Lead Artist / Art Director CG Emploi

Description de l'emploi

LEAD ARTIST / ART DIRECTOR

Cleo Entertainment · Remote · Full Salary + Rev Share + Equity

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ABOUT THE PROJECT

Cleo Studios is an indie game studio developing a dark fantasy PvEvP extraction RPG built in Unreal Engine 5 — a genre-defining concept with a unique twist that nothing in the current market occupies. This is a garage project in the truest sense: a small, focused team building something we genuinely believe in from the ground up. The design foundation is deep, the vision is clear, and the people behind it have the industry connections and community reach to make a serious commercial impact at launch.

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THE ROLE

As Lead Artist and Art Director, you will own the entire visual identity of the game. You are the person who defines what this project looks like, feels like, and is remembered for. You will work directly alongside the creative director to translate a dark fantasy vision into a cohesive, production-ready art pipeline — and you will be responsible for upholding that standard across every asset, character, and environment the team produces.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

- Define and own the visual style, art bible, and aesthetic direction of the game

- Lead and maintain quality across all art disciplines — environment, character, VFX, and UI

- Build and manage the art pipeline for a small, remote team

- Produce hero assets that set the visual benchmark for the project

- Collaborate closely with the creative director on world-building and narrative presentation

- Review and provide direction on all incoming art from contractors and team members

- Ensure consistency across all assets from concept through to engine integration in UE5

- Contribute to the broader creative vision of the studio beyond a single title

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REQUIREMENTS

- A strong portfolio demonstrating professional-level work in character, environment, or concept art within a dark fantasy or stylized aesthetic

- Shipped title experience — we need to see you have taken a project to completion

- Demonstrated ability to define and execute a cohesive art style, not simply follow one

- Experience working within or alongside a game engine — UE5 experience is a strong advantage

- Comfortable working remotely and autonomously within a startup environment

- Strong communication and creative leadership skills

- Someone who takes genuine ownership of their work and their role

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NICE TO HAVE

- Prior experience art directing or leading a small art team

- Background in dark fantasy, gothic, or painterly / stylized aesthetics

- Familiarity with UE5's material and lighting systems

- Concept art or world-building experience

- Experience building an art bible from scratch

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COMPENSATION

We are fully committed to compensating the right person properly. This is not a passion project looking for someone to work for exposure — it is a serious production with a serious compensation structure to match.

- Full salary — paid hourly or on a structured basis, negotiable based on experience and availability

- Revenue share — **** to the commercial launch of the game, ongoing for as long as you remain part of the team

- Equity — discussed upon commitment

We are flexible and open to structuring an arrangement that works for the right person. 

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WHO THIS IS FOR

This listing is for experienced professionals only. If you have a strong portfolio, shipped work, and a genuine passion for dark fantasy and stylized aesthetics — we want to hear from you. If you are earlier in your career or looking for a casual side project, this is not the right fit.

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HOW TO APPLY

Send the following to: contact@cleostudios.com

- A brief introduction — who you are and what you bring to this role

- Link to your portfolio or ArtStation

- At least one example of a project where you defined or led the visual direction

- Your availability and general rate expectations

Applications without a portfolio will not be considered.

We are an independent game studio currently developing a dark, stylized fantasy project with a strong focus on atmosphere, immersion, and visual identity. Our work is heavily inspired by classical oil painting techniques and grounded medieval themes, aiming to create something distinct both visually and experientially.

We already have a small team in place that includes experienced, high-level industry professionals across art and engineering, and we’re now looking to expand with talented individuals who want to contribute to a focused and ambitious project.

We value strong artistic vision, attention to detail, and people who want to have a real impact on the direction of what we’re building.