Becoming a video game art director

Tasks and roles of the video game art director

The video game art director is responsible for defining and supervising the artistic direction of a video game, ensuring that the visual universe matches the creative vision of the project. Their main tasks cover the entire development process:

• Defining the graphic charter: The AD establishes the visual styles, colour palettes and lighting moods, and supervises the design of the characters, backgrounds and user interfaces. They lay the foundations for the game.
• Coordinating the artistic teams: Working closely with illustrators, 3D modellers, animators, concept artists and UI/UX designers, ensuring the quality and consistency of their creations.
• Working with other departments: The AD is in constant contact with the game designer to support gameplay, with programming to ensure technical feasibility, with the sound designer to ensure sound and visual harmony, and with production to ensure deadlines and budgets are met.
• Supervising artistic production: Validating mock-ups, prototypes, graphic assets and animations, making adjustments based on feedback and the test phases to guarantee the final visual quality.
• Keeping an eye on artistic and technological developments: DAs keep abreast of graphic trends, technical innovations and new tools, drawing inspiration from other creative fields too.
• Presenting the artistic vision: They communicate and defend their artistic vision to in-house teams, publishers, partners and sometimes the public.

The AD is a creative artist, but also a manager and a communicator, guaranteeing the visual coherence and aesthetic quality of the game. They are essential to the success of the project, shaping the visual and atmospheric identity of the game, which is crucial to attracting and engaging players.

Skills and qualities required for a video game art director

The role of art director in video games requires a balance of technical, artistic, interpersonal, and managerial skills.

Artistic and technical skills:

• Excellent command of artistic fundamentals: Drawing, composition, color theory, perspective, anatomy, typography.
• 2D and 3D design skills: Modeling, texturing, animation, lighting, visual effects.
• In-depth knowledge of graphics software: Proficiency in 2D and 3D creation tools and game engines.
• Understanding of technical constraints: Ability to adapt artistic vision to the technical limitations of the game engine, target platforms, and budget.

People and management skills:

• Strong sense of creativity and innovation: Ability to imagine original and immersive worlds.
• Leadership and team management: Ability to coordinate, motivate, inspire, and communicate effectively with a variety of people.
• Ability to handle pressure and constraints: Meet deadlines, adapt to change, and solve problems while maintaining artistic quality.
• Good communication and teaching skills: Clearly explain artistic choices, listen to feedback, negotiate, and arbitrate when necessary.
• Rigorous and detail-oriented: Visual consistency is essential, and the art director must ensure this is achieved.

People skills and management skills are just as important as artistic and technical skills. Future art directors should therefore not neglect these skills and should take advantage of group projects at school to refine their skills in this area.

Tools used by video game art directors

Video game art directors use a wide range of digital tools to design and supervise artistic production.

• 2D software: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Krita, etc.
• 3D software: Blender, Autodesk Maya, 3ds Max, ZBrush, Substance suite
• Game engines: Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot
• Graphics tablets
• Project management tools: Jira, Trello, Miro
• Collaborative tools: Slack, Discord, Google Drive, Perforce

Which high school diploma should you choose?

To pursue a career as a video game art director, it is advisable to choose a high school diploma that emphasizes artistic and digital skills:

• General high school diploma: With specializations in visual arts, digital arts and computer science (NSI), mathematics, or engineering sciences.
• STD2A technological baccalaureate (design and applied arts science and technology): Very well suited to acquiring a solid foundation in design and applied arts.
• STI2D baccalaureate (industrial and sustainable development science and technology): This may be an option for those who wish to incorporate a more technical dimension.

Training and qualifications for video game art directors

The profession of video game art director generally requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree, often supplemented by significant experience in the industry.

Several training paths can lead to this profession:

Post-high school training (two to three years):

• BTS Graphic Design (digital option) or BTS Audiovisual Professions (image professions option).
• Professional degree in video games, animation, graphic design, or multimedia.
• Bachelor’s degree specializing in game art, 2D/3D animation, or interactive design.

Five-year degree programs (master’s degree, school diploma):

• Schools specializing in video games and 3D animation
• Master’s degree in art direction, animation, or video game design.
• Art or design schools with a specialization in digital or multimedia.
• Engineering schools with a specialization in computer graphics or video game development.

Practical experience (internships, personal projects, portfolio) is essential to stand out and be accepted into a school that trains students for a career in video games.

What is the salary of a video game art director?

Average starting salary

A junior video game art director generally earns between €2,500 and €3,000 gross per month. This salary may vary depending on the size of the studio, its location, and the nature of the projects.

Average salary for experienced professionals

With several years of experience (5 to 10 years), an experienced art director can expect to earn between €4,000 and €6,000 gross per month, or even more in large AAA studios or internationally.

Career opportunities

There are several career paths available:

• Creative director: Overall supervision of the visual and narrative identity of one or more projects.
• Project manager/producer: Complete management of game production.
• Artistic consultant: Support for a variety of projects.
• Trainer or teacher: Teaching skills in specialized schools.
• Entrepreneur: Creation of your own studio or creative agency.
• Transition to other creative sectors: Animated film, advertising, interactive design, virtual reality. For example, unlike video game graphic designers, art directors have a more “macro” and strategic vision.

Sectors and companies that are hiring

Video game art directors can work in:

• Video game development studios: AAA or independent studios.
• Animation and special effects studios
• Digital communications agencies: Creation of serious games, etc.
• Specialized startups: Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, or new technologies.
• Various companies: training, Digital Learning, etc.

Which school should you choose to become a video game art director?

The best training programs are found at institutions specializing in Digital Arts and visual effects:

ESMA – school specializing in 3D animation

ESMA’s training combines artistic fundamentals and mastery of professional digital tools (Maya, Houdini, ZBrush, Nuke) to cover the entire production chain. The teaching is focused on concrete projects, such as the production of short films in teams, thus preparing students for the real-world conditions of the profession. The school has close ties with the industry through a network of partner studios (including ILM, DreamWorks, and Ubisoft) that participate in juries and masterclasses, which promotes excellent job placement. Open houses are an opportunity to check out the quality of the facilities and talk with the teams.