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Animator vs graphic designer/production

The differences between animators and graphic designer/productions can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an animator, becoming a graphic designer/production takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an animator has an average salary of $76,853, which is higher than the $48,619 average annual salary of a graphic designer/production.

The top three skills for an animator include animation, motion capture and storyboards. The most important skills for a graphic designer/production are graphic design, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.

Animator vs graphic designer/production overview

AnimatorGraphic Designer/Production
Yearly salary$76,853$48,619
Hourly rate$36.95$23.37
Growth rate5%3%
Number of jobs55195,831
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age4038
Years of experience212

What does an animator do?

The animators are specialized artists who conceptualized ideas from their creative minds with technology applications. Animators cater to different specialties depending on their expertise. They used multiple techniques and tools to create a digital masterpiece. An animator is required to have an excellent time and project management skills to meet deadlines. They should also be detail-oriented and technology savvy to keep up with the latest trend in the digital market. Animators are required to have regular communication with the respective department for the updates or adjustments as needed.

What does a graphic designer/production do?

A Graphics Designer in production is the person in charge of designing and interpreting ideas pointed out by the client or the company. The graphics designer must use market standard applications and techniques to produce attention-grabbing designs intended to market a product, service, or company. Graphic designers are an integral part of a company's digital marketing, especially over the internet. The graphic designer must have a good eye for style, typesetting, and the use of colors.

Animator vs graphic designer/production salary

Animators and graphic designer/productions have different pay scales, as shown below.

AnimatorGraphic Designer/Production
Average salary$76,853$48,619
Salary rangeBetween $52,000 And $112,000Between $35,000 And $67,000
Highest paying CityLas Vegas, NVMenlo Park, CA
Highest paying stateNevadaMaryland
Best paying companyMetaOptimum Nutrition
Best paying industryMediaTechnology

Differences between animator and graphic designer/production education

There are a few differences between an animator and a graphic designer/production in terms of educational background:

AnimatorGraphic Designer/Production
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common majorAnimationGraphic Design
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Animator vs graphic designer/production demographics

Here are the differences between animators' and graphic designer/productions' demographics:

AnimatorGraphic Designer/Production
Average age4038
Gender ratioMale, 71.9% Female, 28.1%Male, 57.0% Female, 43.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage11%13%

Differences between animator and graphic designer/production duties and responsibilities

Animator example responsibilities.

  • Lead a team of artists to create the art and animation for motion comics aspects of the show.
  • Train & supervise newly appoint employee in achieving realistic looking effects and help integrating the effects in compositing with cg elements.
  • Create many logos for a YouTube sketch.
  • Sketch every seen multiple times utilizing several camera angles and character blocking.
  • Assist in the animation development of learning videos and nursery rhymes for YouTube.
  • Implement uniform display geometry to support texture artist and UV mapping artist, demonstrating advance UV mapping skills.
  • Show more

Graphic designer/production example responsibilities.

  • Manage production of products; custom banners, t-shirts, satin flags, from concept to final product.
  • Manage various publications including catalogs, catalog inserts, brochures, mailers and advertising material.
  • Develop and update conference materials, including PowerPoint presentations, posters, handouts, badges, table tents, and folders.
  • Produce corporate identity systems and collateral print materials, print advertising, product/capabilities brochures, direct mail and newsletters.
  • Produce daily, weekly and monthly newsletters in both print and HTML.
  • Create cleaner HTML email templates and help others within the group improve their HTML skills.
  • Show more

Animator vs graphic designer/production skills

Common animator skills
  • Animation, 36%
  • Motion Capture, 7%
  • Storyboards, 5%
  • Motion Graphics, 5%
  • AAA, 3%
  • Graphic Design, 3%
Common graphic designer/production skills
  • Graphic Design, 14%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 9%
  • Adobe Illustrator, 8%
  • Art Direction, 6%
  • Adobe Indesign, 5%
  • Signage, 5%

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