games we make.

We are an early but mighty organization with a leadership team of game industry veterans. There are many opportunities for you to have a big impact on the products we'll be making as well as the overall direction of the company. If you're passionate about tackling difficult problems with direct and thoughtful communication and team first mentality, we may be the right place for you.

About the role 

As a Senior Character Concept Artist, you will work closely with the Art Director and Lead Concept Artist to help conceptualize the visual style of our characters in our mobile games! You’ll bring your expertise as a visionary, designer and storyteller to lead a global team of passionate artists to visually communicate and maintain a stylized art direction throughout the creation of world-class characters, creatures, and key art marketing materials.

• Collaborate with the Art Director and Lead Concept Artist to establish and execute the artistic vision of a game. 
• Create designs for characters, creatures, props (gear, accessories, etc.) to elevate the gameplay and overall player experience.
• Create model packets, orthos, and other style guide material in order to hand off concepts to 3D or outsourcing.
• Help create key art, marketing or splash art material involving characters.  
• Gather and catalog references, conduct competitive analysis and formulate research strategies under the lead of the Art Director and Lead Concept Artist.
• Understand and evangelize the visual style of the game, sharing knowledge with the team to be sure that the vision and directions are understandable.
• Collaborate with other leads and team members across various departments to problem-solve and help steer the conceptual direction into the final game experience
• Help lead the Concept Art team, guiding other artists through both mentorship and constructive critique. 
• Work closely with 3D Asset teams, Environment teams and Character teams, joining their design processes and working out the visual problems that arise during production.

What you’ll achieve

• Benchmark quality assets covering all aspects of style guides, creative briefs, concept design, key art, illustration, and experiments adhering to the overall art direction.
• A visual style that has broad appeal while being distinct and memorable. We aspire for our original IP to have the potential to cross over into multiple games, genres, and media.
• A well-led team of artists who feel informed, challenged and supported to do their best work.
• An efficient and scalable art pipeline that can provide a foundation for future games shaped by constructive feedback and implemented solutions.

What you’ll need to be successful 

• Outstanding proficiency in designing for the digital world with a deep understanding of the technology, technical constraints, and terminology. 
• Strong foundational art skills and an appealing aesthetic sensibility.
• A portfolio showcasing a range of styles that leans heavily towards expressive, stylized work. 
• A solid understanding of how concepts translate into 3D game assets. 
• Top-notch technique and thorough knowledge of anatomy, perspective, composition, color, and textures.
• Mastery of industry-standard digital painting tools such as Photoshop or similar programs. 
• Proficiency in ZBrush, Blender, Maya, Substance Painter and other 3D modeling software to quickly develop and express ideas is a strong plus.
• Ability to turn ideas into images, coupled with a desire to push the envelope.
• Ability to communicate your creative vision, process, decisions, and rationale to team members and cross-functional stakeholders in a way that inspires and motivates.
• Enthusiasm for directing, mentoring, and otherwise elevating the people around you to do their best work. 
• A natural curiosity and eagerness to learn - we believe this is essential to our ability to stay ahead of the market and value this over years of experience.
• You should be educated on the latest trends and have a strong perspective on how they relate to our current and future projects. 

Why join us

There are many reasons to join us, but here are a few:

• We strongly believe we are changing how games studios operate and at the core of what we do is making great games that create a connected community
• We're not just about making Games Where You Belong. We're also about building communities where our people belong. That's why Fortis is a thriving environment that celebrates diversity, embraces inclusivity, and fosters growth.
• Build and grow with a seasoned team of accomplished talent who have left an impactful mark in their disciplines, both in and out of gaming

Fortis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.