Graphic Artist

Express Employment Professionals - Cincinnati East; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Express Employment Professionals - Cincinnati East is seeking a Graphic Artist / 2D Animation Artist to create animation cels, design characters, environments, and props, and develop expressive poses for dynamic storytelling.

The role requires a degree in animation or related field and 3+ years in animation or digital art, plus a strong portfolio. Proficiency with industry software is preferred and collaboration with directors is essential.

Qualifications

• Portfolio demonstrating character design, animation work, and visual storytelling.
• 3+ years of professional experience in animation or digital art production.
• Experience on film, television, streaming, advertising, gaming, or multimedia projects preferred.

Responsibilities

• Create and draw animation cels for film production.
• Design and illustrate original characters, environments, and props.
• Develop character expressions, poses, and movement sequences.
• Produce keyframes, in-between frames, and finished animation sequences.
• Collaborate with directors, storyboard artists, and production teams to achieve the desired visual style.
• Revise artwork and animation based on creative feedback.
• Prepare and organize digital files for animation production and post-production workflows.

Skills

Strong drawing

Character design

Anatomy & movement

Attention to detail

Deadline-driven

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Animation/Graphic Design/Illustration/Fine Arts

Tools

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe After Effects

Toon Boom Harmony

TVPaint

Adobe Animate

Blender

Clip Studio Paint

Autodesk Maya

Job description

Position Title

Graphic Artist / 2D Animation Artist

Key Responsibilities

• Create and draw animation cels for film production.


• Design and illustrate original characters, environments, and props.


• Develop character expressions, poses, and movement sequences.


• Produce keyframes, in-between frames, and finished animation sequences.


• Collaborate with directors, storyboard artists, and production teams to achieve the desired visual style.


• Revise artwork and animation based on creative feedback.


• Prepare and organize digital files for animation production and post-production workflows.

Required Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Animation, Graphic Design, Illustration, Fine Arts, or related field preferred.


• 3+ years of professional experience in animation, illustration, or digital art production.


• Portfolio demonstrating character design, animation work, and visual storytelling.


• Experience working on film, television, streaming, advertising, gaming, or multimedia projects preferred.

Technical Skills

• Strong drawing and illustration abilities.


• Understanding of anatomy, movement, perspective, composition, and color theory.


• Experience creating character turnarounds, model sheets, and concept art.


• Ability to draw consistent characters from multiple angles.


• Knowledge of animation principles including:
  
  
  • Timing
  
  
  • Spacing
  
  
  • Squash and stretch
  
  
  • Anticipation
  
  
  • Follow-through
  
  
  • Staging
  
  

Software Skills

Experience with some or all of:

• Adobe Photoshop


• Adobe Illustrator


• Adobe After Effects


• Toon Boom Harmony


• TVPaint


• Adobe Animate


• Blender (for 2D/3D integration)


• Clip Studio Paint


• Autodesk Maya (preferred but not required for 2D animation)

Soft Skills

• Creativity and artistic vision.


• Attention to detail.


• Ability to meet production deadlines.


• Strong communication and collaboration skills.


• Ability to accept and implement creative direction.


• Problem-solving and adaptability in a fast-paced production environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working on animated feature films, television series, or streaming content.


• Understanding of storyboarding and visual storytelling.


• Knowledge of character rigging and digital animation workflows.


• Experience with frame-by-frame animation techniques.


• Familiarity with production pipelines and file management standards.