Background Artist

2 Months ago • 8 Years + • Animation • $107,000 PA - $120,000 PA

Job Summary

Job Description

The Background Artist is responsible for designing and painting detailed backgrounds for animated films and series. Working closely with the Art Director and other creative leads, you'll develop backgrounds aligning with the show's vision and aesthetic. Responsibilities include creating scene set designs, floor plans, orthographic designs, painting backgrounds and layouts, meeting deadlines, managing color projects (color scripts, lead sheets, storyboards, special effects), proposing designs considering downstream departments, ensuring proper artwork backup and storage, and collaborating effectively within a team. The role requires proficiency in Photoshop and a strong understanding of art principles like composition, value, perspective, color, and shape.
Must have:
  • High-level drawing & painting skills
  • Solid understanding of art principles
  • Proficiency in Photoshop
  • Collaboration with Art Director
  • Meeting deadlines
  • Background painting experience
Good to have:
  • Experience in animated feature films/TV series/games
  • Stylistic versatility

Job Details

The Background Artist is in charge of designing and painting detailed backgrounds. Working with the Art Director, and other creative leads, you will explore designing and painting backgrounds that align with the vision and aesthetic of the show. 

Sony Pictures Animation is an animation studio based in Culver City, California, creating both feature animation and animated series with artists from around the world. We pride ourselves on empowering filmmakers to lead the creative process and allowing the hand of the artist to be truly felt, with the goal of producing bold and innovative visual storytelling.

Responsibilities:

  • Work closely with Art Director to create scene set designs, floor plans, and orthographic designs with multiple angles as needed
  • Paints backgrounds, layouts and any other background-related art that the production may require, ensuring style and quality of show is met
  • Complete all rough, revised and final designs necessary within assigned deadlines
  • Be available to fulfill all color projects – including but not limited to – color scripts, color lead sheets, storyboards, special backgrounds / effects as it pertains to each episode
  • Propose design approaches that consider downstream departments (modeling and texturing)
  • Ensure all artwork is properly backed up, stored appropriately, and all shipping materials are prepared and ready on time
  • Able to work independently and within a team environment
  • Work closely with the Art Director to resolve design issues

Qualifications:

  • Previous experience on an animated feature film, tv series, or game preferred
  • Ability to articulate creative ideas
  • Must demonstrate high-level drawing and painting skills 
  • Must have a solid understanding of composition, value, perspective, color, shape language, and overall design
  • Must demonstrate proficiency in style of show
  • We value inventiveness! Each Sony Pictures Animation project has its own distinctive and outstanding visual language so it is helpful to have stylistic versatility
  • Photoshop knowledge required

The anticipated base salary for this position is $51.61/hour to $58.00/hour. This role qualifies for benefits pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement. The actual salary offered will depend on a variety of factors.

To apply, please include a resume and a link to your portfolio. Please make sure to include any passwords to your work in your cover letter and/or in your resume.

Sony Pictures Animation is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics.

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About The Company

The studio's latest theatrical release is "Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse," the highly-anticipated sequel to the Academy Award®-winning "Spider-Man™: Into the Spider-Verse" and the second film in the Spider-Verse trilogy.


The division is also behind the visually-groundbreaking and critically-acclaimed "The Mitchells vs. The Machines," the hit film series "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," and "Hotel Transylvania," and the upcoming 2D adult comedy "Fixed" from visionary director Genndy Tartakovsky.


In 2023, the studio released its first two series - "Agent Elvis," an adult animated action comedy, and "Young Love," which expands on the story and characters introduced in the Oscar®-winning short film, “Hair Love.”


Sony Pictures Animation, which was founded in 2002, is a division of the Sony Pictures Motion Pictures Group for Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation.


• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SonyPicturesAnimation

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SonyAnimRecruit

• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/SonyAnimation


To send in a general application, please fill out this Express Future Interest Form and we will be in touch if we find a suitable fit: https://bit.ly/4akxrp3

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