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Remote Background Painter Animation Jobs in California

TrueShort

Reference Designer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

Our team is experimenting at the frontier of AI-powered entertainment production across animation ... Strong background in character design, concept art, production design, or visual development

TX Labs

Frontend Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

Create dynamic animations and interactions using Framer Motion and/or GSAP to enhance user ... A flexible work environment with remote work options. * Opportunity to work with a passionate and ...

TX Labs

Create dynamic animations and interactions using Framer Motion and/or GSAP to enhance user ... A flexible work environment with remote work options. * Opportunity to work with a passionate and ...

TrueShort

AI Music Composer & Editor

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

Our team is experimenting at the frontier of AI-powered entertainment production across animation ... Compose original scores, themes, songs, and background music for animated and live-action ...

Helios WorldWide

Front End Developer

Santa Monica, CA · On-site +1

$116K - $135K/yr

USA Remote Company: Forge, A Tech-Powered Creative Agency About Us: At Helios, we embrace the power ... The ideal candidate will have a strong background in front-end development, a passion for creating ...

All JobsBackground Painter Animation JobsRemote Background Painter Animation JobsRemote Background Painter Animation Jobs in California

Remote Background Painter Animation information

What is a remote background painter in animation?

A Remote Background Painter in Animation is an artist who creates the visual backgrounds for animated films, TV shows, or video games while working from a location outside the main studio, often from home. Their work involves painting detailed environments that help set the mood, establish the setting, and enhance the storytelling of the animation project. They collaborate with art directors and other team members remotely, following design briefs and ensuring their backgrounds match the animation’s style and color palette. These artists use digital painting software and often share their work through online platforms, making strong communication skills and self-motivation essential.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a remote background painter in animation?

To thrive as a Remote Background Painter in Animation, you need strong artistic skills in color theory, composition, and digital painting, often supported by a relevant art degree or portfolio. Proficiency with digital painting software such as Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, or Toon Boom is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, time management, and effective communication are essential soft skills for collaborating remotely with animation teams. These skills and qualities ensure visually compelling backgrounds that support storytelling and maintain production quality in a fast-paced, distributed work environment.

How do remote background painters in animation typically collaborate with other team members in a virtual environment?

Remote Background Painter Animation professionals often work closely with art directors, layout artists, and animation teams using digital collaboration tools. Communication is usually managed through project management platforms, video calls, and shared cloud-based workspaces to review sketches, receive feedback, and make revisions. Staying organized and being proactive in communication are essential, as feedback cycles can be frequent and deadlines are often tight. Building strong virtual relationships ensures that the visual style remains cohesive and aligns with the creative vision of the project.

What is the difference between Remote Background Painter Animation vs Remote Character Animator?

AspectRemote Background Painter AnimationRemote Character Animator
Required credentialsPortfolio, art or animation degree often preferredPortfolio, animation or character design degree often preferred
Work environmentHome studio, digital tools, collaborative platformsHome studio, digital tools, collaborative platforms
Industry usageFilm, TV, video games, advertisingFilm, TV, video games, advertising
Common search intentCompare skills, job roles, or freelance opportunitiesCompare skills, job roles, or freelance opportunities

Remote Background Painter Animation focuses on creating detailed backgrounds and environments for animations, while Remote Character Animator specializes in bringing characters to life through movement and expressions. Both roles require strong artistic skills, digital tools proficiency, and often similar industry experience, but they differ in their primary focus—backgrounds versus characters.

What are the most commonly searched types of Background Painter Animation jobs in California?

The most popular types of Background Painter Animation jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Remote Background Painter Animation jobs in California?

For Remote Background Painter Animation jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Remote Background Painter Animation jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Remote Background Painter Animation jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Remote Background Painter Animation jobs?

Cities in California with the most Remote Background Painter Animation job openings:

Remote Background Painter Animation jobs near you
Infographic showing various Remote Background Painter Animation job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, and 21% Part Time. Highlights an 100% Remote job distribution.

Reference Designer

TrueShort

Los Angeles, CA • On-site, Remote

Full-time

Re-posted 4 days ago

Job description

Reference Designer
About TrueShort
TrueShort is one of the fastest-growing streaming apps in the United States. An AI studio and streaming platform where we experiment, develop and release original series and films constantly. No development purgatory.
Built for mobile-first viewing, TrueShort delivers premium, bingeable storytelling across an expanding slate of genres, reimagining how modern audiences discover and experience great stories.
Our team is experimenting at the frontier of AI-powered entertainment production across animation, live action, and emerging storytelling formats.
Backed by Jeffrey Katzenberg (Founder of DreamWorks), Scott Belsky, Ravi Nandan (A24), Khosla Ventures, and others.
Role Overview
We're looking for Reference Designers to help develop the visual foundation of original series and films across a wide range of genres and formats.
Reference Designers are responsible for creating the core visual assets that guide production across each series, including character references, environments, props, color direction, and visual worldbuilding materials. Your work will help establish consistency and creative clarity for AI filmmakers, editors, and showrunners throughout production.
This role sits at the intersection of concept design, visual development, and AI-native production workflows. We're looking for artists with strong visual taste, storytelling instincts, and an understanding of how to design assets that translate effectively into AI generation pipelines.
Responsibilities
  • Design character reference sheets, props, environments, and worldbuilding assets
  • Develop cohesive visual identities and style direction for original series
  • Collaborate closely with Showrunners, writers, and AI filmmakers during development and production
  • Create organized reference packs that help maintain consistency across episodes
  • Iterate quickly based on creative feedback and evolving production needs
  • Help establish visual rules, tone, color language, and design continuity for each project
  • Prepare assets and references optimized for AI image and video generation workflows
  • Contribute to the overall creative development of new series and worlds

Preferred Skills & Experience
  • Strong background in character design, concept art, production design, or visual development
  • Strong eye for composition, color, silhouette, shape language, and visual storytelling
  • Experience with AI image-generation tools (Midjourney, Nano Banana, Seedream, Flux, etc.)
  • Familiarity with AI video-generation workflows is a plus (Kling, Veo, Seedance, Runway, etc.)
  • Comfortable working across multiple visual styles and genres
  • Ability to create clear, production-ready visual reference materials
  • Familiarity with Photoshop or other visual editing/compositing tools
  • Passion for animation, filmmaking, internet culture, and emerging creative technology

Compensation & Details
  • Contract Role
  • Potential for long-term employment or full-time role
  • $300 - $800 per series
  • Los Angeles preferred (open to remote)

To Apply
Please send:
  • Portfolio or relevant work samples
  • Examples of character, prop, or environment design work
  • Optional: links to any animation, film, game, or visual development projects
  • A brief overview of your workflow and preferred creative tools

Apply