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Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist Jobs in California

Magnopus

AI Artist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$100K - $160K/yr

Adjust lighting, perspective, composition and other visual elements using multimodal editing tools ... Strong professional experience creating high-quality visual content within film, VFX, animation ...

Magnopus

AI Artist

Los Angeles, CA

$100K - $160K/yr

Adjust lighting, perspective, composition and other visual elements using multimodal editing tools ... Strong professional experience creating high-quality visual content within film, VFX, animation ...

Human Computer Lab

Character Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$142K - $149K/yr

Are pursuing a degree in screen-writing, animation, character design, industrial design, or a ... lighting. * Are comfortable collaborating directly with engineers, turning an abstract sense of ...

Lindeman & Associates

3D Designer

Culver City, CA · On-site

$50 - $65/hr

LA brings together artists, editors, and storytellers into one hyper-collaborative team ... Keyshot, Cinema 4D with Redshift and CAD • Lighting and texture expert with proven portfolio of ...

Lindeman & Associates

3D Designer

Culver City, CA · On-site

LA brings together artists, editors, and storytellers into one hyper-collaborative team ... Import CAD models into 3D software, refine, and prep for lighting & texturing * Willingness to R&D ...

Apple

Creative Expert - 3D/VFX

Culver City, CA · On-site

... lighting, shading, rigging, animation, simulation, real-time, or CAD Primary artistic capability in pen-and-tablet or pen-and-touch workflows Track record of inventing or adopting new techniques ...

Apple

Creative Expert - 3D/VFX

Culver City, CA

$142K - $263K/yr

... lighting, shading, rigging, animation, simulation, real-time, or CAD Primary artistic capability in pen-and-tablet or pen-and-touch workflows Track record of inventing or adopting new techniques ...

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All JobsAnimation Lighting Artist JobsEntry Level Animation Lighting Artist JobsEntry Level Animation Lighting Artist Jobs in California

Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist information

What does an entry level animation lighting artist do?

An Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist is responsible for adding lighting to animated scenes to create mood, atmosphere, and visual depth. They work closely with other artists and technical teams to ensure that lighting supports the story and artistic vision of a project. Tasks often include setting up light sources, adjusting shadows, and rendering scenes while learning industry-standard software. Entry-level artists typically receive guidance from senior team members and may handle simpler shots as they build their skills. Attention to detail and a good understanding of visual storytelling are important in this role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an entry level animation lighting artist?

To thrive as an Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist, you need a solid grasp of lighting principles, color theory, and visual storytelling, often supported by a degree or coursework in animation, fine arts, or a related field. Familiarity with industry-standard 3D software such as Maya, Houdini, or Blender, and rendering engines like Arnold or RenderMan, is typically required. Strong collaboration, attention to detail, and the ability to take creative direction are valuable soft skills in this role. These competencies ensure that lighting artists contribute effectively to the visual quality and mood of animated productions, aligning with the project's artistic vision.

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

Entry level animation lighting artists often face challenges such as understanding the creative vision of a scene, mastering complex lighting software, and balancing technical constraints with artistic goals. It can be daunting to interpret feedback from supervisors and integrate it quickly while maintaining consistency across shots. To overcome these challenges, new artists should actively seek feedback, practice with industry-standard tools like Maya or Blender, and collaborate closely with other departments such as modeling and compositing to ensure their lighting enhances the overall story.

What is the difference between Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist vs Entry Level 3D Modeler?

AspectEntry Level Animation Lighting ArtistEntry Level 3D Modeler
Required SkillsLighting techniques, rendering, basic animation principlesModeling, topology, texturing
Work EnvironmentVFX studios, game development, animation studiosGame studios, animation studios, VFX companies
Common CertificationsBasic 3D software proficiency (Maya, Blender)3D modeling certifications, software proficiency
Industry UsageUsed in lighting scenes and visual effectsUsed in creating 3D assets and characters

While both roles require proficiency in 3D software and are employed in similar industries, the Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist focuses on lighting and rendering to enhance visual scenes, whereas the Entry Level 3D Modeler specializes in creating 3D assets and models. Understanding these distinctions helps job seekers target the right roles based on their skills and career goals.

What are the most commonly searched types of Animation Lighting Artist jobs in California?

The most popular types of Animation Lighting Artist jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist jobs in California?

For Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist jobs?

Cities in California with the most Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist job openings:

Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, 25% Part Time, and 25% Temporary. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

Visual Effects Animation Artist

Anatomage, Inc.

Santa Clara, CA

$80K - $120K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 7 days ago

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.

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