Senior 2D iGaming Artist & Animator / Hands-On Art Director

# Senior 2D iGaming Artist & Animator / Hands-On Art Director **Full-Time Remote Position** **Individual applicants only — no studios, agencies, outsourcing companies, or intermediary teams** ## About HighRoll Forge We are **HighRoll Forge**, a new game developer focused on the **online casino and iGaming industry**. We create visually distinctive, mobile-first games, including: * crash games; * video slots; * Plinko, Mines, Dice, Limbo, Tower, Wheel, and similar instant games; * arcade-style and instant-win casino games; * original hybrid formats combining gambling mechanics with casual and arcade gameplay. We do not want to produce generic reskins or simply copy existing casino products. Our goal is to transform proven iGaming mechanics into **original concepts with distinctive characters, worlds, interactions, visual systems, and player experiences**. One of our main ambitions is to create an original flagship multiplayer crash game with the potential to become a **category-defining success on the scale of Aviator—not an imitation of it**. ## The Position We are looking for an experienced **Senior 2D iGaming Artist & Animator / Hands-On Art Director** to join HighRoll Forge in a permanent, full-time remote position. This is a highly practical production role. We are not looking for someone who only manages other artists, produces concept sketches, or generates images with AI. The selected specialist must be able to personally create, animate, prepare, and deliver production-ready game assets. You will help us establish a recognizable visual identity across our portfolio and turn new game concepts into complete, technically usable visual systems. Our production pipeline is targeting approximately **two new game concepts per month**, depending on the scope and complexity of each project. ## Main Responsibilities You will be responsible for: * establishing and maintaining the visual direction of our games; * creating art bibles, visual references, color systems, and style guides; * turning written game concepts and mechanics into complete game-screen compositions; * designing characters, environments, backgrounds, symbols, icons, frames, interfaces, gameplay objects, and decorative assets; * creating polished character, object, UI, win, loss, bonus, and interaction animations; * producing VFX, particles, lighting effects, transitions, anticipation sequences, and result-reveal moments; * maintaining a consistent visual language across dozens of related assets; * adapting detailed artwork for mobile devices and small screens; * preparing clean, editable, professionally organized layered source files; * separating artwork into logical, animation-ready layers; * preparing transparent assets with clean edges and correct alpha channels; * preparing assets for Spine, sprite sheets, frame-by-frame animation, or another agreed animation pipeline; * collaborating directly with developers on dimensions, masks, export formats, texture atlases, naming conventions, file sizes, and performance requirements; * reviewing and optimizing artwork at its actual in-game display size; * delivering optimized assets for browser and mobile iGaming products. ## Visual and Animation Quality Benchmark The following games represent the general level of drawing, animation, VFX, and full-screen visual execution we expect: * [Pixel Cafe Tokyo — Twist Gaming](https://stake.com/casino/games/twist-gaming-pixel-cafe-tokyo) * [Candy Crunch — Twist Gaming](https://stake.com/casino/games/twist-gaming-candy-crunch) * [AFK Airport Security — Nolimit City](https://stake.com/casino/games/nolimit-afk-airport-security) * [Drop the Boss 2: Mar-a-Lago](https://stake.com/casino/games/mirrorimage-drop-the-boss-2-maralago/play?mode=play) These games are professional quality benchmarks—not templates to copy. Our games must have their own characters, worlds, visual identities, gameplay experiences, and animation language. The selected candidate must be capable of producing work at a comparable professional level, including: * polished and expressive character drawing; * distinctive and professionally executed art direction; * complete, visually coherent game-screen compositions; * smooth character and object animation; * expressive idle, interaction, reaction, win, loss, and bonus animations; * polished transitions and anticipation sequences; * high-quality VFX, particles, lighting, and impact effects; * animated UI elements and betting controls; * clear visual hierarchy and readability on small screens; * consistent artwork across characters, environments, symbols, interfaces, and effects; * production-ready layered source files; * optimized browser and mobile exports. We do not expect you to reproduce the exact styles of these games. We expect you to demonstrate the artistic and technical ability required to achieve a similarly polished result while developing an original identity for HighRoll Forge. ## Required Skills The ideal candidate should have: * strong professional 2D drawing and digital-painting skills; * proven experience designing complete game screens—not only standalone illustrations; * strong character, environment, interface, icon, and gameplay-asset design skills; * professional 2D animation experience; * a clear understanding of composition, color, lighting, materials, visual hierarchy, and readability; * experience preparing editable layered files and animation-ready assets; * experience optimizing assets for mobile devices, browsers, and small screens; * the ability to maintain consistency across large groups of related assets; * the ability to follow an existing art bible and strict technical specifications; * strong attention to detail and reliable file organization; * the ability to communicate directly with developers and respond constructively to revisions; * sufficient English or Russian for daily working communication. Experience with iGaming, online casinos, crash games, slots, instant-win products, or mobile game interfaces will be a strong advantage. The candidate should understand—or be willing to learn—how casino artwork supports: * gameplay clarity; * multiplier progression; * betting controls; * anticipation and suspense; * win and loss events; * bonus mechanics; * result reveals; * player engagement