Junior, Mid and Senior Artist Levels
What studios expect at each stage
Also known as: Junior artist · Mid level artist · Senior artist · Lead artist · Artist seniority · Associate artist
Definition
Game artists are usually graded as junior, mid-level and senior, and the level shows how independent and experienced they are. A junior artist does assigned tasks with guidance and needs feedback, a mid-level artist works independently and delivers consistent quality on time, and a senior artist handles complex problems, mentors others, improves the pipeline and sets standards. Beyond that are lead artists, who manage a part of the team, and art directors, who set the vision. Titles and expectations vary between studios.
In production
Apply for the level that your portfolio supports, since a strong junior portfolio is better than a weak mid-level one. Growth comes from finishing real production tasks, receiving and applying feedback, learning the pipeline and helping others. Reliability, communication and speed count for as much as skill. Show growth in your portfolio by updating it with more complete, polished work and production-ready pieces.
Learn Junior, Mid and Senior Artist Levels in
Tools that use Junior, Mid and Senior Artist Levels
See also
Game Art Roles
The main jobs in a game art team
Art Director and Lead Roles
Who decides the look and who manages the team
Game Art Portfolio
The collection of work that gets you hired
Art Test
The practical assignment in a studio hiring process
Feedback and Critique
How artists improve with other people’s eyes
Technical Artist
Bridge between art and engineering