Make a living as a Professional storyboard artist
Creative kids usually hear, “It's impossible to make a living as an artist – learn some practical skills instead.” This is just a big, cold, wet blanket adults use to smother our dreams and scare us into becoming something “safe,” but something we ultimately do not want to be. Do not worry – we are here to tell you the truth: There is a world of opportunity for creative people, especially people who like to draw and tell stories! We use our drawing skills to create storyboards for feature film studios, animators, commercial producers, and TV. We would love to show you how to make a living with your art, too!
But first, what is storyboarding, and what do storyboard artists do?
A storyboard is…
A visual representation of narrative sequences used to break down the action of a screenplay into individual shots so the director knows where to put the camera and how to shoot the scene for maximum visual effect. It is a series of ordered drawings or panels showing camera angles, poses, dynamic movements, perspectives, and other pertinent details. Storyboards sketch out how a project will unfold, step by step. It’s like a trial run and looks similar to the sequential images found in comic books.



But can you make good money?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports employment is expected to grow by 6% in the next 5 years. This will add 3,100 positions to the current (salaried) workforce of around 53,400 artists. Note that industries considered "booming" and "rapid growth" like tech and e-commerce grow at the same pace.
6
%
Growth in employment for Storyboard
Artists
$82,000
Average
yearly
salary
What are the best companies for storyboard artists?
Companies that pay the most annually:
Cartoon Network
$123,915/year
Paramount
$127,287/year
DreamWorks Animation
122,945/year
Nickelodeon
$92,258/year
Walt Disney Company
$117,000/year
Companies that pay the most hourly:
Warner Bros.
$61/hour
Nickelodeon
$61/hour
Bento Box Entertainment
$61/hour
Titmouse
$54/hour
Universal Studios
$70/hour


The exciting life of a storyboard artist
In addition to making serious bank, storyboarders also have a non-traditional lifestyle. Freelancers can usually work from home, or on location, and keep busy with various film and TV projects or commercial productions.
Those who land full-time jobs now have the choice of working in the studio or remotely, and they do not necessarily have to be in traditional film centers like Los Angeles, San Francisco, or New York City.
A freelance storyboard artist might need to travel to meet with directors or to be on set during shoots if required by the production. Most of the time, though, collaboration and creative discussions with directors, set designers, concept designers, or character designers can happen from your home studio. Freelance artists also spend a lot of time sketching ideas and creating or revising storyboards, either on location or from home.
How do I become a storyboard artist?
You have come to the right place! StoryboardArt was founded by a veteran director and story artist who has worked at the major studios on many of the hits you have seen over the years. He has gathered some of the top talents in the industry from studios like Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, and Nickelodeon to help train and mentor the students at StoryboardArt. You can normally only get this type of insider training if you land a job at a major studio, but we have made it accessible to all artists interested in visual storytelling.
Becoming a great visual storyteller is difficult if you do not have insider access to the entertainment industry. When you become a member of StoryboardArt, you will have everything you need to push your visual storytelling skills to the next level and beyond, all in one place. No more searching around aimlessly, wondering why your career and art skills have been standing still.
Through our online classes, tutorial videos, and live workshops, we teach the storytelling principles not commonly found in art schools or traditional learning environments. The materials we offer have been collected from on-the-job training in actual production studios and our courses are taught by working professionals. As a part of the StoryboardArt community, you will learn from your peers in our forums, showcase your art, find work, and even collaborate with other industry professionals.


Do Your Students Get Jobs in the Industry?

Kylie Gay "I got 2 different portfolio calls! I had a recruiter from DisneyTV ask for my portfolio for an upcoming show, and I should be hearing back from her in the beginning of January! THEN I got an email last week from Floyd County Productions to do a storyboard test for a full-time position! Thanks to the Mentorship, I've made a lot of strides in my work, and I'm so glad I took the chance to learn from you all!!"
Got hired at


Erik kuska "I am in awe of this program and the dedication you all invest in it. I truly feel you guys raise the bar, but also leave plenty of breadcrumbs to help everyone find their way over it. You are unlocking storytellers in all of us for crypes sake! And it's so exciting to be around and watching all these little hatchlings discover they have these little teeny wings, and with a LOT of work, what they can do with those wings. And I am one of them!!"
Got hired at

Lincoln Adams "Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since I started on this boarding journey. It all started with your class. In that time, I’ve logged shows in four different countries, have shows currently streaming on several platforms and am currently working for Warner Bros Animation and look forward to seeing my work on Minions II. I couldn’t have done this without you! StoryboardArt.org pioneered online education in an area where NO ONE was teaching, and it changed the trajectory of my career!"
Got hired at


BENLIN Alexander "I just had an opportunity to storyboard a commercial the past few days! I got referred from someone who saw my work in this Mentorship discord. It was extremely challenging and taught me a lot of how these projects are done in this industry. Thank YOU for making this program and making this possible. Everything I learned from the classes were absolutely crucial, especially knowing all the terminology and being able to communicate with the directors on their level."
That’s Because our Students learn with the people who have already blazed the trail…

SERGIO PAEZ
Sergio Paez is an animation director and veteran story artist. His film credits in the United States and Europe include projects for Pixar, Lucasfilm, Sony, and Sega. Sergio is a founding member of StoryboardArt.org.







DOUGLAS LOVELACE
Douglas started his career in NYC as a storyboard artist and supervisor on The Venture Brothers, seasons 1-3. The adventures continued at studios such as Disney, DreamWorks, Illumination, and Lucasfilm. Every project was a hands-on education in different aspects of storyboarding, working with many masters of their craft.





STEVE LEE
Steve is a 30-year veteran storyboard artist from studios such as Marvel, DreamWorks, Lucasfilm, and Sony. His diverse talents include animation, storyboards, and comics. Steve was an episodic director on Star Wars Rebels.




