Overview

How bad is your habit?

4 cups per day? 5?

And the rest… It’s the long days. And nights.

When you’re crunching to reach a milestone you put in some serious hours. Caffeine is your savior when you need to pull an all-nighter.

Well that’s how it is in this industry. You love being an artist working in games and movies – but crunch is par for the course and you have to do it.

But what if it didn’t have to be? What if your studio had a strict ‘No Crunch’ policy – no unpaid overtime. Ever. And what if they also gave you 21 days’ paid vacation too?

Take a look at Atomhawk Design Ltd Vancouver. They’re a small team of amazingly talented artists that work hard 9-5, play hard, and still get their beauty sleep. They’re also hiring.

As their Lead Concept Artist you’ll be leading the whole art team across all projects, working hands on and leading by example. You’ll partner with Studio Director Chris Rowe who will support you at every step.

You’ll even get to work with me as we grow your team further.

2019 will be a great year.

Interested? Let’s have a chat over coffee. Chris’s treat.

Mine’s a flat white please. Decaf, of course.

Call me for a chat (I’m the Recruiter, Rebecca Askham) on +44(0)7810 354116 or email me at becca.askham@atomhawk.com.

Full Job Description:

ATOMHAWK ARE LOOKING FOR A LEAD ARTIST TO JOIN OUR VANCOUVER TEAM. THINK YOU’VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES? READ ON!

We’re looking for an experienced Lead Artist that will drive creative excellence within the Atomhawk Canada team. The role presents a rare chance to work in a dynamic environment full of exciting new challenges, collaborating with clients such as Warner Brothers, Microsoft, Sony and Lego.

The successful candidate will be an established concept artist with a track record of working on AAA quality games and / or movies. They’ll also be experienced in leading projects and setting the style when required.

The ability to adapt to a diverse range of styles is key. The role requires the Lead Artist to create high quality work with a strong sense of design at every stage of the process, from initial sketches and thumbnails, through to value and colour, and final polished work. They’ll be able to work quickly and consistently to deliver innovative, high quality ideas across a range of genres and styles.

We’re looking for someone with the enthusiasm and communication skills to make them a genuine asset to the concept team and the studio as a whole. As well as leading by example, the Lead Artist will be comfortable mentoring others and providing feedback on their work. They will also be actively involved in building the Canada art team as the Atomhawk Canada studio continues to grow.

Hierarchy and reporting lines

Reporting to the Studio Director, working alongside the Art Manager and Principal Artists (UK)

REQUIREMENTSFunctional Responsibilities

• Strong ability to be able to produce a broad spectrum of concept work needed in a studio, everything from quick thumbnails through to final illustrations and renders.

• Broad & deep art knowledge (art history, product design, 2D, 3D, traditional and digital)

• Interest in all things visual – Animation, VFX, Graphic Design, Film, UX

• Partner with the production team in development and maintenance of realistic art scope plans and schedule

• Take initiative and facilitate communication between teams during projects

• Provide input and feedback on tools and pipelines

• Analyze, adapt, and integrate high and low-level feedback from the Client and/or other departments to achieve what is best for the product

• Ability to mentor and motivate others and establish trust among team members and peers

Strong time management skills with a proven ability to focus on priorities, juggle multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Visual storytelling, ensuring that the image captivates the viewer’s imagination

• Environment design – Ability to create inspirational environments in an array of styles, always with close attention to composition, lighting and perspective

• Architecture – Strong understanding of the layout and special proportions a range of buildings, both realistic and imaginary. A good knowledge of architectural styles would be advantageous

• Mechanical design – Knowledge of industrial design principals and their application to fictional vehicles, machines, weapons etc

• Character design – Creative, unique and interesting characters in a range of styles

• Proven experience of delivering high quality projects with minimal supervision from management staff

REQUIREMENTS
Skills Required

• Fluent with Photoshop, and a high capacity to learn new tools

• Strong art background in traditional art skills

• Anatomical knowledge

• Architectural knowledge

• Mechanical design knowledge

• Good sense of light, form, tone, palette

• Must be able to paint/sketch at speed

• Excellent people skills and the ability to inspire, motivate and develop a team

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to match different art styles

• Good knowledge of videogames and films

• Experience working within a videogame, agency or film-production environment

Skills Considered a Bonus

• Experience with 3-D software (Z-Brush, MODO, Maya etc)

Education and Experience

• A portfolio that demonstrates the ability to meet industry standard level of art

• Experience of dealing directly with clients, including Art Directors and Producers

• Professional art training is desirable but not essential

Personal Specification

In addition to having an excellent foundation of artistic ability, the role requires working as part of a team and so enthusiasm and good communication skills are needed. We are looking for a grounded and pragmatic team player. We take the importance of work/life balance seriously, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to make Atomhawk a better place to work. All members of the team are given the time to develop their skills through ongoing training, peer learning and attendance at industry events, as well as the social side of Atomhawk. We value confidence without arrogance and welcome everyone to play an active role in building an awesome culture within the studio.

*Candidate must be able to legally work in Canada*
BENEFITS

Atomhawk offer a number of schemes to full time members of the Vancouver team, including:

21 days paid holiday per year
Extended Healthcare
‘No-crunch’ policy, giving the team a great work-life balance
A studio in downtown Vancouver, with an epic balcony overlooking the city, mountains and waterfront
A structured career progression system, including bi-annual appraisals and ongoing professional training and development

Please note we are only able to accept applications from those with legal authorization to work in Canada.

To apply for positions available at our UK studio please see https://atomhawk.workable.com/

Hmm it does sound interesting….

Great – call me for a chat (I’m the Recruiter, Rebecca Askham) on +44(0)7810 354116 or email me at becca.askham@atomhawk.com. I’ve got a full job description if you’d like to see it too.