What this life looks like
You draw worlds before they exist. Concept Artists create the foundational visual ideas for films, games, animation, and television productions — imagining characters, environments, vehicles, costumes, and props in visual form before production begins. While the market for concept artists in Africa is still early-stage, global studios increasingly hire remote concept artists, and Africa's growing animation sector is creating local opportunity.
What she actually does
You receive a creative brief from a director or art director, sketch multiple concept options for characters or environments, develop selected concepts into detailed colour illustrations, iterate based on feedback, produce final reference artwork that will guide other departments (3D modelers, set designers, costume designers) during production.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| African Animation Studios | Triggerfish (SA), Kugali (Nigeria), Anthill Studios (Nigeria) — African studios hiring concept artists |
| Global Remote Work | Major film and game studios hire concept artists remotely — portfolio quality is the only requirement |
| Advertising & Media | Advertising agencies use concept artists for campaign visualization and storyboarding |
| Publishing | Book cover design and interior illustration — children's books and fantasy publishing commission concept art |
Why it matters in Africa
As Nollywood and African animation studios develop higher production values, the need for professional concept artists to develop the visual language of films and animated series is growing. Internationally, African concept artists are increasingly competitive — the global remote work market for concept art is substantial, and studios in the USA, Canada, and Europe regularly hire skilled African artists.
Your pathway in
- Draw obsessively — concept art demands exceptional drawing skills that only come from thousands of hours of practice
- Study human anatomy, perspective, colour theory, and environment design — the foundational skills of concept art
- Build a portfolio on ArtStation — it is the industry-standard platform for concept artists and all major studios review portfolios there
- Develop expertise in digital painting: Photoshop and Procreate are the most common tools
- Study the 'schoolism.com' and 'CGMA' online concept art courses — they are taught by working concept artists from major studios
Skills you will need
- Traditional and digital drawing
- Digital painting (Photoshop, Procreate)
- Character and environment design
- Colour and light theory
- Speed and iteration
- ArtStation portfolio management
A woman in this field
Wangechi Mutu
Kenya
Wangechi is one of the world's most celebrated visual artists — a Kenyan sculptor and multimedia artist whose work reimagines the female body through African cultural motifs, science fiction, and postcolonial critique. While primarily known as a fine artist, her extraordinary visual imagination and world-building — creating fantastical creatures, environments, and figures — exemplifies the concept artist's core skill: inventing visual worlds from imagination. Her work is in the permanent collections of the world's most important museums.
Take your first step
- Open an ArtStation account at artstation.com and study the portfolios of concept artists working on major films and games — understand the level of skill the industry expects
- Draw 100 character sketches from imagination — this exercise is used in concept art schools worldwide to build speed and inventiveness
- Study 'Color and Light' by James Gurney — the best book on realistic colour and lighting for visual artists
- Follow African concept artists and illustrators on ArtStation and Instagram — they are building the visual language of African speculative fiction
Careers close to this one
- Animator
- Illustrator
- Game Designer
- Filmmaker/Director
- Fine Artist