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Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Mill

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY

$139K - $166K/yr

The ideal candidate will have a thorough understanding of art and animation pipelines in general ... Lighting - Be well versed in the various lighting techniques in Unreal and instruct the artists in ...

The Mill

Technical Artist

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$139K - $166K/yr

The ideal candidate will have a thorough understanding of art and animation pipelines in general ... Lighting - Be well versed in the various lighting techniques in Unreal and instruct the artists in ...

Cinnamon

Technical Artist (VFX / Shaders)

Atlanta, GA · On-site

$85 - $120/hr

... across animation, comics, games, and more. We believe great stories come from giving talented ... Understanding of lighting principles for real-time environments and cinematic scenes.Exposure to ...

Posted today

SAIC

3D Environmental Artist

Orlando, FL

Create and apply textures, materials, and lighting using modern PBR workflows. * Develop reusable ... Animation * Visual Effects (VFX) * Environmental Design * Architecture * Geographic Information ...

SAIC

3D Environmental Artist

Orlando, FL · On-site

Create and apply textures, materials, and lighting using modern PBR workflows. * Develop reusable ... Animation * Visual Effects (VFX) * Environmental Design * Architecture * Geographic Information ...

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 ...

Valicy

3D Artist

Wilmington, NC

The ideal candidate for 3D Artist has experience modeling, texturing, and lighting engine-ready ... assets, animation editor, shuriken particle system) Preferred Requirements: - Art degree ...

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 ...

The Pennsylvania State University

Teach 3D courses covering animation previsualize, animation, motion capture, lighting, rendering ... artist or designer statement (or statement of practice and creative activity) * a statement of ...

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All JobsAnimation Lighting Artist JobsEntry Level Animation Lighting Artist Jobs

Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist information

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

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average hourly pay for entry level animation lighting 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 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.

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Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Animation Lighting Artist job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 94% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $51,263 per year, or $24.6 per hour.

Technical Artist

The Mill

Manhattan, NY

$139K - $166K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 10 days ago

Job description

Company Description

The Mill has been creating world-class visual effects built on creative excellence and cutting-edge technologies for over twenty-eight years. We believe in creating work that touches people emotionally, that becomes popular culture and that people love, talk about and want to share. We believe in great ideas beautifully told.

Job Description

The Mill is looking for an accomplished Technical Artist with UE4 Blueprints development skills. The ideal candidate will have a thorough understanding of art and animation pipelines in general and of the content creation pipeline and Blueprints system in Unreal. A high level of technical knowledge combined with strong creative and visual instincts is critical. The Technical Artist will assist teams of artists in tackling projects and be equipped to provide support on complicated technical issues within Unreal.

Qualifications

Role Responsibilities:

  • Work with the CG Lead and Creative Director to design and build interactive experiences using Unreal
  • Experience/Gameplay Creation - Create interaction and functionality using Unreal's Blueprints system
  • Material Creation - Design complex materials in Unreal and instruct artists on best practices for material creation
  • Lighting - Be well versed in the various lighting techniques in Unreal and instruct the artists in lighting best practices
  • Optimisation - Optimise content through profiling and enhancing performance with the help of diagnostic tools and instructing the artists on modelling and texturing best practices
  • Collaborate with other developers to develop and test new features, prototype shader code, and provide useful feedback during R&D phases

Technical Requirements:

  • Extensive experience working with Unreal Engine
  • Advanced experience of Unreal's Blueprints system
  • Advanced experience with Maya (3dsMax considered)
  • Comfortable in a range of content creation software including Photoshop, Zbrush/Mudbox, Allegorithmic Substance Designer/Painter

Beneficial Additional Skills (not essential to the role but would help differentiate candidates):

  • Experience with VR/AR authoring in Unreal
  • Maya Rigging experience
  • Shader programming experience
  • Scripting skills with MEL, Python, C#, Javascript and C++
Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Apply