Electronic Arts

Important Note: This team works onsite at EA Vancouver (Burnaby office). Applicants are required to work onsite 3 days, Tuesday - Thursday every week. This is a 12-month contract with the possibility of longer term employment. 

EA SPORTS is one of the world's leading sports entertainment brands, known for top-selling video game franchises, award-winning interactive technology, and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected gaming experiences that bring the emotion of sports to life through industry-leading titles, including Madden NFL, EA SPORTS FC, NHL, NBA LIVE, and UFC.

Concept art is the foundation of a game’s visual identity. It establishes the look, feel, and tone of a project, serving as a key reference for everyone involved in development. The Concept Artist’s role is to translate ideas into compelling visuals that drive the artistic vision forward.

At EA SPORTS FC, Concept Artists play an important role in shaping the game's visual target. Their work serves as the visual building blocks for environments, characters, lighting, and props. Working closely with the Art Director, they interpret creative briefs and explore original ideas, creating artwork that sets the style and mood of the project.

Responsibilities

• Communicate with Development Directors on tasks, scheduling and assignments; collaborate with Art Directors to discuss brief details, hit visual targets, and support the World Art team during production cycles
• Work with the Concept Art Lead to research areas pertinent to the assignment including subjects, styles and genres. Create and present Mood/Reference boards in Miro for team discussion and approval.
• Prepare and present multiple design roughs for directional approval, implement feedback and create detailed final environment concept art renders in a timely manner.
• Support 3D artists by delivering clear, well-structured visual guides that translate seamlessly into in-game assets.
• Create strong and unique environmental designs including playspaces, training grounds, locker rooms, apartment interiors, cityscapes, street scenes, and stadiums using a combination of 2D and 3D software.
• Develop and create storyboards based on the provided script, identifying camera angles, framing and movements.
• Stay up to date with industry trends and techniques, bringing fresh ideas and innovations to the team.

Required Qualifications

• Strong drawing and ideation skills, with a specialization in environment concept design.
• Have a solid understanding of architectural elements and the ability to design realistic environments. This involves having a deep knowledge of various architectural styles, structures, and materials.
• Understanding of visual language - texture, color, dimension, scale, perspective, value, composition, depth of field, proportion, and spatial awareness.
• Skilled in technical perspective drawing and rendering.
• Ability to create final 2D renders of highly realistic concepts that can be used as visual targets. Rendering abilities include mood, tone, accurate lighting, time of day, weather and atmosphere. 
• Solid awareness of anatomy, facial expression, pose, posture, gesture and movement. Can create realistic scenes of crowds, athletes and other dramatic encounters.
• Ability to read and interpret scripts, discuss cinematic team requirements and be a strong visual partner in storyboard creation.
• Some understanding of cinematic camera and cinematic language, including camera angles, camera movements, and editing techniques. The artist should be familiar with the visual language of cinema, including the use of lighting, color, and composition to create mood, establish character, and convey emotion.
• Knowledge of game development processes, technical restrictions and general practices

Software & Tools Proficiency

• Experience with industry-standard digital painting and 3D tools (e.g., Photoshop, Maya, Blender, SketchUp or similar 2D/3D software, AI tools etc).
• Working knowledge of 3D workflows and the ability to integrate 3D greyblocks or models into concept development.