Lead Environment Artist

About the studio

Creston Games is an independent game studio driven by a simple goal: creating games that offer something genuinely new. We believe that memorable experiences come from bold ideas, thoughtful execution, and a willingness to challenge established genre conventions rather than follow them. Our team brings together developers from different backgrounds who share a passion for craftsmanship and creative ownership. We value deep work, autonomy, and collaboration, giving every team member the opportunity to have a meaningful impact on the projects they help build.

We are currently developing a semi-open world cooking/action-adventure game that combines exploration, progression, emergent gameplay, and cooperative systems into a unique player-driven experience.

Note: This is a revenue share position; compensation will be based on revenue sharing rather than an upfront salary.

About the role

As a Lead Environment Artist, you will play a central role in defining and building the visual identity of our game world. Beyond creating high-quality environments, you will help establish the visual language, workflows, and quality standards that guide environment production across the project. Working closely with the Game Director, Level Designers, and the rest of the art team, you will take ownership of the environment art direction while remaining hands-on in production. We are looking for someone who can turn creative goals into clear visual standards, mentor other artists, and build environments that are both visually distinctive and technically sound.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the visual direction and quality standards for environment art across the project.
• Create high-quality environment assets, including modular architecture, props, and world-building elements.
• Establish environment art workflows, standards, and reusable production practices.
• Review environment assets and provide clear, constructive feedback to maintain visual consistency and quality.
• Collaborate closely with Level Designers to create environments that support gameplay, exploration, and player progression.
• Work with Texture / Material Artists and other art disciplines to ensure a cohesive visual language.
• Guide and mentor Environment Artists while supporting their artistic and technical development.
• Help plan environment art production, prioritize tasks, and identify potential production risks.
• Ensure environments are optimized for real-time performance without compromising the visual quality of the project.

Requirements

• Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality environment art and world-building.
• Strong understanding of modular environment workflows, composition, lighting, materials, and environmental storytelling.
• Experience establishing visual standards and maintaining consistency across multiple artists and asset sets.
• Ability to provide clear artistic direction and constructive feedback to other artists.
• Strong understanding of real-time game art pipelines and environment optimization.
• Proficiency with industry-standard 3D content creation tools.
• Ability to balance artistic ambition with technical and production constraints.
• Ability to work independently in a remote and asynchronous development environment.

Nice to have

• Experience helping establish the visual identity of a project from an early stage.
• Experience working with stylized or semi-realistic art directions.
• Familiarity with Unity and real-time rendering pipelines.
• Knowledge of material creation, lighting, shaders, and scene composition.
• Experience working with modular kits and large-scale environments.
• Previous experience on shipped PC or Console titles.

Benefits

• A leadership role with significant influence over the visual development of the project.
• The opportunity to help define the environment art direction of a new IP from the ground up.
• A culture that respects deep work, avoiding unnecessary meetings and bureaucracy.
• A hands-on role where your artistic decisions directly shape the world players will experience.
• A core role where you earn a direct share of the game's revenue, ensuring your contribution is reflected in the project's success.