Employment Trends in Animation and Related Fields

West Virginia is home to dozens of art venues and art associations, as well as thousands of working and solo artists. The state’s working artists are employed with art museums and galleries, production studios, art centers, colleges, creative agencies, photography studios, and more. West Virginia-based photographers work in these environments and still others that you might not think of. Photographers are in demand at research centers, forensics services, law enforcement agencies, medical centers, public relations firms, entertainment companies, television stations, publishers, and more.

A painter’s tool of choice is the paintbrush. A graffiti artist uses spray paint to create art. A digital artist or designers uses computer software as a primary tool to create art for video games, websites, installations, and more. While most artists (especially independent artists) work long hours, digital artists and designers have one of the industries most grueling schedules outside of filmmaking. Deadlines are tight and working until 2 a.m. is common. However, digital artists and designers have such a passion for this type of art, that they welcome the challenge.

Wisconsin is home to an impressive collection of fine colleges and universities. According to the latest report by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), The Badger State is home to 84 Title IV colleges and universities. Just a few of the state’s top Title IVs include Lawrence University, Carthage College, Marquette University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Beloit College, Carroll University, and The University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Millions of people play them. They earn billions each year. And the industry is growing at a rapid pace. Of course we’re talking about the gaming industry and the staggering statistics behind it. First, the video game industry is expected to generate more than $68 billion in sales by the end of 2012 and $112 billion+ by 2015. In 2010 alone, gaming companies sold 257 million video and computer games. The industry is expected to continue growing at a rapid pace thanks to the rise of mobile and online gaming.