Experienced Texture Artist

Sony Pictures Imageworks is hiring an Experienced Texture Artist for their studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This role sits within the assets department, where the focus is on producing high-quality surface textures for complex characters, creatures, and environments destined for feature film and animation production. It suits a mid-to-senior level artist with a solid VFX pipeline background who is equally comfortable executing work independently and helping others level up their own craft.

About the Role

The Experienced Texture Artist works closely with modeling, lookdev, and lighting teams across the full asset creation pipeline, from UV troubleshooting to final texture delivery in a physically based rendering context. This is a project-based, full-time position, meaning the work is tied to specific productions rather than a permanent staff structure. A typical day involves building and refining texture maps in Mari or Substance Painter, attending review sessions, addressing supervisor notes, and mentoring junior artists on both technique and organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and create textures across any visual style for complex assets, following established art direction while actively contributing to the overall look development of the show.
• Partner with the modeling team to identify and correct UV layout issues before they reach downstream departments.
• Maintain accurate colorspace workflows across all assets and perform color correction of live action and reference art as needed.
• Optimize complex paint setups within the production pipeline and guide other artists through the same process on their own work.
• Conduct quality control reviews across your own work and that of junior and intermediate artists, ensuring consistency with the show’s visual standards.
• Build upon existing templates to solve unique asset requirements and address difficult technical or artistic problems as they arise in production.

What You Bring

• Five to six or more years of production experience in texture artistry on feature film or animation projects, with a portfolio that demonstrates both range and technical depth.
• Expert-level proficiency in Mari, Substance Painter, Photoshop, Maya, Mudbox, ZBrush, and Substance Designer.
• Advanced skills in Katana, lookdev workflows, UV mapping, and working comfort in Nuke.
• Proficient knowledge of Linux and UNIX environments, including basic shell scripting, with Python experience considered a strong asset.
• Advanced understanding of colorspace workflows and how they interact with rendering and compositing pipelines.
• Demonstrated willingness and ability to mentor other artists in a production setting.

Why This Role

Sony Pictures Imageworks is one of the most consistently credited visual effects and animation studios in feature film production, with a track record that spans decades of high-profile releases. The Vancouver studio operates at the center of that work, giving artists direct access to complex, high-visibility projects and a team built around craft. The anticipated base salary for this position is $45.34 to $65.10 per hour, with benefits per company policy including healthcare, tuition reimbursement, RRSPs, and sick and vacation leave.

If your texture artistry background spans the full production pipeline and you are ready to take on a senior-level role, apply now for the Experienced Texture Artist position at Sony Pictures Imageworks.