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Special Effects Artists and Animators in New Mexico

Special Effects Artists and Animators in New Mexico

Want to work as a Special Effects Artists and Animators in New Mexico? Here’s what you need to know. Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

What do Special Effects Artists and Animators Make in New Mexico?

For a special effects artists and animators working in New Mexico, wages run about $50,250 per year (or roughly $24.16/hour).Pay can range from $47,100 at the 10th percentile to $78,220 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $47,100 $22.64
25th percentile $47,110 $22.65
Median (50th) $50,250 $24.16
75th percentile $67,570 $32.49
90th percentile $78,220 $37.61
Salary ranges for Special Effects Artists and Animators in New Mexico

The job concentration index in New Mexico compared to the national average — is 0.42, indicating fewer special effects artists and animators per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, special effects artists and animators earn a median of $57,836 per year ($27.81/hour), below the New Mexico median.

Special Effects Artists and Animators earnings in New Mexico vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 38,587 special effects artists and animators across the United States. In New Mexico alone, about 50 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 240 special effects artists and animators.

Special Effects Artists and Animators in New Mexico vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Special Effects Artists and Animators

Top States for Special Effects Artists and Animators Employment

The table below shows the states where the most special effects artists and animators work.

State Number Employed
California 7,690
Washington 2,510
New York 1,820
Florida 1,430
Georgia 860
Oregon 470
Nevada 420
Maryland 370
Michigan 330
Ohio 290
Massachusetts 270
Virginia 260
North Carolina 250
Colorado 240
Connecticut 230
Pennsylvania 200
Utah 190
Wisconsin 160
New Jersey 160
Nebraska 120

Highest-Paying States for Special Effects Artists and Animators

These states pay the most for special effects artists and animators.

State Annual Median Salary
California $128,360
New Jersey $124,300
Oregon $108,630
New York $102,170
Colorado $95,130
Texas $88,620
Nevada $86,290
Ohio $83,530
Kansas $83,210
Maryland $81,700

Skills

Key special effects artists and animators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Active Listening  3.9 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  3.8 / 5
0
5
Reading Comprehension  3.8 / 5
0
5
Speaking  3.2 / 5
0
5
Writing  3.1 / 5
0
5
Active Learning  3.1 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Computers and Electronics  5.0 / 5
0
5
English Language  4.4 / 5
0
5
Design  4.2 / 5
0
5
Communications and Media  4.1 / 5
0
5
Customer and Personal Service  3.9 / 5
0
5
Sales and Marketing  3.9 / 5
0
5

Abilities

Top abilities for special effects artists and animators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Oral Comprehension  4.1 / 5
0
5
Visualization  4.0 / 5
0
5
Oral Expression  4.0 / 5
0
5
Written Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Near Vision  3.9 / 5
0
5
Visual Color Discrimination  3.6 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, special effects artists and animators typically:

  • Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
  • Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
  • Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
  • Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.
  • Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.
  • Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters.
  • Implement and maintain configuration control systems.
  • Script, plan, and create animated narrative sequences under tight deadlines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques.
  • Develop briefings, brochures, multimedia presentations, web pages, promotional products, technical illustrations, and computer artwork for use in products, technical manuals, literature, newsletters, and slide shows.
  • Assemble, typeset, scan, and produce digital camera-ready art or film negatives and printer's proofs.
  • Convert real objects to animated objects through modeling, using techniques such as optical scanning.
  • Create pen-and-paper images to be scanned, edited, colored, textured, or animated by computer.

Work Activities

  • Working with Computers
  • Thinking Creatively
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Getting Information
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  • Processing Information
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator In-demand technologies: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Programs that train for this career include:

  • Design & Applied Arts
  • General Visual & Performing Arts
  • Fine & Studio Arts
  • Computer Software Applications
  • Graphic Communications

Related occupations to special effects artists and animators include:

Also Known As

3D Animator (Three-Dimensional Animator), 3D Artist (Three-Dimensional Artist), 3D Designer (Three-dimensional Designer), 3D Modeler (Three-Dimensional Modeler), 3D Specialist (Three-Dimensional Specialist), Animation Artist, Animation Producer, Animator, Anime Artist, Anime Designer, Artist, Cartoon Animator, Cartoon Artist, Civil 3D Designer (Civil Three-Dimensional Designer), Computer Artist.

References

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