Job Description

Tweaking Cat Studios

Tweaking Cat Studios is an independent game studio developing our first title. The project is fully funded and currently in the prototype phase, with a planned launch in 2028. We are building a small, highly collaborative team focused on crafting a distinctive and cohesive player experience.

We are looking for an experienced Art Director to define, guide, and protect the artistic vision of the game from early prototype through production and launch.

We work out of an office in Sausalito and the team is almost entirely face-to-face.

Role Overview

The Art Director partners closely with Game Design and Engineering to establish and maintain the visual identity of the game. This role is responsible for defining the artistic direction, guiding production art pipelines, and ensuring visual consistency across all aspects of the game.

This is a hands-on leadership role suited for someone comfortable working in a small studio environment where strategic direction and practical execution often go hand-in-hand.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with Game Design to craft the artistic vision of the game
• Define and maintain the visual style, tone, and artistic direction
• Create and maintain art bibles, style guides, and visual reference materials
• Direct internal and external artists to ensure consistency and quality
• Review and provide feedback on all art assets to maintain the artistic vision
• Collaborate with engineering to ensure art integrates effectively into the Unity pipeline
• Help define production pipelines and workflows appropriate for a small team
• Evaluate and onboard external art partners or contractors when needed
• Maintain visual consistency across environments, characters, UI, VFX, and marketing assets
• Support early prototyping with visual exploration and concept direction
• Help plan art production to support milestones through final release

Required Qualifications

• Industry experience shipping multiple commercial games
• Prior experience as Art Director, Lead Artist, or equivalent leadership role
• Strong portfolio demonstrating a cohesive artistic vision across shipped titles
• Experience directing multidisciplinary art teams (environment, character, UI, VFX, etc.)
• Deep understanding of real-time game art pipelines
• Experience working with Unity-based production pipelines (not Unreal)
• Ability to collaborate effectively with design and engineering teams
• Strong visual communication and feedback skills
• Ability to work in a small studio environment where roles can be flexible

Nice to Have

• Experience building art pipelines for small or startup game studios
• Experience shipping games on PC or console
• Experience managing external art vendors
• Concept art or visual development background
• Experience with stylized or distinctive visual identities

About Tweaking Cat Studios

Tweaking Cat Studios is an independent studio developing our first title. The project is fully funded and currently in prototype, with a planned release in 2028. We are building a small team focused on craftsmanship, collaboration, and creating a distinctive game experience.

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