Sr. Art Director, Magic: The Gathering

1 Month ago • 5 Years + • $114,400 PA - $181,600 PA

Art

Job Description

Wizards of the Coast is seeking a Senior Art Director for Magic: The Gathering. This role involves collaborating with Creative Team partners to define the visual foundation of future sets, leading the visual development of characters and environments, and art directing the execution of final assets. The Senior Art Director will also identify and manage freelance illustrators, advise leadership on creative projects, and contribute to workflow improvements, ensuring high-quality visual storytelling for the brand.

Good To Have:

Experience as a commissioning Art Director/Art Buyer.
Interest in discovering diverse, emerging artists.

Must Have:

Work alongside Creative Team partners to develop, define and communicate the visual creative foundation of future sets.
Act as the art subject matter expert, leading the visual development of characters, environments and details.
Responsible for art directing the execution of final assets within a larger Magic the Gathering creative product.
Identify freelance illustrators, provide continuous direction, and maintain strong relationships.
Continuously examine department workflows, processes, and documentation for improvement.
Advise leadership on complex or critical creative projects/initiatives.
Lead in-house and external illustrators in crafting concept art assets and manage timelines.
Present creative artistic direction and provide constructive feedback.
Review print-ready files to ensure final card quality.
5+ years commercial art experience.
A portfolio demonstrating strong creative vision with a cinematic lens and proven story-telling capabilities.
Deep understanding of Magic as both a game and a brand.
Worldbuilding/character design experience.
Deep knowledge of current fantasy illustration market/talent and modern print/press techniques and processes.
Strong communication skills and comfort with giving and receiving feedback.
High attention to detail and organization skills.
Advanced skill in conceptual worldbuilding and commissioned work.
Proven ability to synthesize game mechanics, brand knowledge, and creative goals into clear and concise direction.
Advanced skill in Adobe Photoshop, proficient in Illustrator, InDesign and MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook).

Perks:

Health & Wellness: Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
Time Off to Recharge: Paid Vacation & Holidays
Financial Well-being: Generous 401(k) Match
Life & Family Support: Paid Parental Leave
Giving Back: Volunteer & Employee Giving Programs
Level Up Your Skills: Tuition Reimbursement
Exclusive Perks: Product Discounts & More!

Add these skills to join the top 1% applicants for this job

ms-office

communication

excel

character-design

concept-art

game-texts

visual-development

photoshop

adobe-photoshop

At Wizards of the Coast, we connect people around the world through play and imagination. From our genre-defining games like Magic: The Gathering® and Dungeons & Dragons® to our growing multiverse, we continue to innovate and build new ways to foster friendship and connection. That’s where you come in!

Magic: the Gathering, the world’s first and best-in-class Trading Card Game, is hiring a new Senior Art Director!

What you'll do

Work alongside Creative Team partners to develop, define and communicate the visual creative foundation of future sets. Act as the art subject matter expert, leading the visual development of characters, environments and details needed to successfully support future card set releases.
Responsible for art directing the execution of final assets within a larger Magic the Gathering creative product, with a high level of complexity or volume. Identify freelance illustrators for each piece, provide continuous direction on individual pieces, and maintain strong relationships with those partners.
Continuously examine department workflows, processes, and documentation to identify areas for improvement and individually contribute to the execution of workflow and process updates.
Advises leadership on complex or critical creative projects/initiatives. Provides direction to teams and ensures delivery of results. Participate in brainstorms on future Magic creative expressions in partnership with department leaders.
Lead in-house and external illustrators in crafting concept art assets and manage their timelines.
Present creative artistic direction and provide constructive feedback in meetings and stand-up critiques.
Review print-ready files to ensure final card quality.

What you’ll bring

5+ yrs commercial art experience; experience as a commissioning Art Director/Art Buyer is a plus
A portfolio demonstrating strong creative vision with a cinematic lens and proven story-telling capabilities
Deep understanding of Magic as both a game and a brand
Worldbuilding/character design experience
Deep knowledge of current fantasy illustration market/talent and modern print/press techniques and processes. Have an interest in discovering diverse, emerging artists.
Strong communication skills and comfort with giving and receiving feedback
High attention to detail and organization skills
Advanced skill in conceptual worldbuilding and commissioned work, and proven ability to synthesize game mechanics, brand knowledge, and creative goals into clear and concise direction
Advanced skill in Adobe Photoshop, proficient in Illustrator, InDesign and MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook)

We are an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer

Wizards of the Coast is committed to equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment. We are committed to making all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. If you have a disability and require assistance in this application process and need to request an accommodation, please contact your recruiter or coordinator.

The base salary range for this position is $114,400.00 to $181,600.00. The hiring range will vary based on factors such as experience, skills, location and market conditions. Additionally, employees may be eligible for annual and long-term incentives as part of their overall compensation package.