OVERVIEW:

A Character Artist is a specialised 3D Artist. As such they require all the skills the 3D Artist has, i.e. producing models and textures to high standards to schedule and defined art style.

The Character Artist then requires additional skills focused on creating realistic and stylised people and creatures. Briefly summarised these are a strong understanding of anatomy, excellent organic modelling and understanding of how to build meshes that deform well when animated.

DIRECTLY REPORTING TO: Art Manager

DUTIES:

• Support all character work on the team producing character / creature models and textures.
• Ensuring all character / creature meshes are suitable for animation. Working with animators to revise meshes to overcome any deformation issues.
• Required to produce non-character assets as and when required.
• Produce and revise character concepts as and when required.

ESSENTIALS:

• All the skills described in the 3D Artist section. Remember the Character Artist is a specialism with in the 3D Artist role.
• Create and iteratively develop game assets from inception to final review on the target hardware within the game engine using appropriate tools (BlitzTech Tools).
• Knowledge and experience of in game asset creation and the limitations involved.
• Genuine passion for Character work.
• Strong understanding of anatomy that informs and guides all modelling / texturing / concepting work done.
• Excellent organic polygon modelling in both realistic and fantasy/cartoon styles.
• Excellent Z-Brush/Mudbox high resolution sculpting in both realistic and fantasy/cartoon styles.
• Excellent understanding of how geometry deforms when skinned and animated. This knowledge is expected to guide all polygon modelling to ensure the character models do not tear, loose volume or change silhouette when animated.
• Excellent texturing of organic surfaces both from photo reference and hand painted.
• Excellent ability to efficiently apply mapping to organic surfaces to give minimum distortion.
• Ability to interpret 2D character concepts to capture their essence while resolving their forms in 3D. This interpretation must be strong with both realistic and stylised concepts.
• Basic skinning ability.

BENEFICIAL QUALITIES:

• Excellent traditional art skills.
• Character concepting skills.
• Excellent skills and understanding of art pipelines working between Maya and Z-Brush. This would include retopologising of meshes, use of Zap-Link for texture editing and transfer and capture of data/surfaces between different meshes.
• Ability to apply rules of real human and animal anatomy to create plausible fantasy characters with believable anatomy, e.g. a centaur or gryphon.
• Ability to pose skinned characters to create pleasing, dramatic and characterful poses for screen shots or renders.
• Strong skinning skills.
• Some rigging skills.
• Familiarity with adjusting skin and hair shaders.
• Some experience with loading Mo-Cap and other pre-prepared animation files.
• Mentoring skills to pass on anatomy understanding to team and interested juniors.
• Producing personal character work / keeping a sketchbook.

SENIOR ESSENTIALS:

Senior artists must possess a good grounding in artistic skills and exhibit the ability to make very good artistic judgements coupled with robust tool skills and an all round ability to autonomously create industry equivalent triple A high quality game art assets with great organisational, scheduling and mentorship skills. Overall, senior artists are expected to take a higher level of responsibility for the quality and timely delivery of art on their project.

Traditional Art Skills

Appreciation and ability to make good artistic judgements on form, colour and composition.

• An understanding of the basic principles of lighting.
• A basic working knowledge and general understanding of human anatomy.
• Good natural artistic ability and flair.

Ability to develop and communicate ideas and concepts in a visual manner - both digitally and using traditional media.

Self Management and Organisation

• Ability to work to a brief, adopt working practices and work within the stated boundaries including art style, technical specifications, scheduling and overall spirit of any given project.
• Create and iteratively develop game assets from inception to final review on the target hardware within the game engine using appropriate tools (BlitzTech Tools).
• Ability to identify production issues, seek solutions, source reference and guidance before solving or communicating them as appropriate in a self-sufficient manner.
• Demonstrates skills in basic management tasks including good communication and scheduling of personal tasks and any delegated support structures.

Teamwork and Communication

• Keep managers and any dependent team members informed about the progress of work including any potential conflicts or bottlenecks, with suggestions for solutions.
• Ability and willingness to fit into and contribute to a creative team environment.
• Senior artists are expected to share their knowledge with others by freely exchanging skills through training and mentoring others.

Professional attitude and work ethic

• Ability to accept and work under the art direction of a project Art Manager.
• Will be thorough in their approach to problem solving and able to function independently as and when required.
• Needs to be comfortable working to deadlines.
• A willingness and ability to learn is essential.
• A consistent professional approach to naming, filing, backing up and archiving of all work in accordance with company and team policy.
• Proficient skills in identifying a need for and sourcing appropriate visual reference material.

Work Quality

• All work must be to the very highest standards as benchmarked against the wider industry. Senior artists set the standard and that standard must always be triple A.

Ownership

• Demonstrates the ability to take ownership for a larger section of the project and direct the process to deliver final game art assets. Examples include delivering groups of assets, setting and monitoring standards, developing and managing pipelines, outsource management and scheduling.

Industry Knowledge

Full understanding and experience of the entire game production cycle and associated issues.

• Managing and supporting client expectations.
• Working within a ‘shifting goals' features, timescales and budgetary environment.

Pro-actively track and follow key industry trends and techniques.

Personal Development

• Ability to identify and develop a personal specialism.

FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS:

In terms of formal qualifications, it is agreed that levels of attainment should not be set. Respective art and/or animation skills are paramount when considering any applicant, however, foreign applicants requiring work permits or visas would need due consideration. At Blitz Games Studios we adopt an approach that relevant higher qualifications are ‘preferred' as opposed to ‘required' for UK/European and other ‘work legal' applicants, however to be considered for this role demonstrable skills and ability in the role requirements will be expected and sought.

TRAINING:

Although the jobholder will be trained on the job, they will be expected to develop their artistic appreciation and tool skills using their own initiative and in their own time. As well as organised training sessions via the Blitz Academy, we encourage staff to broaden their skills further by giving them the opportunity to attend external courses as appropriate.

Attractive salary, benefits and a great career opportunity.