Art Director

Do you like to have fun at work? Are you passionate about creating great products and online communities? Are you eager to lead the market instead of following it? At iWin you will be a member of a great team looking to make a big impact on the fast growing casual games industry. iWin combines great games with the network power of the Internet to create innovative online gaming experiences for our users. If you are interested in working for the next generation of game publishers than this is the place. We are passionate about creating the best online games, communities and web applications for our users and we are looking for great people to join our team.

iWin is a leading developer and publisher of casual games and online gaming communities for the mass market. iWin has created more than dozens of downloadable games including the award-winning Jewel Quest®, Mah Jong Quest®, Family Feud™, and Polly Pride Pet Detective™. iWin distributes its games through all the leading web properties including Yahoo, Real Networks, MSN, Shockwave and AOL.

Job Description

iWin is seeking an Art Director to oversee the visual quality/direction for all downloadable and web-based games, and manage internal and external game production artists. This person needs to be extremely creative and proficient, with a solid understanding of 2D and 3D graphics. In addition, the Art Director must be well-versed in creating backgrounds, characters, objects, animation, storyboards/comics, and UI. This job will cover all aspects of art design including particle effects, animation, color choices, logo treatments, and more. The Art Director will be responsible for each phase of production from concept design to post-production work. This person must be flexible enough to address a large variety of art styles as they relate to games in different genres. The ideal candidate should be highly talented and experienced, and be hands-on when it comes to doing sketches, mock-ups, paintover critiques (drawing/painting over someone else's work to show how it can be improved), illustrations/cover art, marketing/publishing art, etc. It is essential that the art director is a master 2D artist and can generate persuasive mock-ups, style guides, corrections, and edits that other artists will respect, and be the one to solve visual problems personally when artists on the team are struggling to get things right. Although it is not necessary to be a master in 3D, the Art Director should have enough general 3D experience (modeling, texturing, rigging, animating, rendering, dynamic effects, etc) to be able to art direct 3D artists efficiently. As a senior manager, the art director will work with other senior personnel/executives and be present during high level company meetings. The art director?s other responsibilities include designing and improving the art production pipeline, finding and assigning suitable internal/external art resources to various projects, training and nurturing artists, etc. Further reading on what iWin's art director does at work everyday:
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17613

Responsibilities and Essential Functions Include:

• Supervise a team of internal/external artists, identifying the appropriate needs and resources to support the growing business
• Inspire creativity and style that will continue to innovate how art can be used in a game
• Manage state-of-the-art graphic design and production for all games (predominantly downloadable PC and web-based games, but also includes mobile, Xbox, Mac and other platforms)
• Provide visual direction during the pre-production, production, and post-production phases of game development
• Work closely with producers, developers and game designers to maximize the overall player experience
• Present concepts and ideas for game development and marketing materials
• Keep production tools current to support ongoing art needs
• Schedule, budget, and track all art assets

Qualifications:

• High level of creativity whose art choices will appeal to the casual gamer market
• Ability to provide constructive, specific feedback on concepts, styles, color choices, and processes
• Careful attention to licensed IP requirements and style guides
• Clear understanding of how to integrate backgrounds, characters, objects, and UI to ensure continuity, clarity, and enhanced game play
• 5-10 years prior management experience
• Shipped at least 3-5 high quality games as an Art Director
• Strong technical knowledge to integrate art into a game
• Solid ability to weave game play with storytelling art
• Thorough understanding of art production processes for downloadable and web-based games
• Proficient in Photoshop, Illustrator and 3D software packages
• Understanding of file size optimization
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Well-organized and systematic in approach to tasks
• Requires positive attitude for an energetic start-up environment

Hours and Compensation:

• Full Time
• Compensation commensurate with experience
• Benefits include paid time off, stock options, 401(k) and medical/dental insurance
• Office located in SOMA next to AT&T Park

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

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