Animation Full-Time Work from Office

Visual Development Artist

Company: Sony Pictures Animation

Location: Los Angeles, California, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $51.61/hour – $81.75 /Hour

About the Role

Sony Pictures Animation is seeking a Visual Development Artist to help shape the creative vision and visual style of feature animated films and series projects. The role involves collaborating closely with directors, art directors, and production teams to explore artistic concepts across characters, environments, props, lighting, and color.

This opportunity is ideal for highly creative artists with strong illustration, design, and storytelling skills who are passionate about pushing visual boundaries in animated filmmaking.

Job Overview

The Visual Development Artist will create concept artwork, mood paintings, color scripts, and production illustrations that support the artistic direction of animated projects from early concept through final presentation. The role requires strong adaptability across multiple visual styles and production needs.

Candidates should demonstrate expertise in drawing, painting, color theory, composition, and visual storytelling while thriving in fast-paced collaborative production environments.

Key Responsibilities

  • Concept Development: Create visual concepts for characters, environments, props, visual effects, and production design elements.
  • Artistic Collaboration: Work closely with directors, art directors, and production designers to translate creative vision into visual development artwork.
  • Color & Lighting: Produce color scripts, lighting studies, mood paintings, and tonal illustrations that support storytelling.
  • Production Support: Assist with production illustrations and design materials throughout development pipelines.
  • Creative Problem Solving: Implement feedback efficiently while maintaining artistic quality and consistency.
  • Style Exploration: Adapt to multiple artistic styles ranging from stylized animation to realistic visual approaches.

Qualifications

  • Strong proficiency in drawing, painting, anatomy, composition, perspective, and color theory.
  • Experience creating character, environment, or production design concepts for animation projects.
  • Ability to work across multiple visual styles from stylized to realistic.
  • Understanding of 2D to 3D translation workflows and digital production pipelines.
  • Strong problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills.
  • Working knowledge of Photoshop, Cintiq, and digital art workflows.

Education

  • Bachelor’s degree in Animation, Illustration, Fine Arts, Visual Development, or a related field preferred.
  • Equivalent professional experience and portfolio quality may substitute formal education.
  • Strong portfolio demonstrating visual storytelling and design versatility is required.

Benefits

  • Eligibility for benefits under the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
  • Opportunity to contribute to major animated feature film productions.
  • Collaborative environment with experienced filmmakers and artists.
  • Creative freedom to explore innovative visual storytelling styles.
  • Professional growth opportunities within a leading animation studio.

Sony Pictures Animation continues to deliver bold and visually distinctive animated storytelling experiences for audiences worldwide. This role offers talented visual development artists the opportunity to help define the creative direction of exciting animated productions.

If you are passionate about concept art, color, design, and cinematic visual storytelling, this is an excellent opportunity to join a world-class animation studio.

Apply Now

You will be redirected to the employer's website.

Scroll to Top