What does a 2D Technical Artist Do?

Which the rise of mobile and web base of games, 2D art style has gained a lot of popularity once again. So has the requirement for a 2D technical artist has increased, now the question is what does the 2D Technical Artist has to do or what skillsets he must have. Here I am to answer these questions.

What does a 2D technical artist do?

There is multiple tasks for a 2D technical Artist but here are a few of them:

1. 9 Slicing the 2D elements if required
2. Work with 2d artists and programmers to create art and bring it into the engine
3. Solve challenging technical issues in the asset pipeline
4. Inspire and empower the art team to optimize their process
5. Create 2D Particle Effects
6. Import Animation from 3rd party software like spine2D, after effect, photoshop in the engine.
7. Review creative process and identify opportunities for tool improvements
8. Provide hands-on support to artists and engineers in regard to asset performance and validation

These are a few important tasks of a 2D Technical Artist but it is not limited to this.

What Skill Does a 2D Technical Artist need?

1. Knowledge and experience in integrating art with any game engine
2. A solid understanding of a variety of art 2D software packages as well as a knowledge of game engines.
3. Basic Knowledge of Programming Languages such as C#, C++ and Python
4. Knowledge of 3rd Party 2D animation software like After Effects/Spine2D and etc.
5. Knowledge of Adobe Photoshop.
6. Ability to create and work with technical documentation