Concept Artist (Sci-Fi Game, Characters, Creatures, Environments)

We’re looking for a talented Concept Artist to help establish the visual identity of Finding Sanctuary, a sci-fi game set on a beautiful, mysterious alien planet. The project combines grounded speculative realism, futuristic technology, unique alien wildlife, and lush natural environments.

You’ll work on concept art for characters, humanoid enemies, alien creatures, and environments, translating the creative vision and references into cohesive, production-ready visual designs for the 3D art team.

Responsibilities

• Create concept art for main characters, humanoid enemies, alien creatures, and NPCs.
• Design distinctive character silhouettes, outfits, armor, equipment, and visual details.
• Develop original creature and wildlife concepts inspired by real-world animals and imaginative alien biology.
• Create environment concepts for lush alien landscapes, rainforests, vegetation, and hostile industrial interiors.
• Explore shapes, materials, lighting, and color palettes to establish a consistent visual language.
• Develop visual contrasts between organic alien nature and dark, aggressive sci-fi technology.
• Create design variations, moodboards, sketches, and detailed concept sheets to communicate ideas clearly.
• Collaborate with the client and 3D artists to ensure concepts are practical for 3D modeling, texturing, and animation.
• Refine designs based on feedback while maintaining the project's artistic direction.

Art Direction

The visual style is grounded sci-fi realism with a strong contrast between two worlds:

• Alien nature: Lush rainforests, deep indigo-violet canopies, iridescent jade vegetation, bioluminescent teal details, and unusual organic materials.
• Hostile technology: Industrial structures, dark armor, sharp silhouettes, black and red surfaces, and bright warm accents highlighting enemy weak points.
• Characters: A strong, physically capable female protagonist wearing sleek futuristic protective armor, alongside a brave cat companion with long, realistic fur and a cybernetic shield.
• Creatures and NPCs: Unique alien beings with distinctive anatomy, believable biological features, and elegant teal patterns integrated into their skin, scales, or fur.
• Enemies: Humanoid invaders wearing protective helmets, with recognizable silhouettes and a consistent industrial design language.

The goal is to create a visually rich alien world that feels believable, immersive, and worth protecting.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a Concept Artist, preferably in video games or entertainment.
• A strong portfolio showcasing character design, creature design, and environment concept art.
• Excellent drawing, anatomy, perspective, composition, and color theory skills.
• Ability to develop original designs from written briefs and visual references.
• Understanding of realistic and stylized-realistic rendering techniques.
• Ability to communicate ideas through clear sketches, silhouettes, detailed concepts, and design sheets.
• Experience creating designs that can be translated into production-ready 3D assets.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to incorporate feedback.

Nice to Have

• Experience working on sci-fi, fantasy, or action-adventure games.
• Knowledge of alien creature design and speculative biology.
• Experience designing futuristic armor, technology, props, and environmental storytelling elements.
• Familiarity with 3D production pipelines and the requirements of character and environment artists.
• Experience with Photoshop, Procreate, or other digital painting tools.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for an artist who can combine creativity with a strong understanding of visual storytelling and production requirements. You should be comfortable exploring multiple ideas, proposing original solutions, and maintaining consistency across characters, creatures, and environments.

You’ll have the opportunity to contribute to the visual foundation of a distinctive sci-fi game, helping transform the creative brief into a cohesive world that can be brought to life in 3D.