Hello! I’m William, the designer of Manifold Garden and the Creative Director of William Chyr Studio (WCS). We are a small indie game studio based in Chicago, with a remote team located around the world. 

We are currently working on an unannounced original game as a follow-up to Manifold Garden and are looking for an experienced and skilled Environment Artist to work with us on a contract basis. 

The position is remote and will require 15 - 25 hours per week of availability, with potential to scale up. 

Background

Manifold Garden’s development began in 2012. It was inspired by the works of M.C. Escher, physics, and architecture. While the game started as a solo project, it was a team that took it through the finish line. The core team came together beginning in 2017, and the final product is a collaborative effort with all of our contributions.

Manifold Garden was released in October 2019 to critical acclaim. It was nominated for a BAFTA and Game Developers Choice Award and has since been exhibited at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Design Museum in London. The game is available on Apple Arcade, Steam, Epic Games Store, Itchio, PS4/PS5, Xbox One /Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. In addition, we partnered with iam8bit to release a physical edition for PS5 and Switch, as well as a beautiful edition of the soundtrack on vinyl that won the Best Vinyl Gatefold Award.

What are we working on? 

Since Manifold Garden was released, we’ve been working on several new projects. We are excited about the creative potential of new technologies. Our focus is to create innovative games that push the boundaries of gameplay and reimagine space, physics, and architecture. One of the projects we are working on is an original VR title that explores impossible geometry. 

What are we looking for in an Environment Artist?

Our ideal candidate is an artist with interest in building beautiful environments that combine architectural elements with abstract design. You are capable of working with technical limitations to create highly optimized assets. You enjoy the aesthetics of our first game, Manifold Garden, and are excited to help us build on top of that. You will help us explore and refine new art styles. 

You are independent and self-motivated and can run with a task, producing production-ready deliverables on a consistent basis. You are up-to-date with the latest techniques and know how to apply them effectively to achieve desired results. You are comfortable working with an iterative creative process and strong creative direction.

Responsibilities

• Create environments under the Creative Director’s lead
• Generate visually stunning, atmospheric, effective, and efficient natural and architectural environments.
• Work closely with the Creative Director to keep quality and style consistent across all assets.
• Collaborate with the Engineering team throughout development to investigate and incorporate procedural tools, workflows, and techniques.
• Advance the holistic vision of the game by regularly participating in team playtests and contributing your ideas and feedback to group discussions.
• Support the Creative Director by researching and consulting on art styles and creating related presentations to be shared with the team
• Regularly update and troubleshoot with the project’s producer regarding the estimated timeline of deliverables and any potential roadblocks. 

Qualifications

• Strong drawing, texturing, and lighting skills and an excellent sense of spatial relations and structural logic.
• Strong experience with relevant 3D software (Maya/Max/Blender).
• Familiar with current art techniques and work pipelines.
• Proficient in optimizing art assets.
• Ability to meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, estimate time for deliverables, and communicate regularly regarding these matters.
• Willingness to provide schedule availability well in advance for project planning purposes 
• Worked on at least one published game in a professional capacity

Skills and Experience that would be beneficial but not required:

• Good knowledge of Virtual Reality limitations

Location

• Anywhere
• The Studio’s synchronous office hours are 10 am - 2 pm CST. Occasional availability to meet remotely during this time will be required. 

To Apply

Please send us an email with "WCS - Environment Artist'' in the subject line. Please also include 

• A brief outline of why you think you'd fit the position
• Contact information for two professional references
• Attach any relevant supporting documents –resume, CV, or portfolio
• Your location and timezone
• Names of 3 games whose art style you enjoy
• Your hourly rate and other contract requirements

William Chyr Studio is an equal-opportunity employer committed to facilitating an inclusive environment for all team members. We encourage candidates with diverse backgrounds to apply for our open positions.

Application and Interview Process

We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and reaching out to select candidates for interviews. If you are selected for an interview, we will coordinate with you to set up a video call in order for us to get to know each other.