Look Dev Artist - Experienced

As a Look Development Artist, you will play a key role in shaping the visual identity of our projects, working across a diverse variety of formats, feeding into ZooLab projects, long-form and feature animation.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at a pivotal stage as we step into our first feature production. You will help establish, define and maintain the visual language and Look Dev standards for the project, working closely with Directors and Supervisors to develop high-quality, production-ready assets and looks.

We are looking for a passionate artist who loves character animation and has a strong understanding of 3D Look Development. You will bring together an excellent eye for colour, materials, lighting and detail with the technical ability to build robust, efficient setups within a production pipeline.

The role encompasses all aspects of Look Development, including shading, texturing, surfacing, groom and lighting, with a strong emphasis on artistic quality, problem-solving and collaboration.

We are very happy to discuss flexible, hybrid and remote working options for all our vacancies. Please note that this vacancy can close early if we receive a high number of applications.   Day to day:

• Establish, document and maintain Look Development standards, workflows and best practices across the project, ensuring consistency and quality throughout production.
• Create and maintain Look Dev templates, master shaders, lighting setups and other reusable assets to support an efficient production pipeline. 
• Work closely with Production and CG Supervisors to identify risks, dependencies and technical requirements early, helping to ensure Look Dev work remains achievable within production schedules and resources. 
• Work collaboratively and flexibly with other departments across the entire studio, adapting to changes in creative direction and production requirements as needed.

Ensure Look Dev setups are efficient, scalable and suitable for production, considering render times, scene performance, memory usage and downstream workflows.

Identify and communicate pipeline issues or limitations, working with CG and Pipeline teams to develop appropriate solutions. 

Ensure consistency of materials, shaders, colour, lighting and surface treatment across assets and sequences, working closely with Art Direction and Supervisors.

Oversee the translation of approved visual development into repeatable, production-ready Look Dev solutions. 

Lead the planning, prioritisation and distribution of Look Development work across the team, balancing production requirements, artist strengths and available resources.

Provide day-to-day support and guidance to Look Development Artists, helping to unblock technical or creative challenges and ensuring the team has the information and resources needed to deliver effectively. 

Review and give clear, constructive feedback on the work of other artists, ensuring it meets the required creative and technical standards.

Translate creative briefs and visual references into compelling, technically robust CG looks.

Develop innovative artistic and technical solutions to complex Look Development challenges.

Play an active role in brainstorming, visual development and R&D, contributing ideas that push the quality and ambition of our work.

Identify and establish solutions and approaches to solve challenges independently and proactively.

Manage time and resources effectively, balancing hands-on Look Development with team support, reviews, R&D and production responsibilities. 

Develop high quality shading and lighting setups to establish all aspects of Look Development.

Take responsibility for presenting Look Dev work for creative approval and incorporating feedback through to final sign-off.

Help define approval milestones and ensure approved looks are clearly documented and communicated to the wider team. 

Work hands-on with a team of talented artists to ensure the technical and artistic brief is met and help train and guide more junior members of the team.

Strive to push the quality of visuals created at the studio through R&D of new workflows and practices, including the sourcing of and training in new software and tools. 

Must Have:

• Proven experience working within a CG/animation production pipeline, with an understanding of the dependencies between modelling, rigging, animation, lighting, rendering and compositing. 
• Strong professional experience in 3D Look Development, with a portfolio demonstrating high-quality character, environment and/or prop surfacing.
• Experience taking assets from visual development/brief through to approved, production-ready Look Dev. 
• Excellent time management skills with demonstrable experience of meeting production deadlines while maintaining the highest level of work quality.
• Proven ability to prioritise tasks and provide accurate time estimates for the completion of tasks or scopes of work.
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to receive and give direction through clear, actionable feedback.
• Experience supporting, mentoring and teaching less experienced artists.
• Demonstrate an excellent eye for detail, colour sensibilities and advanced lighting.
• An enthusiastic and self-motivated problem solver who can steer and support the team across a variety of projects. 
• Great presentation skills with the ability to communicate creative and technical ideas as well as what has been accomplished and what is yet to be addressed in reviews and meetings.
• Ability to pick-up new techniques and learn new software quickly and effectively.

Skilled in Maya and highly proficient in technical problem solving, with experience in Redshift, Arnold or similar renderer.  

Strong understanding of physically based shading and material creation.

Good understanding of colour management and colour pipelines.

Understanding of lighting for both artistic and technical purposes.

Experience with render optimisation and diagnosing render/shader issues.

Understanding of asset publishing/versioning and working within a structured production pipeline. 

Experience with groom plugins such as Ornatrix, Xgen, Yeti etc

Experience with texturing software and workflow such as Mari, Photoshop, Substance etc.  

Good knowledge of a compositing package such as Nuke or similar 

Strong understanding of the modelling, UVing and texturing workflow 

Ability to read and modify existing scripts/tools and collaborate with Pipeline/CG teams. Experience using various scripting languages such as Python and Mel

Bonus Points: 

• Interest and ability in 3D sculpting or modelling 
• Excellent troubleshooting/debugging skills
• Traditional art skills including drawing,  painting, sculpting, photography etc. 
• Experience with C/ C++ or another object-oriented programming language

Blue Zoo is a leading animation studio in the UK, with a world-class reputation as the go-to place for creating bold, fun and characterful animation. Established in London in 2000, the studio has grown to become the largest dedicated CG animation studio in the UK, picking up a shelf full of BAFTAs, an Annie and an Emmy along the way!

We couldn’t be prouder that Blue Zoo is the first major animation studio in the world to receive B Corp certification. We’ve been independently certified by B Lab, a non-profit organisation who award the B Corp certification. The certification verifies companies who are working to improve the lives of employees as well as industries as a whole. The certification process involves over 170 rigorous metrics to improve the lives of our staff, customers, suppliers, and the local community, ensuring we are not just saying we are ethical with empty gestures, but independently evidencing it.

We are going through an exciting period of growth and are building a studio that is full of amazingly talented, happy artists, making work they are proud of, which in turn makes a small contribution to a happier world. Blue Zoo believes that a healthy balance in our lives - whatever our situation - is key to supporting the wellbeing of our staff. We offer flexible working to support this.

We look for people who have expertise, enthusiasm and are motivated to make things better. You’ll work alongside a talented and diverse group of people who respect each other's differences and seek to understand and embrace fresh perspectives. 

What we’ve got for you:

• Winner of Broadcast Best Places to Work in TV 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025 & 2026.
• Inclusive self-funded shorts programme.
• Many fun in person and remote social events throughout the year.
• Bi-monthly employee feedback and engagement programme.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including loads of discounts and offers.
• Online wellbeing programme.
• Profit share (for employees who have been with us for 2+ years).

Blue Zoo is committed to creating and nurturing an inclusive studio that promotes and values diversity and invites everyone to ‘bring their whole selves’ to work. We believe that companies that truly embrace and value diversity, and create an environment where everyone from any background can do their best work, are better companies. 

 To be engaged our people have to feel included and valued. We work hard to build and nurture a culture where inclusiveness is embedded in the way we work, not just an initiative. We strive to engender a studio community that feels a deep sense of pride and commitment that transcends any role, department or level and works together to produce excellent and engaging work.