Hi, I’m Jeff Murchie, a creative leader and veteran concept artist with 25 years of experience building characters, worlds, and visual identities for AAA games, licensed properties, mobile experiences, and entertainment brands. I’ve led internal and outsourced art teams, established visual standards, mentored artists at all levels, and driven projects from ideation through production. I’m known for building collaborative creative environments that balance artistic excellence with production goals. I’m passionate about cultivating talent, supporting artist growth, and delivering memorable player experiences through compelling visual storytelling. I thrive on cross-functional collaboration, clear communication, and delivering high-quality visuals that meet creative and business objectives.…

Jeff Murchie

Hi, I’m Jeff Murchie, a creative leader and veteran concept artist with 25 years of experience building characters, worlds, and visual identities for AAA games, licensed properties, mobile experiences, and entertainment brands. I’ve led internal and outsourced art teams, established visual standards, mentored artists at all levels, and driven projects from ideation through production. I’m known for building collaborative creative environments that balance artistic excellence with production goals. I’m passionate about cultivating talent, supporting artist growth, and delivering memorable player experiences through compelling visual storytelling. I thrive on cross-functional collaboration, clear communication, and delivering high-quality visuals that meet creative and business objectives.…

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Jeff Murchie, a creative leader and veteran concept artist with 25 years of experience building characters, worlds, and visual identities for AAA games, licensed properties, mobile experiences, and entertainment brands. I’ve led internal and outsourced art teams, established visual standards, mentored artists at all levels, and driven projects from ideation through production. I’m known for building collaborative creative environments that balance artistic excellence with production goals.

I’m passionate about cultivating talent, supporting artist growth, and delivering memorable player experiences through compelling visual storytelling. I thrive on cross-functional collaboration, clear communication, and delivering high-quality visuals that meet creative and business objectives.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Art Director at Weekend (Volley)
January 1, 2026 - Present
Directing and leading all creative aspects for an upcoming, multiplayer game based on a well known IP.
Lead Concept Artist at Stoic Studios
January 1, 2021 - January 1, 2025
Directed visual development and character design efforts for Towerborne, leading both internal and external concept art teams.
Lead Concept Artist at Manticore Games
January 1, 2020 - January 1, 2021
Led concept development initiatives while managing a globally distributed outsourcing team. Directed 6–12 outsourced artists across multiple countries, time zones, and languages. Developed comprehensive art bibles and visual standards documentation. Reviewed, approved, and provided feedback on outsourced deliverables. Continued hands-on concept creation while balancing leadership responsibilities.
Lead Concept Artist at Akili Interactive
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2020
Contributed to the visual development of EndeavorRx, the first FDA-authorized prescription video game treatment for children with ADHD. Designed character and environment concepts supporting therapeutic gameplay goals. Collaborated closely with development, product, and clinical teams. Balanced creative vision with accessibility and usability requirements.
Senior Concept Artist & Toy Designer at Toys for Bob / Activision
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2018
Shaped the visual identity and product development pipeline for the Skylanders franchise. Designed numerous Skylanders characters and toys, including major contributions to the Doom Raiders villain lineup. Art directed toy designs through development and manufacturing. Created and maintained style guides for Skylanders: Trap Team and Skylanders: Imaginators. Produced executive-facing pitch materials and visual presentations. Managed outsourced marketing artwork and paint specification documentation. Developed KeyShot prototypes to simulate production materials and manufacturing outcomes. Traveled extensively to manufacturing facilities in China to oversee quality control, production efficiency, and product execution.
Freelance Concept Artist & Illustrator at Various Clients
January 1, 2012 - Present
Partner with entertainment, gaming, and consumer brands to deliver character, prop, and environment concepts for games, animation, and licensed products. Produced card illustrations and visual development assets for major entertainment brands. Maintained high creative standards while meeting demanding production schedules. Collaborated directly with stakeholders to ensure alignment with project goals and visual direction.
Concept Artist at Gearbox Software
January 1, 2007 - January 1, 2007
Contributed to the early visual development of Borderlands. Created character, creature, and environment concepts during pre-production. Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to establish the foundation of the game's visual direction.
Senior / Lead Concept Artist at 38 Studios
January 1, 2007 - January 1, 2012
Led character and costume design efforts for the MMO project Project Copernicus while helping establish a new original IP. Directed character and costume design pipelines for a large-scale online game. Helped create and define the project's visual language from inception. Mentored junior artists and promoted high artistic standards across the team. Improved workflow efficiency while maintaining creative consistency.
Concept Artist at Turbine Entertainment (WB Games)
January 1, 2004 - January 1, 2007
Developed visual content for two major online role-playing franchises. Designed creatures, armor sets, weapons, and characters for The Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online. Produced marketing illustrations and promotional assets. Supported visual development across both gameplay and marketing initiatives.
Concept Art Intern at LucasArts
January 1, 2001 - January 1, 2002
Designed spacecraft and environment concepts for Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter. Transitioned into a post-graduation production role contributing assets for Red Rock: RTX.

Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Illustration at Columbus College of Art & Design
January 1, 1998 - January 1, 2002
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) at Columbus College of Art & Design
January 1, 1998 - January 1, 2002
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Illustration; Minor: Media Studies at Columbus College of Art & Design
January 1, 1998 - January 1, 2002

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Gaming, Media & Entertainment, Software & Internet, Professional Services, Education, Consumer Goods
    Out of Time | Manticore Games

    Out of Time is a fast-paced, multi-player co-op roguelite where your squad, gear, and teamwork decide survival. Battle through a fractured world where past, present, and future collide - facing swarms of corrupted enemies, brutal bosses, and unique challenges all before time runs out.

    Led concept development initiatives while managing a globally distributed outsourcing team.
    KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
    •
    Directed 6–12 outsourced artists across multiple countries, time zones, and languages.
    •
    Developed comprehensive art bibles and visual standards documentation.
    •
    Reviewed, approved, and provided feedback on outsourced deliverables.
    •
    Continued hands-on concept creation while balancing leadership responsibilities.

    Skylanders: Imaginators | Skylanders: Trap Team

    Skylanders: Imaginators is a 2016 toys-to-life platform video game developed by Toys for Bob and published by Activision. It is the sixth installment of the Skylanders series, a successor to Skylanders: SuperChargers, and was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

    Played a key role in shaping the visual identity and product development pipeline for the Skylanders franchise.
    KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
    •
    Designed numerous Skylanders characters and toys, including major contributions to the Doom Raiders villain lineup.
    •
    Art directed toy designs through development and manufacturing.
    •
    Created and maintained style guides for Skylanders: Trap Team and Skylanders: Imaginators.
    •
    Produced executive-facing pitch materials and visual presentations.
    •
    Managed outsourced marketing artwork and paint specification documentation.
    •
    Developed KeyShot prototypes to simulate production materials and manufacturing outcomes.
    •
    Traveled extensively to manufacturing facilities in China to oversee quality control, production efficiency, and product execution.

    Towerborne

    Towerborne is a side-scrolling action role-playing video game developed by Stoic and published by Xbox Game Studios. It released on Windows as an early access game on September 10, 2024 and was released for Xbox Series X/S on April 29, 2025 through Xbox Game Preview.

    Lead the style exploration for this project. Led a team of internal and external artists and created the majority of character driven conceptual art designs.

    Freelance Concept Artist and Illustrator

    FREELANCE CONCEPT ARTIST & ILLUSTRATOR
    Various Clients | 2012 – Present

    Partner with leading entertainment, gaming, and consumer brands to deliver character, environment, prop, and illustration work across a variety of licensed properties.

    Select Clients: Disney, Ravensburger, Netflix, Velan Studios, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation Television, Activision (Toys for Bob), Insomniac Games, Telltale Games, Innerspace VR

    KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
    •Created character, prop, and environment concepts for games, animation, and licensed products.
    •Produced card illustrations and visual development assets for major entertainment brands.
    •Maintained high creative standards while meeting demanding production schedules.
    •Collaborated directly with stakeholders to ensure alignment with project goals and visual direction.

    Out of Time | Manticore Games

    LEAD CONCEPT ARTIST
    Manticore Games | San Mateo, CA | 2020 – 2021

    Led concept development initiatives while managing a globally distributed outsourcing team.
    KEY CONTRIBUTIONS

    •Directed 6–12 outsourced artists across multiple countries, time zones, and languages.
    •Developed comprehensive art bibles and visual standards documentation.
    •Reviewed, approved, and provided feedback on outsourced deliverables.
    •Continued hands-on concept creation while balancing leadership responsibilities.

    Towerborne

    LEAD CONCEPT ARTIST
    Stoic Studios | Austin, TX | 2021 – 2025

    Directed visual development and character design efforts for Towerborne, leading both internal and external concept art teams.

    KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
    •Managed and mentored concept artists through structured feedback, accountability, and professional development.
    •Authored and maintained the studio’s core Character Art Bible used for onboarding and production alignment.
    •Established communication processes through regular one-on-ones, team reviews, and production check-ins.
    •Led visual exploration and character development for the project’s core cast and world.
    •Created a majority of the early character concepts that helped define the game’s visual identity.
    •Coordinated internal artists and international outsourcing partners to ensure consistency and quality.

    Skylanders: Imaginators | Skylanders: Trap Team

    SENIOR CONCEPT ARTIST & TOY DESIGNER
    Toys for Bob / Activision | Novato, CA | 2012 – 2018

    Played a key role in shaping the visual identity and product development pipeline for the Skylanders franchise.

    KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
    •Designed numerous Skylanders characters and toys, including major contributions to the Doom Raiders villain lineup.
    •Art directed toy designs through development and manufacturing.
    •Created and maintained style guides for Skylanders: Trap Team and Skylanders: Imaginators.
    •Produced executive-facing pitch materials and visual presentations.
    •Managed outsourced marketing artwork and paint specification documentation.
    •Developed KeyShot prototypes to simulate production materials and manufacturing outcomes.
    •Traveled extensively to manufacturing facilities in China to oversee quality control, production efficiency, and product execution.