Art Director (Eastern Europe)

About Us

We are a small, passionate team of innovators pioneering the next generation of immersive digital experiences. Our vision is to create a vibrant, engaging 3D virtual world where users can explore, interact, create, and connect in new ways, leveraging the potential of AI and blockchain. We're looking for a visionary Art Director to join our founding team and shape the entire visual identity of our world.

Role Overview

We are seeking a talented and versatile Art Director who is both a strong leader and a hands-on creator. You will be responsible for defining, driving, and maintaining the complete artistic vision for our 3D virtual world. This includes everything from establishing the overall aesthetic and brand identity to guiding the creation of characters, environments, UI/UX elements, game assets, and producing stunning key art. As a senior member of our small team, you will mentor junior artists while actively contributing to asset creation, ensuring a cohesive and high-quality visual experience across the entire project.

Key Responsibilities

1. Artistic Vision & Strategy

• Define, document, and champion the overall artistic vision, style guide, and quality standards for the virtual world.
• Develop and maintain the project's visual brand identity across all platforms (in-world, web, marketing) .
• Ensure artistic consistency and quality across all visual aspects of the project.

2. Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a small team of junior artists, providing clear direction, constructive feedback, and fostering their growth.
• Manage art tasks, priorities, and deliverables within the art team.

3. Hands-On Art Creation

• Actively participate in the creation of high-impact visual assets, including key art, concept art, marketing materials, and potentially specific in-game assets when needed.
• Set the quality bar through example and direct contribution.

4. Art Direction Across Disciplines

• Character Art: Guide the design, modeling, and texturing process for unique and appealing 3D characters suitable for our virtual world.
• Environment Art: Direct the creation of immersive and visually compelling 3D environments and world aesthetics.
• UI/UX Design: Oversee the visual design of the user interface and user experience, ensuring it is intuitive, aesthetically pleasing, and consistent with the overall art style.
• Game Elements: Guide the artistic direction for props, items, visual effects (VFX) , and other interactive elements within the world.

5. Collaboration & Pipeline

• Collaborate closely with founders, developers, designers, and potentially community managers to ensure art supports gameplay, narrative, and technical requirements.
• Help establish and refine efficient art pipelines and workflows suitable for a start-up environment, integrating 3D, AI, and potentially blockchain-related asset considerations.
• Stay informed about relevant technology trends, particularly in 3D art, virtual worlds, AI tools, and blockchain applications in digital assets.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Proven experience as an Art Director, Lead Artist, or Senior Artist with significant responsibility in the games, animation, or virtual world industries.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in defining art styles, creating high quality 2D/3D artwork (especially key art/promotional art) , and leading art production across various disciplines (character, environment, UI) .
• Excellent understanding of 3D art pipelines (modeling, sculpting, texturing, lighting, rendering) .
• Experience guiding and mentoring junior artists.
• Strong grasp of fundamental art principles: composition, color theory, lighting, anatomy, visual storytelling, and branding.
• Proficiency with industry-standard software (e.g., Photoshop, Blender/Maya/3ds Max, ZBrush, Substance Suite, etc.) .
• Experience with game engines (e.g., Unity or Unreal Engine) .
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, agile, and resource-constrained start-up environment.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and passionate about creating stunning virtual worlds.

Bonus Points

• Direct experience working on metaverse projects, MMOs, or virtual social platforms.
• Familiarity or keen interest in AI-powered art tools and their potential application/integration.
• Understanding of blockchain concepts, NFTs, and their potential relevance to digital identity and assets within a virtual world.
• Experience creating style guides and visual identity documentation.
• Shipped title experience in a leadership art role.