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Game artist vs junior designer

The differences between game artists and junior designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a game artist, becoming a junior designer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a game artist has an average salary of $86,932, which is higher than the $53,349 average annual salary of a junior designer.

The top three skills for a game artist include animation, maya and sketch. The most important skills for a junior designer are sketch, graphic design, and adobe creative suite.

Game artist vs junior designer overview

Game ArtistJunior Designer
Yearly salary$86,932$53,349
Hourly rate$41.79$25.65
Growth rate5%3%
Number of jobs5,04058,152
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age4038
Years of experience212

What does a game artist do?

This individual is tasked with just one thing, and that is to create 2D or 3D art for visual elements in video games. Their task is crucial in the process of creating games. They visualize how a game will look and ensure it comes out exactly that way. They design a few preliminary sketches and develop them according to the general style of the video game. They are required to work on components like characters, textures, vehicles, colors, lighting, objects, and environment.

What does a junior designer do?

A junior designer is an entry-level professional who is responsible for creating high-quality designs according to the requirements of clients. Under the supervision of senior designers, junior designers must understand project requirements and projects and use various techniques to create drafts, models, and prototypes. They collaborate with team members to pitch in creative ideas and produce final design solutions that can include banners or logos. Junior designers must also take on specially design tasks and use feedback from other designers to improve.

Game artist vs junior designer salary

Game artists and junior designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Game ArtistJunior Designer
Average salary$86,932$53,349
Salary rangeBetween $56,000 And $133,000Between $43,000 And $65,000
Highest paying CityLas Vegas, NVSanta Rosa, CA
Highest paying stateNevadaAlaska
Best paying companyAmazonNike
Best paying industryStart-upTechnology

Differences between game artist and junior designer education

There are a few differences between a game artist and a junior designer in terms of educational background:

Game ArtistJunior Designer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common majorGraphic DesignGraphic Design
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Game artist vs junior designer demographics

Here are the differences between game artists' and junior designers' demographics:

Game ArtistJunior Designer
Average age4038
Gender ratioMale, 70.0% Female, 30.0%Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%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 game artist and junior designer duties and responsibilities

Game artist example responsibilities.

  • Create many MEL scripts to help automate routine daily tasks and improve overall productivity.
  • Work include background art, character design, user-interface design and art, award art, buttons and flash FX.
  • Create 3d models, and texture paintings.
  • Conceptualize the look of different levels and stages for PC games.
  • Model, rig, and texture hero and enemy characters for an untitle project.
  • Ensure that all assets fit the art style of the game and are ready for animation hand off.
  • Show more

Junior designer example responsibilities.

  • Manage the website and twitter page, write the blog posts and attend numerous fashion shows and sample sale rooms.
  • Coordinate REVIT teaching for inner office/branches.
  • Utilize PowerPoint to create furniture, lighting and final material selection presentations for client meetings.
  • Create PowerPoint templates to be used by clients or other upper management in proposals or live shows.
  • Sketch new designs (by hand and computer aid) add colors and make updates to carry-over styles as necessary.
  • Develop residential designs using Revit.
  • Show more

Game artist vs junior designer skills

Common game artist skills
  • Animation, 15%
  • Maya, 11%
  • Sketch, 8%
  • UI, 8%
  • Unity, 7%
  • Concept Art, 5%
Common junior designer skills
  • Sketch, 10%
  • Graphic Design, 9%
  • Adobe Creative Suite, 8%
  • Revit, 5%
  • Design Projects, 5%
  • PowerPoint, 4%

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