How to Become an Animator in Eugene, Oregon

The city of Eugene, Oregon is a surprisingly diverse, entertainment-friendly town for one so relatively small.  With about 156,000 people and roughly 20,000 commercial businesses, Eugene is home to many local artists landing jobs in the fast-growing field of video animation.

Eugene Schools and Training Programs for Animation

Art schools, colleges and Universities in Eugene, Oregon offer a variety of study programs for aspiring animators.  Eugene artists who attend local art colleges typically study drawing and digital design, as well as computer programming and interactive media, among other things.  Eugene colleges with professional training programs in animation arts include Lane Community College and University of Oregon.

These days, many Eugene artists prefer virtual learning environments.  Popular accredited online colleges with animation degree programs include Stratford Career Institute, Post University, Full Sail University, University of Phoenix, The Art Institutes and ITT Tech, among others.  Some online art schools also feature actual physical locations.

Working as an Animator in Eugene, Oregon

Animation is most popularly created for cartoons and video games, but is also frequently used in feature film making, educational media products, corporate training videos, promotional advertisements, medical imaging, engineering and many other commercial industries.  Some animators residing in Eugene work for local animation studios like Oregon Image Doctor.  Others work for local movie producers who do their own animation.  Elite Eugene motion picture studios include Berg Productions, Bittle Productions, Ninety-Nine Productions, Paradox Productions and Legacy Films.  Some animators work with major local IT corporations.  Successful Eugene info tech firms include epud.net, Feynman Group, IDX Incorporated, Moonshadow Technology and Quest Marketing. 

A professional animator living in Eugene, Oregon and employed full time by an American corporation earns about $63,000 on average, with a mean hourly rate of roughly $30.15.  This estimate, based on data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, does not provide information regarding the incomes of freelancers, part timers and Eugene animators employed by offshore businesses.

Skills of a Professional Animator

Most artists interested in pursuing animation careers have been sketching illustrations and cartoons ever since they could hold a crayon.  Still, it takes years of drawing practice and formal visual arts training to create successful professional animated works.  As well as drawing technique, animators are also innovative digital artists, familiar with all relevant software and design applications.  Major animated motion pictures, cartoons and interactive games are usually created with Toon Boom Digital Pro (for 2D designs) or 3D Studio Max (for 3D effects).  Other essential skills required of many professional animators include photography, page layout, set design, model making, web page construction, HTML and interactive media.  Among the animator's most important interpersonal qualifications are outstanding communication skills, supreme self-motivation and a genuine gift for storytelling.