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Job Description | Duties | Working Conditions
Educational Requirements | Outlook | Salary

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Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications



Job Description: As the use of computers has evolved to bring together text, graphic art, sound, animation, and video to educate, inform, and entertain users, many specialized occupations have emerged. Multimedia artists design artwork to express specific ideas, thoughts, or concepts in response to assignments or requests from employers or clients. They may also be called graphic designers, interface designers, illustrators, video producers, or animators.

Duties: Multimedia artists may perform some or all of the following duties:

• Develop briefings, brochures, multimedia presentations, web pages, promotional products, technical illustrations, and computer artwork for use in products, technical manuals, literature, videos, newsletters and slide shows
• Use a variety of print, electronic, and film media to create designs that meet user needs
• Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards
• Assemble, typeset, scan and produce digital camera-ready art or film negatives and printer's proofs
• Convert real objects to animated objects through modeling
• Create special effects as required by the script by mixing chemicals and fabricating needed parts from wood, metal, plaster, or clay
• Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television
• Create pen-and-paper images to be scanned, edited, colored, textured or animated by computer
• Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process

For detailed information on tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, work activities, work contexts, job zones, interests, work styles, work values, and related occupations visit the O*Net Online, a division of the National Center for Occupational Information.

Working Conditions: Most multimedia artists work in offices and design studios, or they may work at home doing freelance work. More than half of the artists are self-employed. Some artists share studio space and may work as a team to develop products for clients. Studio surroundings are normally well-lighted and well-ventilated. Artists who sit in front of computers for extended periods of time may experience back pain, eye strain, or carpal tunnel syndrome. Multimedia artists who are employed by studios or graphic design firms generally work a standard 40-hour week. During busy periods, they may be required to work overtime to meet deadlines.

Educational Requirements: Education and training requirements for this occupation vary depending upon the specialty. The talent to communicate ideas effectively through artistic means is one of the basic requirements for success. Evidence of appropriate talent and skill may be demonstrated in an artist's portfolio. This is probably the most important factor used by employers in deciding whether to hire or contract out work to an artist. The portfolio should contain a collection of hand-made, computer-generated, photographic, or other samples of work. Formal training programs may range from two to four years of art education. Formal educational programs in art may provide training in computer techniques. Computers are used widely in the visual arts, and knowledge and training in them are critical for many jobs in these fields. For related information and recommended courses to prepare for this occupation, Tennessee high school students may visit the Trade and Industrial Education Standards, Competency Profiles, and Resource Links online.

Outlook: The estimated number of multimedia artists and animators in Tennessee is 240. It is projected there will be a slight decline in employment in this occupation through the year 2012 with only 5 job openings annually. For additional information on this occupation, visit the nationally recognized Occupational Outlook Handbook online.

Salary

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
• TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
• Bureau of Economic Analysis website

For an explanation of salary data please visit acinet.org

Last updated on: January 23, 2008