Sr Staff Environment Artist, Foliage

Santa Monica Studio is seeking a Sr Staff Environment Artist for the development of a new unannounced title!

We are looking for an experienced Environment Artist with expertise in foliage and vegetation. As Senior Staff Environment Artist, you will effectively collaborate with a wide range of development team members outside of their direct discipline, such as the Art Director, Designers, Technical Artists, Animators, Programmers and Producers, to optimally achieve artistic goals and implementation as they relate to design and technological considerations.

Responsibilities:

• Own and drive foliage and vegetation assets from start to finish – including benchmarks, documentation, material balancing, and standards
• Possess strong time management and prioritization skills – this entails collaborating with Production to manage responsibilities and ensure goals will be met from a scope, schedule, or artistic perspective
• Manage requests or information needs regarding any aspect of the Foliage and vegetation art creation process
• Capable of resolving a wide range of complex artistic development issues for artists and other team members
• Deep understanding of development pipelines and processes relating to foliage and vegetation
• Provide instruction/technical specifications/performance requirements across internal team and external partners for asset creation
• Audit assets to ensure specifications/standards are being met
• Independently undertake research and information gathering prior to a new task to ensure game design needs, reference materials, artistic direction and technological considerations are effectively managed to meet defined goals
• Actively advance skill set, abilities and share knowledge by keeping aware of industry trends and techniques, conducting general research, developing innovative techniques, and testing new systems or tools

Requirements:

• 7+ years of industry experience
• 2 or more published AAA console titles
• Strong traditional fine art skills, training, and production experience (illustration, painting, organic forms, color theory, perspective, 2D & 3D design)
• Expert in the use of Speed Tree, Maya, (or other 3D modeling packages) Z-Brush, Substance Designer, and Substance Painter
• Excellent communication, organizational, time management, mentoring, and interpersonal skills
• B.A. in fine arts or relevant curriculum or equivalent skillset

Preferred Experience:

• Experience with Houdini
• Previous leadership experience in games