About the role
Location
Remote (Prioritizing candidates local to the Bellevue, WA area for occasional onsite collaboration)
Employment Type
1+ year remote-friendly contract (Hourly)
Department
Art
Compensation
- $50.03 – $75.04 per hour (with overtime pay when applicable; typical offers fall between the minimum and midpoint)
- Benefits-eligible through a third-party employer, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and flexible/dependent care accounts
Deadline to Apply
Friday, November 6th at 10:00 AM PT (November 6, 2026 at 6:00 PM UTC)
Company Overview
At ArenaNet, games are art with the power to communicate ideas, tell stories, change how we think, reflect cultures, and move people. As the developer of the award-winning Guild Wars game series, the company shares a passion for online worlds created with over 21 million players worldwide. ArenaNet develops and publishes games for every kind of person and believes the best experiences come from working together, celebrating differences, and helping each team member shine.
Role Overview
ArenaNet is looking for a Senior Outsourcing Prop Concept Artist (Contract) to help bring the world of Guild Wars 3 to life. In this role, you will partner closely with the Outsourcing Art Team and external art partners to ensure outsourced prop concept art meets creative vision, quality standards, and production requirements. You will review artwork, provide clear and actionable feedback, make necessary adjustments, and help prepare assets for integration into the development pipeline. The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in concept art, an exceptional eye for quality and detail, and experience collaborating with external art partners while balancing artistic vision with technical constraints.
What You'll Do
- Translate design briefs into clear, actionable vendor art briefs, providing strong visual references, callouts, and supporting materials to align internal and external teams on creative direction and practical requirements.
- Maintain a strong understanding of cross-disciplinary technical requirements and constraints, guiding vendors toward creative solutions that work within those parameters.
- Provide clear, actionable art feedback that supports the established art direction, design goals, and story/lore while allowing vendors room for creativity.
- Prioritize feedback effectively, distinguishing critical or essential changes from subjective preferences, particularly when incorporating input from multiple teams and stakeholders.
- Remain mindful of deadlines and project scope, making thoughtful decisions about which feedback to prioritize based on available time and resources.
- Communicate clearly and effectively with external vendors, particularly when navigating language or cultural differences, simplifying and clarifying direction without losing important artistic or technical details.
- Communicate professionally and promptly with internal teams, helping bridge gaps between disciplines, stakeholders, and external partners to ensure expectations and decisions remain aligned.
- Manage multiple projects and ongoing conversations simultaneously while tracking key feedback, decisions, priorities, and follow-ups.
- Proactively support vendors by creating templates, preparing proxy files, gathering references, and providing other materials that help streamline their work.
- Maintain organized asset files and documentation, ensuring briefs, references, feedback, source materials, and vendor deliverables are accurate, up to date, and easy for others to access and navigate.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor's degree in Art, Game Art, Illustration, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- 5+ years of professional experience working in game development pipelines.
- Experience reviewing concept art, providing actionable feedback, and collaborating with external art vendors or internal art teams.
- A discerning eye for art quality, with strong attention to detail and the ability to identify inconsistencies.
- Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop.
- Strong written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
- Highly organized, with the ability to follow established processes and instructions.
- Self-motivated and collaborative, with a positive attitude and strong team-oriented mindset.
- Strong understanding of art fundamentals, including form, color, and composition.
- Strong concept art background and/or advanced 2D art skills in prop art.
Pluses
- Experience with Jira.
- Experience with Maya, ZBrush, and Substance Painter.
- A passion for games and game development.
Additional Information
ArenaNet celebrates diversity in culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and background. Candidates who do not meet every single requirement are still strongly encouraged to apply.