Materials Artist (Retro Studios)

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

• Collaborates with art leadership and art teams to establish, organize and maintain our material library across all game content.
• Creates high quality physically based materials using Substance Designer/Painter to establish visual targets and support art efforts across all game content.
• Establishes organized material workflows in Substance Designer/ Painter. Collaborates in implementing and maintaining material pipelines.
• Collaborates with other artists to build and integrate assets into visually consistent, high quality, and optimized environment art.
• Anticipates and identifies production challenges to leads and Technical Directors.
• Researches new tools and techniques to create more efficient and visually appealing environments.
• Works with technical artist to develop advanced shader and material sets
• Creates environment assets and scenes while considering hardware and design limitations and overall art vision of the project
• Creates documentation supporting techniques and process and encourages the sharing of knowledge and ideas
• Mentors less experienced members of the team

*This job description outlines primary duties and requirements and is not intended to identify all tasks that may be performed; individuals occupying the position may be required to perform other duties.  The company may modify job duties from time to time, either in practice or in writing.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in AAA game development or credit on at least one AAA title as material artist.
• Expert skills in Substance Designer/Painter
• Solid understanding of PBR rendering and the interaction between materials and lighting
• Portfolio demonstrating a wide variety of tiled and one-to-one materials created using both procedural and 3d sculpted techniques and showing attention to detail, plausibility and an aesthetic eye
• Prior knowledge and experience crafting 3D environment assets and scenes demonstrating:
  • Solid understanding of color theory and experience creating balanced color palettes with strong appeal
  • Good sense of form, volume, structure, and silhouette
  • Strong understanding of composition and balance
  • Solid understanding of efficient low poly mesh techniques
  • Strong UV layout techniques
  • Understanding of Texel density, memory limitations, etc.
• Ability to follow concept/reference and ability to work with wide range of styles with minimal concept and direction.
• Experience with high poly sculpting and modeling software such as Z-Brush & Maya
• Experience with 2D image creation software such as Photoshop, Painter, 3D coat, etc.
• Experience with world editors and level construction software
• Excellent communication/collaboration skills.
• Able to manage and organize work in order to meet deadlines.
• Fluid and eager problem solver