Animation is a type of art that requires an individual to possess creativity mixed with technological skills, to produce illusions that imitate real life and exaggerated scenarios. It is widely used in pop videos, websites, commercials, and computer games. 2D animation is a type of art that allows an animator to produce backgrounds, characters, and storyboards in two-dimensional artistic environments. 2-D animation artists utilize vector and bitmap graphics to create figures and characters that move left, right up and down by using computers and software programs including Encore, Flash, After Effects and Adobe Photoshop (Learn.org)
An animator edits soundtracks, plot camera moves, and produces information on dope sheets. In their line of work they ordinarily work regular office hours, however, the time may vary depending on deadlines. It is normal for animators to work as freelancers or to engage in temporary contracts or part time jobs. There working space is usually well-lit, and they may be forced to stand for long hours in hot studio lights or spend extended periods of time sitting in front of a computer or utilizing a drawing board (Creative SkillSet).
Animators need to use different techniques and skills to create an illusion that appears to move thus they need to specialize in either 2D drawn animation or 2D computer animation. In 2D drawn animation the animator draws a series of images on a unique paper. A single image represents a particular stage of an individual movement. Customarily, the images are imprinted onto a film in multiple colors afterward scenery is added with a finish off several layers of film sheets. Nowadays, the images are scanned into a computer and color applied using specialized applications (U.S. News). A certain speed and sequence are then added to the images to make them appear like they are moving. While 2D computer animation involves a specialist software package, which an animator utilizes to produce characters with a final touch of soundtrack and scenery (Learn.org)
Working as an animator requires one to meet strict and tight deadlines. Thus, the career poses to be painstaking and time-consuming sometimes. Some animators tend to operate alone by producing their own stories and characters, while others receive orders from animation directors (Creative SkillSet).
On completion of a particular 2D animation course or program, an individual is qualified to search for a job as an animator. An animator is required to study scripts and come up with a character that is believable and fits the storyline accordingly (U.S. News). 2D animators should be able to come up with storyboards, design characters, place characters, and images in a certain sequence, have computer skills to create and edit animations as specified by a director or client. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), projects that the employment of multimedia artists and all animators would grow by six percent starting from 2014 to 2024, which is arguably a slower rate compared to the average rate of other careers. Regardless of the uninviting rate, the U.S. would require an increase of animators for visual effects in movies, television and video games. The BLS also reports that animators earned an average of $69,410 starting from May 2014 (United States Department of Labor).
Works Cited
United States Department of Labor. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2015” Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web. 18 June. 2016. http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes271014.htm
Learn.org. “What is 2D Animation?” Web. 18 June 2016. http://learn.org/articles/What_is_2D_Animation.html
Creative SkillSet. “Animator (2D computer animation)” Web. 18 June 2016, from http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/353_animator_2d_computer_animation
U.S. News. “The 100 Best Jobs.” Web. 18 June. 2016. http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs
