Illustration Artist - Riftbound
Riot Games
Salary undisclosed
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Description
Riot Games was established in 2006 by entrepreneurial gamers who believe that player-focused game development can result in great games. In 2009, Riot released its debut title League of Legends to critical and player acclaim. As the most played video game in the world, over 100 million play every month. Players form the foundation of our community and it’s for them that we continue to evolve and improve the League of Legends experience.
We’re looking for humble but ambitious, razor-sharp professionals who can teach us a thing or two. We promise to return the favor. Like us, you take play seriously; you’re passionate about games. We embrace those who see things differently, aren’t afraid to experiment, and who have a healthy disregard for constraints.
That's where you come in.
As an Illustration Artist at Riot, you will play an important role in delivering high-quality card illustrations for Riftbound. Working closely with the Art Director, Senior Illustration Artist, and cross-disciplinary partners, you will help guide card art from concept through final, print-ready delivery.
You will review artwork, provide clear and actionable feedback, and create paintovers to help external artists strengthen composition, color, storytelling, and overall execution. Drawing on a strong understanding of illustration fundamentals and visual storytelling, you will help maintain Riftbound’s quality bar and contribute to creating memorable imagery within the League of Legends universe.
Working within the constraints of physical trading card production, you will apply your knowledge of print processes, color management, and readability to help ensure artwork reproduces beautifully and consistently. You will collaborate with designers and visual designers to ensure illustrations support gameplay needs and work well with frames, typography, and other graphic elements. Reporting to the game’s Art Director, you will work within established creative direction and art briefs while partnering with external artists and internal teams to deliver polished, compelling card art.
Responsibilities:
- Support outsourcing processes by helping review incoming artwork, communicate feedback, track revisions, and provide external artists with the visual direction and resources needed to deliver quality work.
- Create paintovers, drawovers, and visual references to clearly communicate art direction and help artists solve visual challenges
- Apply strong illustration fundamentals, including composition, anatomy, lighting, color, perspective, and visual storytelling
- Work closely with the Art Director and Senior Illustration Artist to execute Riftbound’s established illustration direction
- Help maintain consistency and quality across card artwork while identifying opportunities to strengthen individual illustrations
- Support gameplay clarity and readability in card illustrations by collaborating with game designers.
- Work with visual designers to ensure illustrations complement frames, typography, and other graphic elements
- Review artwork for polish, consistency, and fidelity to the League of Legends IP
- Work within established art briefs and creative direction while helping external artists achieve the intended vision
- Apply knowledge of print production, color management, and physical card constraints to help deliver print-ready artwork
- Collaborate with producers, designers, external artists, and other disciplines to deliver artwork on schedule
Required Qualifications:
- 2+ years of professional experience in illustration or a related creative discipline
- Strong foundation in illustration fundamentals, including anatomy, composition, perspective, lighting, color theory, and visual storytelling
- Strong drawing and painting skills, with the ability to create effective paintovers and visual feedback
Don’t forget to include a resume and cover letter. We receive a lot of applications, but we’ll notice a fun, well-written intro that shows us you take play seriously.
For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about players' experiences, this could be your role!
About this role
Riot Games is building Riftbound, a trading card game set in the League of Legends universe, and needs an Illustration Artist to help shepherd card art from concept to print. You'd work in Shanghai alongside the Art Director and Senior Illustration Artist, reviewing work from external artists, creating paintovers and visual references to communicate direction, and ensuring every card meets the game's quality bar. The role sits at the intersection of art direction and production—you're not primarily creating original illustrations yourself, but rather guiding and refining the work of others while maintaining consistency across the card set.
The position demands at least four years of professional illustration experience and a solid grasp of fundamentals: anatomy, composition, lighting, color, and visual storytelling. You'll need strong drawing and painting skills to produce effective feedback art, plus practical knowledge of print production, color management, and how physical card constraints affect design. Beyond craft, the role requires collaboration across disciplines—working with designers to ensure illustrations support gameplay clarity, partnering with visual designers on how art integrates with frames and typography, and communicating clearly with a distributed team of external artists.
This suits someone who cares deeply about visual quality and player experience, who can give constructive feedback without ego, and who thrives in a structured creative environment. You'll be working within established art direction rather than defining it, so success here comes from respecting the vision while elevating execution. Riot emphasizes that they want people who take play seriously and show genuine player empathy—your application should reflect both your craft expertise and your understanding of why these details matter to the people who'll hold these cards.
How this employer is doing
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- H1B: Active Visa Sponsor
- Bankruptcy or Distress
- New Product/Innovation
- Active Visa Sponsor
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Pay for this role
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