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Entry Level Animation Background Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salt Lake Community College

Adjunct, Animation

UT · On-site

Visual Arts & Design Opening Date: 07/15/2025 Closing Date: 7/31/2026 11:59 PM Mountain FLSA ... Ability to communicate effectively with a broad range of diverse people, culture, ethnic background ...

ACLC

Graphic Artist

Randolph, TX · On-site

$145K - $174K/yr

ACLC, LLC is seeking a qualified individual for the position of Graphic Artist to support a ... animations, including actions, changes, color patterns, and background to portray the desired ...

teamLFG

Staff Technical Animator

$143K - $214K/yr

... Artists developing tools that support the animation pipeline REQUIRED SKILLS • In-depth ... background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background ...

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All JobsEntry Level Animation Background Artist Jobs

Entry Level Animation Background Artist information

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$24

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How much do entry level animation background artist jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 3, 2026, the average hourly pay for entry level animation background artist in the United States is $24.65, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.55 and $27.88 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Entry Level Animation Background Artist vs Entry Level Concept Artist?

AspectEntry Level Animation Background ArtistEntry Level Concept Artist
CredentialsPortfolio, basic art skills, possibly a degree in art or related fieldPortfolio, strong drawing skills, degree in art or design
Work EnvironmentAnimation studios, post-production houses, gaming companiesGame studios, animation studios, film production
Industry UsageCreating backgrounds for animated scenes and gamesDesigning characters, environments, and visual concepts

While both roles require strong artistic skills and portfolios, the Entry Level Animation Background Artist focuses on creating backgrounds for animation and games, whereas the Entry Level Concept Artist develops visual concepts and character designs. Both positions are common entry points in the entertainment industry, often overlapping in work environment and credentials.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Entry Level Animation Background Artist, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Entry Level Animation Background Artist, you need strong drawing and painting abilities, a solid understanding of perspective and composition, and a relevant degree or portfolio demonstrating your skills. Familiarity with industry-standard software such as Adobe Photoshop and experience with digital painting tools are typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and the ability to take feedback make someone stand out in this position. These skills ensure backgrounds effectively support the narrative and visual style of animated productions, contributing to immersive storytelling.

What are some common challenges faced by entry level animation background artists, and how can they overcome them?

Entry level animation background artists often face challenges such as adapting to varied art styles, meeting tight production deadlines, and effectively interpreting directors' feedback. It's important to be flexible and willing to learn new techniques or software as required by each project. Building strong communication skills and seeking feedback from more experienced artists can help you grow quickly and deliver backgrounds that enhance the overall animation. Staying organized and managing your time efficiently will also help you handle multiple assignments at once.

What does an entry level animation background artist do?

An entry level animation background artist is responsible for creating the visual environments and scenery behind animated characters and objects. They work closely with art directors and layout artists to design backgrounds that match the style and mood of the animation. Their tasks often include painting digital backgrounds, following color scripts, and ensuring consistency throughout scenes. Entry level artists typically handle simpler or less critical backgrounds while learning studio workflows and gaining experience. Over time, they may take on more complex assignments as they develop their skills.
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What are the most commonly searched types of Animation Background Artist jobs? The most popular types of Animation Background Artist jobs are:
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What job categories do people searching Entry Level Animation Background Artist jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Entry Level Animation Background Artist jobs are:
Entry Level Animation Background Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Animation Background Artist job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 44% Full Time, and 56% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $51,263 per year, or $24.6 per hour.
Visual Effects Animation Artist

Visual Effects Animation Artist

Anatomage, Inc.

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

$80K - $120K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 17 days ago

Be an early applicant

Job description

Who is Anatomage?

Founded in 2004, Anatomage is a world-leading health care technology company. Anatomage offers 3D software for anatomy and physiology education including a life-sized virtual dissection platform.

About the Role:

As a VFX and Animation Artist at Anatomage, you will be the driving creative force

behind our real-time simulations and visual effects. While this role requires a

well-rounded 3D generalist skillset including modeling, texturing, and lighting, your

primary focus will be crafting stunning visual effects and lifelike animations.

What You’ll Do:

You will utilize your 3D generalist skills - spanning modeling, texturing, and lighting - to

create a variety of digital environments. Your main emphasis will be bringing these

environments to life by executing workflows across both real-time simulation and

character animation within Unreal Engine. You will utilize the Niagara system and

Houdini to create scientifically accurate special effects. You will also handle character

rigging and animation for MetaHumans. While you may have a stronger background or

personal specialization in one of these areas, you will be expected to actively deliver

results across both disciplines, ensuring all assets are technically optimized for our

interactive platforms.

Requirements

Skills and Abilities Required:

Candidates should have a strong 3D generalist foundation in industry-standard software such as Maya, Blender, or Substance Painter for modeling, texturing, and lighting environments. Alongside these generalist skills, candidates must possess deep, hands-on experience in either real-time VFX such as Niagara, Blueprints, Houdini simulation pipelines or advanced character rigging and animation fundamentals including experience with MetaHumans or a strong combination of both. The ideal candidate demonstrates strong organizational skills, artistic talent, and exceptional attention to detail.

* Resume and Portfolio required in order to be considered*

Minimum Education and Experience Required:

Formal education in Art, Digital Arts, 3D Modeling, Animation, Medical Illustration, or a related discipline is preferred. Equivalent professional experience and a strong portfolio demonstrating relevant skills will also be considered. Minimum 3 years of professional realtime VFX or Animation experience.

Benefits

What We Offer

  • Health, Dental, and Vision care for you and your family
  • 401K savings plan with employer matching
  • Generous PTO leave and paid holidays
  • Casual work culture
  • Commuter benefits
  • On site gym facility
  • Team bonding activities, catered lunches, and free snacks in the office!

About Anatomage

Anatomage has been financially robust and growing for 20 consecutive years.

Anatomage offers the world’s first and only life-sized virtual dissection table. Students can learn anatomy and physiology using highly interactive and accurate real human-based digital data. Institutions can offer high quality education without worrying about chemicals, facility costs, and regulatory issues. Hundreds of schools have adopted the Anatomage Table as the main teaching tool for students.

At Anatomage, there is an opportunity to work alongside the best in the field. With a diverse group of people from various technical, clinical, and artistic backgrounds, Anatomage provides a culture where distinguished individuals can work and collaborate in an organic manner. Our team members all bring unique strengths and talents to their group and embrace each other's diverse perspectives. Anatomage offers a distinct work experience with an exceptional opportunity to develop careers. Our philosophy is to foster a dynamic work environment, and we are proud to let our employees' knowledge and responsibilities grow with the company.

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $80,000.00- $120,000.00 Annually. This base pay range is for the U.S. and is not applicable to locations outside of the U.S.. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance and location. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed.

Anatomage is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not offer H1B Sponsorship at this time. Local candidates preferred.