Principal Visual Artist

Fanatics

Principal Visual Artist defining visual direction and mentoring artists for interactive experiences at Fanatics. Driving high-craft fan engagement across creative projects in a senior team.

Posted 7/27/2026full-timeRemote • New York • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $155,520 - $194,400 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in leading visual direction and producing high-quality 2D and 3D art assets, while mentoring and developing a team of artists. Proficient in managing art production workflows and ensuring assets meet real-time performance standards.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Visual Direction Leadership3D Modelling Proficiency2D Art SkillsTeam Mentoring ExperienceReal-Time Asset Understanding

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills

3D ModellingUV LayoutTexturingRiggingAnimationConcept ArtIllustrationGraphic DesignStyle FramesColour Theory

Soft Skills

CollaborationFeedback ReceptionCommunication

Tools & Technologies

BlenderPhotoshopIllustrator

Industry Keywords

Visual LanguageArt Production WorkflowsAsset PipelinesInteractive EnvironmentsPerformance Constraints

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the visual direction of features and projects, translating creative vision into clear production direction through concepts, style frames, and visual references
Define and maintain the visual language, tone, and quality standard across all output as the team and portfolio grow
Lead, mentor, and grow a team of artists, providing feedback, direction, and career development support
Produce concept, illustration, and 2D art assets (textures, surface detail, iconography, UI elements, graphic work) that integrate into 3D and interactive environments
Model, UV, texture, rig, and animate 3D assets to production standard, working within defined real-time budgets
Use motion and animation tools to produce motion references and effects concepts that guide technical implementation
Collaborate closely with the wider creative team to ensure clean, well-structured handoff for runtime, iterating based on how art behaves in-engine
Shape art production workflows, asset pipelines, and standards as the team scales.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Proven experience leading visual direction on features or projects
A portfolio that spans disciplines: concept and illustration, texture and surface work, 3D modelling, and asset production
Experience leading, mentoring, or growing artists on a team
Strong visual development skills: style frames, mood boards, colour theory, and composition thinking
Proficiency in Blender (or equivalent) for 3D modelling, UV layout, texturing, rigging, and animation
Strong 2D skills in Photoshop, Illustrator, or equivalent, with a focus on texture creation, graphic design, and illustrative work
Understanding of real-time asset constraints: poly budgets, texture resolution and atlasing, material complexity, and what makes assets performant at runtime
A collaborative approach: you hand off cleanly, communicate constraints clearly, and take technical feedback without friction.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
Retirement plans
Paid time off
Flexible work arrangements
Professional development
Stock options
Equipment allowances