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Creative Industries

Special Effects Artist / Animator

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

Annual openings

57

Median wage

$91,290

Typical education

High school (GED)

Growth 2026–2032

+5%

Median wage source: Colorado BLS OEWS (2025).

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Career requirements

What does this career require?

Explore education, required qualifications, voluntary credentials and employer preferences for this role. Check the details to see which apply.

Typical education

High school (GED)

Credential requirement

No certification is required or expected for this job.

Work experience

Previous work experience in Special Effects and/or Art is expected. Work experience or work-based learning using animation tools, such as Toon Boom, is valued by some employers.

Work-based learning

No information available

Many productions have a Production Assistant and/or an Intern on the team, providing a way to break into the industry.
While drawing and illustrating is a great skill, Graphic Design skills, like building a brand and designing and building graphics, are where most jobs exist. Learn how to tell a story that connects with a target audience utilizing graphics.

Is this work a fit?

What the work actually feels like

How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.

Work style

The type of work can vary by job and employer.

  • With childrenNo
  • On a computerYes
  • OutdoorsNo
  • With your handsNo

Interests it draws on

  • Arts, Design, and Entertainment
  • Arts and Design

Automation exposure

Low exposure

Tasks here lean on judgement and people skills that are hard to automate.

A typical day

  1. Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
  2. Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
  3. Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
  4. Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.
  5. Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.
  6. Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters.
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