Blizzard seeks Senior Environment Artist (Dungeons/Structures/Buildings) for World of Warcraft
Can you craft a fortress fit for a warrior king? A palace for the damned? Caverns of doom and mines of untold riches? From the depths of Molten Core to the terrors of Ice Crown Citadel, World of Warcraft (WoW) dungeons offer adventure and glory to the intrepid heroes of Azeroth.
As a senior artist on the dungeon team, your focus is to invent elaborate backdrops for all the big baddy bosses that inhabit the game. You are part modeler, lighter, set decorator, texture mapper, and level designer all rolled into one. As gate keeper for a dungeon, you are responsible for translating a 2D layout into a fully realized 3-D dungeon. You also must have the creative sense to fill in the gaps and interpret areas that may not have specific concept art. The ideal senior environment artist can float between 2D concepts and 3D assets, expanding the world and setting the stage for our player to explore.
The dungeons in World of Warcraft offer up a great variety of themes, and you get to be the point person for all things creative that go into it. If this describes your talents, then you have our attention!
This is a staff position located at our Irvine, CA campus.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Collaborate closely with level design to translate 2D layout into a fully realized 3D dungeon.
- Freely interpret lose concept art and realize it as a 3D environment.
- Light environment to establish mood and gameplay flow.
- Apply textures and set dress interior environments.
- Create 2D overpaints to flush out the level’s visual design, lighting, and mood.
- Create textures in a hand painted style.
REQUIREMENTS
- A minimum of 10 years’ experience working as an environment artist
- Proven ability to work in the 2D and 3D space
- Excellent at setting and driving a vision
- Excellent follow through and takes initiative to solve problems
- An exceptional understanding of architecture as it applies to level design, light, and color
- A thorough understanding of the level design process
- Works closely with game design to ensure art enhances the player experience
- Able to explore a wide variety of ideas that push the WoW style
PLUSES
- A degree or formal art education such as illustration, traditional painting or industrial design
- Understanding of the visual style of World of Warcraft and a passion to push it to the next level
- A mind for art direction and leadership
SUBMISSION / PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS
- Resume required
- Cover letter required
- Portfolio and / or reel demonstrating relevant artistic skills required
- Only online artwork submissions will be accepted (e.g. website, blog or online album)
- An art test might be required if the work presented doesn’t adequately demonstrate a similar style to WoW