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The differences between visual artists and motion graphics artists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a visual artist and a motion graphics artist. Additionally, a visual artist has an average salary of $81,873, which is higher than the $67,079 average annual salary of a motion graphics artist.
The top three skills for a visual artist include animation, maya and visual development. The most important skills for a motion graphics artist are video production, animation, and cinema.
| Visual Artist | Motion Graphics Artist | |
| Yearly salary | $81,873 | $67,079 |
| Hourly rate | $39.36 | $32.25 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 7,209 | 4,288 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Visual artists are the type of artists that engage their audience through their eyes. This type of artist expresses their feelings in different ways. They can use any material to make their feelings known. Sometimes, they express their feelings using carved wood, digital imagery, and installations from objects they find randomly. They may use water vapor or bee pollen to let the world see their feelings, thoughts, and ideals. They can also choose to work independently or work with studios that produce cartoons, develop games, and have a fixed schedule to work on a project.
A motion graphics artist is responsible for conceptualizing digital designs and creating motion pictures according to business requirements and client specifications. Motion graphics artists produce media content and portray the message to the audience through creative multimedia projects. They should also have excellent technical skills in utilizing various software tools and applications. A motion graphics artist works closely with the whole production team for concept brainstorming and adjusting initial layouts as needed to ensure that the plans meet budget requirements and timetables.
Visual artists and motion graphics artists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Visual Artist | Motion Graphics Artist | |
| Average salary | $81,873 | $67,079 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $127,000 | Between $43,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sparks, NV | Providence, RI |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | - | Media |
There are a few differences between a visual artist and a motion graphics artist in terms of educational background:
| Visual Artist | Motion Graphics Artist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Fine Arts | Animation |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between visual artists' and motion graphics artists' demographics:
| Visual Artist | Motion Graphics Artist | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.5% Female, 40.5% | Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 7.6% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |