📍 Job Overview
Job Title: UI Artist
Company: Tactical Adventures
Location: Paris, Île-de-France, France
Job Type: Freelancer (Contractor)
Category: UI Art, Game Development
Date Posted: 2025-06-10
Experience Level: Mid-Level (3+ years)
Remote Status: Full Remote or Hybrid
🎨 Role Summary
- Specialize in the creation of 2D visual assets, specifically a wide range of in-game icons, for tactical role-playing games.
- Work closely with the artistic department to ensure all UI art aligns with established graphic guidelines and the game's visual style.
- Focus on delivering high-quality, functional, and aesthetically pleasing icons for various game elements including spells, powers, and inventory items.
- Contribute directly to the user interface and overall visual fidelity of the game, enhancing player experience and immersion.
🖼️ Primary Responsibilities
- Design and create a diverse set of icons for seamless integration into the game's user interface.
- Develop icons that clearly represent various in-game elements such as character abilities (spells, powers), items (weapons, armor, consumables), and status effects.
- Ensure all icon artwork adheres strictly to the game's established graphic guidelines, style guides, and technical specifications.
- Iterate on icon designs based on feedback from the Artistic Director and other team members to achieve optimal visual clarity and aesthetic quality.
- Prepare and export icon assets in appropriate formats and resolutions for efficient implementation by the development team.
🎓 Skills & Qualifications
Education: While not explicitly stated, a degree or strong portfolio in Graphic Design, Digital Art, Illustration, or a related field is typically beneficial for a UI Artist role in game development.
Experience: A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in UI art, graphic design, or illustration, preferably within the video game industry. A strong portfolio demonstrating icon design and UI art skills is essential for assessment.
Required Skills:
- Proficiency in UI design principles, with a focus on clarity, usability, and visual consistency within a game context.
- Expert command of Adobe Photoshop for digital painting, rendering, and asset creation specific to icon design.
- Ability to interpret and apply existing graphic guidelines and style guides to new artwork.
- Strong understanding of visual communication and the ability to convey meaning through concise and impactful icons.
Preferred Skills:
- Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and manage personal workflow effectively.
- Proven track record of meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality assets within established timelines.
- Experience with other design software relevant to game development (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, Substance Painter).
- Familiarity with game engines (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine) and the technical considerations for integrating UI assets.
🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Showcase a diverse range of icon designs, including various styles and complexities, demonstrating versatility and attention to detail.
- Include examples of icons created for different purposes (e.g., abilities, items, status effects) to highlight understanding of functional design.
- Present examples that clearly demonstrate adherence to existing brand or graphic guidelines, if available.
- If possible, include examples of icons integrated into a UI mock-up or in-game screenshot to illustrate context and application.
Process Documentation:
- Briefly describe your icon design process, from initial concept sketching to final rendering and export.
- Explain your approach to ensuring icons are visually clear, easily recognizable, and consistent with the overall art style.
- Detail any methods used for testing icon usability or receiving feedback during the design process.
💵 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: As this is a freelance/contractor position based in Paris, France, compensation is typically negotiated based on experience, portfolio quality, and project scope. Freelance rates for a UI Artist in Paris with 3+ years of experience can range significantly, but often fall between €40 - €70 per hour or equivalent daily rates, depending on the specific agreement and duration. This estimate is based on typical freelance rates in the Parisian design and game development market for mid-level specialists, considering factors like cost of living and industry demand.
Benefits: As a freelancer, traditional employee benefits (health insurance, paid time off, retirement plans) are typically not provided by the client. The rate negotiated should account for these self-funded costs.
- Flexible working hours, common for freelance roles, allowing adaptation to personal workflow and creative peaks.
- Potential for remote or hybrid work, offering flexibility in work location.
- Opportunity to work on specific game development projects with a specialized focus.
Working Hours: Flexible, project-based hours as agreed upon in the freelance contract. The nature of creative work often allows for non-traditional schedules, aligning with project milestones and deadlines.
🎯Team & Company Context
🏢 Company & Design Culture
Industry: Video Game Development, specializing in Tactical Role-Playing Games (TRPGs).
Company Size: 11-50 employees (LinkedIn Data). This indicates a small to medium-sized studio, likely fostering a close-knit and collaborative environment.
Founded: 2018. A relatively young studio with a focus on a specific game genre.
Team Structure:
- Likely a lean design/art team given the company size, requiring strong individual contribution and collaboration.
- The UI Artist will report directly to the Artistic Director, suggesting a clear reporting line and direct involvement in artistic decisions.
- Cross-functional collaboration with game designers, developers, and other artists is expected for seamless UI integration.
Methodology:
- Focus on developing games within the Tactical RPG genre implies a need for UI that supports complex gameplay mechanics, character management, and strategic decision-making.
- Development of games like "Solasta: Crown Of The Magister" and "Solasta II" suggests experience with adapting established rule sets (like Dungeons & Dragons 5e) into digital interfaces, which heavily relies on clear and functional UI design.
- The emphasis on in-game integration highlights a practical, implementation-focused design process.
Company Website: https://www.tactical-adventures.com/
📈 Career & Growth Analysis
Design Career Level: Mid-Level UI Artist. This role is suitable for a professional with established skills and experience in UI art, particularly in creating detailed visual assets like icons.
Reporting Structure: The UI Artist reports directly to the Artistic Director, offering direct mentorship and guidance on artistic direction and quality standards.
Design Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on player experience by providing the visual cues and information necessary for players to interact with game mechanics, manage their characters, and understand the game state through icons.
Growth Opportunities:
- Deepen specialization in UI art for complex game systems, particularly within the TRPG genre.
- Develop expertise in creating a wide variety of in-game assets beyond icons, potentially expanding into other UI elements or visual effects.
- Enhance skills in working within established art pipelines and collaborating with technical teams for asset integration.
🌐 Work Environment
Studio Type: Game Development Studio.
Office Location(s): 26 Rue du Renard, 75004 Paris, France. Located in central Paris, accessible via public transportation.
Design Workspace Context:
- Option for full remote work offers significant flexibility in location and work setup.
- Hybrid option allows for working from the Paris office, providing opportunities for in-person collaboration and team interaction.
- The office environment in a game studio typically includes necessary hardware and software for digital art creation.
Work Schedule: Flexible, project-based schedule. While deadlines must be met, the specific working hours can often be adjusted to suit the freelancer's preference and creative flow, especially in a remote setup.
📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process
Design Interview Process:
- Initial screening of application and portfolio to assess artistic skill and relevant experience.
- Potential interview focusing on your experience, process for creating UI assets, and understanding of game UI principles.
- Discussion of your portfolio pieces, with a focus on icon design and how your work aligns with the studio's style.
- Possible art test or challenge to evaluate practical skills in creating icons under specific constraints and guidelines.
- Final interview potentially with the Artistic Director or other key team members to discuss collaboration style and fit within the team.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Curate your portfolio to prominently feature your best icon design work, especially any fantasy or RPG-themed examples.
- For each project, include a brief description of the context, purpose of the icons, and any specific constraints or guidelines you worked under.
- Showcase your process for developing icons, from initial sketches or concepts to final rendered assets.
- If possible, include examples of how your icons function within a UI layout or in-game screenshot.
- Ensure your portfolio is easily navigable and presents your work clearly and professionally.
Challenge Preparation:
- If given an art test, carefully read and understand the brief, paying close attention to any stylistic requirements or technical specifications.
- Allocate sufficient time to complete the challenge to the best of your ability, demonstrating your process and attention to detail.
- Be prepared to discuss your approach and decisions made during the art test if asked during an interview.
ATS Keywords: UI Artist, Icon Design, Game UI, Video Game Art, Digital Painting, Photoshop, Graphic Design, Illustration, UI Assets, In-Game Icons, Spell Icons, Item Icons, Game Development, Art Pipeline, Style Guide, Graphic Guidelines, User Interface, Visual Design, 2D Art, Freelancer, Contract, Remote Work, Hybrid Work, Tactical RPG, Solasta.
🛠 Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Design Tools:
- Adobe Photoshop: Essential for creating and rendering detailed 2D icon artwork. Expect to use advanced features for digital painting, texture application, and effects.
Collaboration & Handoff:
- While not explicitly mentioned, game development teams typically use tools like Discord, Slack, or Microsoft Teams for communication and collaboration.
- Asset management systems or shared drives will likely be used for organizing and sharing icon files with the development team.
Research & Testing:
- Understanding the game's mechanics and visual style will require access to game builds or documentation.
- Feedback on icon clarity and usability may come from internal playtesting or design reviews.
👥 Team Culture & Values
Design Values:
- Passion for Tactical RPGs and video games is a core value, as stated in the job description.
- Emphasis on creating immersive and engaging experiences for players through high-quality visual assets.
- A likely value placed on attention to detail and craftsmanship in creating small but impactful UI elements like icons.
- Collaboration and communication within the artistic team and with other departments are likely valued for a smooth development process.
Collaboration Style:
- Likely a collaborative environment within the art team, with critique and feedback loops to refine artwork.
- Close communication with the Artistic Director for guidance and approval of icon designs.
- Interaction with game designers and developers to ensure icons are functionally appropriate and technically feasible for integration.
⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Design Challenges:
- Creating a large volume of distinct and visually appealing icons while maintaining consistency with a defined art style.
- Ensuring icons are clear and understandable at various sizes and resolutions within the game UI.
- Balancing artistic vision with technical constraints and performance considerations for in-game assets.
- Adapting to feedback and iterating on designs efficiently within project timelines.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Specialize further in game UI art and iconography, becoming an expert in this specific domain.
- Expand skills by potentially contributing to other UI elements or visual assets within the game.
- Gain experience working within a professional game development pipeline and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
💡 Interview Preparation
Design Process Questions:
- Be prepared to walk through your process for designing a specific icon from concept to completion, highlighting your decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- Discuss how you approach creating icons that are both aesthetically pleasing and functionally clear within a game's UI.
- Explain your experience working with and adhering to existing graphic guidelines or style guides.
Company Culture Questions:
- Demonstrate your passion for video games, particularly Tactical RPGs, and explain what attracts you to this genre.
- Discuss your experience working independently and managing your own time and deadlines, especially if applying for the remote option.
- Be ready to discuss your collaboration style and how you effectively communicate with artistic directors, game designers, and developers.
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Prepare to present your portfolio in a way that highlights your most relevant icon design work and clearly explains the context and purpose of each piece.
- Be ready to discuss the design challenges you faced on specific projects and how you overcame them.
- Practice explaining your artistic choices and how they contribute to the overall visual design and user experience.
📌 Application Steps
To apply for this design position:
- Submit your application through this link.
- Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and specifically curated to showcase your best icon design work, ideally with examples relevant to the game industry or fantasy themes.
- Tailor your resume or CV to highlight your experience with UI art, Photoshop proficiency, and any relevant experience in game development or illustration.
- Prepare to discuss your process for creating icons and how you approach working within established visual styles during the interview process.
- Research Tactical Adventures and their games (Solasta: Crown Of The Magister, Solasta II) to understand their artistic style and the specific needs of their UI.