without compromising interface clarity. ## Animation Requirements Animation is an important part of this role, not an optional extra. Relevant experience may include: * Spine 2D; * skeletal animation; * sprite-sheet animation; * frame-by-frame 2D animation; * After Effects or comparable motion-design software; * idle, interaction, reaction, win, loss, and bonus animations; * UI animation; * VFX, particles, lighting, and transitions; * preparation and optimization of animations for browser and mobile implementation. Please state clearly which animation stages you can complete personally and whether any specific tasks would require support from another specialist. ## AI-Assisted Workflow AI tools may be used for ideation, concept development, and selected production stages. However, **raw or lightly edited AI-generated images will not be accepted as finished work**. You must be able to: * manually correct AI-generated artifacts; * redraw weak or inconsistent areas; * maintain consistent characters, proportions, materials, lighting, and visual language; * prevent style drift and random details; * clean edges, transparency, and alpha channels; * separate generated artwork into practical, editable layers; * prepare assets correctly for animation; * provide professionally organized source files; * explain which tools were used and which parts were completed manually. We are not looking for someone who only writes prompts and delivers flattened AI-generated images. ## Initial Paid Test Task The recruitment process will begin with a focused **paid test task**. The selected candidate will be asked to: 1. Recreate a provided visual reference as a polished, production-ready asset. 2. Adapt the asset for strong readability at a small in-game display size. 3. Rebuild it as an editable layered source file—not simply resize or trace the reference. 4. Separate the artwork into logical, animation-ready layers. 5. Prepare clean transparency, alpha channels, and edge treatment. 6. Export the asset in two specified resolutions. 7. present the asset inside a complete game-screen composition. 8. Create or demonstrate one simple animation. 9. Deliver the editable layered source file and final exports. 10. Complete one controlled revision round. The test is intended to evaluate drawing quality, animation ability, visual consistency, technical preparation, attention to detail, and ability to follow a production brief. Successful completion may lead to an offer for the permanent full-time position. ## Originality and Source Files All submitted work must be original or created using materials that are properly licensed for commercial use. The reference games and test references must not be copied directly. The selected candidate will be expected to create new visual concepts and provide all agreed editable source files, layers, exports, and animation project files. The work may not be outsourced or passed to another artist without our prior written approval. ## Full-Time Working Format This is a long-term, full-time remote position requiring: * consistent weekly availability; * regular communication with the HighRoll Forge team; * ongoing involvement throughout the production pipeline; * direct collaboration with developers; * reliable delivery against agreed deadlines; * personal responsibility for the quality and organization of submitted work. ## What to Include in Your Application Please provide: * a portfolio showing complete game screens and visual systems—not only standalone illustrations; * examples of characters, environments, UI, icons, and related assets created in a consistent style; * examples of professional 2D animation; * examples of production-ready layered artwork; * examples of work created for mobile devices or small screens; * examples of VFX, transitions, or animated UI, if available; * a brief description of your production workflow; * a list of the software and AI tools you use; * confirmation that you personally created the submitted portfolio work; * confirmation that you can provide editable layered source files and animation project files; * your country of residence and time zone; * your earliest possible starting date; * your availability for full-time work; * the number of hours you can consistently work per week; * your expected monthly salary or full-time hourly rate; * your proposed price for the initial paid test task; * details of any other current full-time commitments. ## Application Questions Please answer the following questions: 1. Which of the four reference games is closest to your current professional level? 2. Which drawing, animation, UI, and VFX elements from these games could you personally produce? 3. Which parts, if any, would require support from another specialist? 4. Can you show a complete game screen or visual system that you personally designed? 5. Which specific parts of your portfolio were created personally by you? 6. How do you maintain consistency across dozens of related assets? 7. How do you adapt detailed artwork for small mobile screens? 8. How do you prepare characters and other assets for animation? 9. Which animation tools and pipelines do you use? 10. Which AI tools do you use, and how do you manually refine their output? 11. Can you provide editable layered source files rather than only flattened images? 12. How would you organize the production of a complete animated game screen at the quality level shown in our references? 13. Are you comfortable following an art bible and strict technical requirements? 14. Can you reliably support a production pipeline targeting approximately two new game concepts per month? 15. Are you ready to work with HighRoll Forge on a long-term, full-time basis? ## Important **This position is open only to individual specialists. Studios, agencies, outsourcing companies, intermediary teams, account managers, and applicants intending to subcontract the work should not apply.** Please do not apply with a portfolio consisting mainly of generic AI-generated images, portraits, logos, unrelated illustrations, or work primarily created by other team members. We need a hands-on specialist who can **draw, animate, establish a complete visual language, produce consistent game-ready assets, prepare files for technical integration, and deliver professional editable source materials**.