Hi, I’m Nathan Fouts, aka Mommy’s Best Games. I’ve made many award-winning retro-action games since 2007, and I’m currently working on my best-looking game yet. The game is still not announced, but will be released in the next few years. It’s a side-scrolling action game with freaky monsters, and gorgeous, surreal environments. The game art is not pixel art, but instead has a high-res, hand-painted style.

That’s where you come in. I’m making the art, and while it’s my best work yet, I could still use another set of eyes to improve it. I’m looking for an art director/art consultant to help give me feedback on how to improve the art in the game. 

Inspirations

The game art is an homage to 1970s album covers. If you love ‘70s and ‘80s sci-fi and fantasy art by greats like Roger Dean, Boris Vallejo, Michael Whelan, John Berkey, Syd Mead, Frank Frazetta, Bruce Pennington, and more, then this project is for you. This is a 2D game, where the hand-painted art really gets to shine. The environments are colorful, striking, and trippy. The monsters are horrifying but beautiful. 

Responsibilities

• Review and constructively critique in-game art assets, and screenshots. I’m looking for clear direction with written actions I can take to improve the look of game assets, based on the inspirations for the game (and the “game art guide”). 
• Help direct color palettes. I’m looking for someone with a great understanding of colors and color theory and someone who can explain why some palettes work together and others don’t.
• Work will be part-time. You will be reviewing finished art perhaps once a week. 

Core Traits

• Strong environment, landscape, and/or monster painting skills. 
• Great use of shadows, building form and shadows. 
• Strong understanding of color theory. Apply with your most colorful and surreal works. 
• Strong understanding of stylized painting styles and tight painting styles.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to critique art and give constructive direction on how to improve it. 
• PLEASE NO AI generated art. This game is a celebration of hand-painted art.

Bonus Traits

• Prior game credits, prior art consultant credit, and/or contracted work (eg. you’ve made art for MtG, DnD, etc).
• Deep knowledge of art and game history.
• Solid understanding of how to build and layer 2D environmental art with parallax.
• Love of work by artists listed above.

Compensation

• Position is remote only.
• Position is part-time, and project-based. I expect the time commitment to be fairly light.
• We do have a good publisher, and I’m happy to say the game is funded. Your compensation would be based on your experience level. Please apply and let your portfolio do the talking.

Expanded Role?

I’m initially only looking for a great art director. But the job could change into you also making art for the game. That’s up to you and me. If you love the project and your art style matches the inspirations, you could also take on some of the work of painting environments and/or monsters. You and I would discuss this at a later time, but I’m open to it. 

How to Apply

Please apply with a link to your online portfolio (Your Artstation page or similar sites is fine). Any “work process” pics of how you create your art would also be helpful to see. Fill out the form to also attach your resume with any prior game art work experience.

I’m looking to bring someone on ASAP to the project.