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The differences between lead artists and art directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a lead artist, becoming an art director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an art director has an average salary of $88,367, which is higher than the $83,041 average annual salary of a lead artist.
The top three skills for a lead artist include maya, animation and portfolio. The most important skills for an art director are graphic design, art direction, and creative concepts.
| Lead Artist | Art Director | |
| Yearly salary | $83,041 | $88,367 |
| Hourly rate | $39.92 | $42.48 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 4,799 | 11,472 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
The duties of a lead artist depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to identify and meet their needs, coordinating with the creative staff in developing concepts and samples to present to the clients, conducting revisions, and submitting finished works according to the prescribed format and manner. Furthermore, as a lead artist, it is essential to spearhead the efforts and encourage the team to reach goals, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations, including the clients' vision.
An art director's duty will vary depending on the line of industry involved. However, most of the responsibilities will revolve in taking charge of the artistic direction and decisions in a project or campaign. Most of the time, it is an art director's call to conceptualize and bring a vision to completion and take the lead in coordinating with various artists and creative staff. Furthermore, an art director must oversee the progress of workflow and workforce, develop plans and strategies, and approve or provide suggestions in every creative output from staff.
Lead artists and art directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Artist | Art Director | |
| Average salary | $83,041 | $88,367 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $128,000 | Between $57,000 And $135,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Walt Disney Company |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lead artist and an art director in terms of educational background:
| Lead Artist | Art Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between lead artists' and art directors' demographics:
| Lead Artist | Art Director | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5% | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 7.6% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |