Lead UI Artist

Thought Pennies Entertainment is a Role-Playing Game studio creating games focused on social storytelling. We celebrate diversity and a people-first approach to game development. We are fully remote.  

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The Lead UI Artist has a key role in the visual development of user interface art for a dark fantasy RPG. They bring creativity, technical execution, and leadership to the team. This lead is critical in concepting, executing, and implementing the UI visual direction, art assets, and animation across the game’s interfaces. As a partner to the Art Director and UX Lead (and key collaborator with both the Design and Art teams), they champion the art vision and thread the needle between artistic aims and practical considerations.

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This is a hands-on position, by which the Lead UI Artist sets an example through the creation of exceptionally clear and memorable and animated interface screens, icons, and art that ignite the UI artists they lead to creating equally exceptional work. This role requires an understanding of modern control input methods across console and PC as well as a grip on current AA+ and AAA quality art bars. The ideal candidate has a strong interest in visual design systems, UI animation, and accessibility. Experience with Unreal Engine or other implementation methods is a plus.

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What you do

• Establish consistent rulesets and style guides for the UI, including color, typography, and animation.
• Develop and maintain asset libraries for iconography and UI art assets.
• Create and maintain documentation on tools, methods, and training.
• Lead the UI art team; direct UI art creation work, appraise performance, resolve issues.
• Procure, review, and interview UI art candidates, then train UI artists into established processes.
• Collaborate with UI artists to translate ideas into mood boards and mockups en route to finished, production-ready assets.
• Direct external partners to ensure UI art is on-style, at-quality, and on-brand.
• Advocate for the user and ensure that the UI is intuitive, accessible, and user-friendly.
• Take part in broader art development (visual targets, key art, marketing) and art direction.
• Value schedule and logistics, and partner with production to fit aesthetic goals within them.
• Contribute to a studio culture committed to craft, collaboration, and empowerment.

What you bring

• 5+ years game development experience creating rich, beautiful, and consistent UI styles.
• Proven leadership, organizational, supervisory, and mentoring skills.
• Deep knowledge of modern UI across games, genres, platforms, and non-game applications.
• Thoughtful consideration for different types of input methods and screen sizes.
• Empathy for players, with a strong consideration for accessibility.
• Detail-oriented problem-solving with a communicative, service-oriented mentality.
• Good experiences collaborating with external artists and outsourcing.
• You enjoy collaboration, leading with empathy, and the giving and taking of feedback.

Plus if you have it:

• Prior experience with Coherent or frontend technologies like HTML and CSS.
• Prior experience with Unreal materials and UE best practices.
• High interest in typography, animation, and effects.
• Good experiences collaborating with external UI/UX teams and outsourcing.
• Wide artistic culture chops - design, film, fashion, games, fine arts, &c.

Application Materials

• A portfolio of high-quality UI designs, assets, and production art. Please be ready to discuss the methodology and principles behind your designs and implementations.

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