Artist

Artist Career Overview

Artists create art to communicate ideas, thoughts, and feelings. They use a variety of methods - painting, sculpting, or illustration - and an assortment of materials, including oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, pencils, pen and ink, plaster, clay, and computers. Artists' works may be realistic, stylized, or abstract and may depict objects, people, nature, or events.

As an artist, the most important trait to posses is talent and creativity. Raw talent alone, however, is rarely enough in today's job market. Even when freelancing, a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Fine Arts will provide a big advantage. Studying art at a university level will involve focusing on the fundamentals of art- such as drawing, sculpting, painting, as well as giving the artist a chance to pick a specialty in various fields-illustration, multimedia and crafts to name a few- depending on the individual's interests.

A degree in an area of visual arts prepares you to enter a variety of fields, depending upon the concentration you select. Fine artists typically work independently, specializing in one or two art forms.

Whether art graduates plan on freelancing, working on a commission basis, or finding a salaried job, it is very important to prepare and keep a portfolio - a collection of your best works. This is how employers and customers decide to hire artists. Internships and other opportunities to work in the field are very important and help expand an artists portfolio. Possibilities to gain experience include works in art agencies, museums, studios, galleries, and more.

Artist Training & Education

Although in fine arts raw talent and creativity are the essentials, it is very difficult to become skilled enough to make a living without some training. Post-secondary training is recommended for all artist specialties.

Many colleges and universities offer programs leading to the Bachelor's degree or master's degree in fine arts. In addition, independent schools of art and design offer postsecondary studio training in the craft, fine, and multi-media arts leading to a certificate in the specialty or to an associate's or bachelor's degree in fine arts.

In addition to developing artistic skill, these degrees also offer training in computer techniques, which are becoming more widely used every day. Getting a Bachelor's degree will also ensure that graduates are educated in various other social science fields, which will give an advantage over others in salaried jobs. A well rounded and high quality portfolio is the best way to ensure a job. Internships provide excellent opportunities for artists to develop and enhance their portfolios.

Artist Career & Salary Outlook

Employment of artists is expected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2014. However, the competition for jobs is always intense for both salaried and freelance jobs in all specialties, because of the high number of qualified workers.

The average earnings of a fine artist depends on the specialization. The average salaried fine artist, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators makes $38,060 on average. Fine artists work mostly on a freelance or commission basis and may find it difficult to earn a living solely by selling their artwork. Only the most successful craft and fine artists receive major commissions for their work.

Competition among artists for the privilege of being shown in galleries has always been acute, and grants from sponsors such as private foundations, State and local arts councils, and the National Endowment for the Arts are competitive since there are only a handful of venues to display art work when compared to the rising number of highly talented artists.

Career Fields/Specializations

Craft Artist Career

Craft artists create or reproduce works of art that have a practical as well as an artistic purpose, including ceramics, jewelry, art glass, quilts, furniture, welding, and weavings.

Craft artists need to have confidence in your abilities, patience, and a good head for business. It is important to have knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products and services.

Illustrator Career

An illustrator is a graphic artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text. There are no formal qualifications needed to become an illustrator. However, attending an advertising,, books, magazines, and other publications and commercial products such as textiles, stationery, greeting cards, and calendars.

Increasingly, illustrators are working in digital format, preparing work directly on a computer. Therefore, it is important for illustrators to have knowledge of the latest software technologies, such as Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.

Scientific Illustrator Career

Scientific illustrators/natural science illustrators specialize in species of botanic, fish, interpretive, general plants, animals or environment science, underwater environment, outer space are just a few examples. The illustrations can be used in medical and scientific publications and in audiovisual presentations for teaching purposes.

Most have backgrounds in biology (such as a Bachelors degree in biology or biochemistry) or a combination of biology and art background (such as a Bachelor of Fine Art). It is possible to get into the field without the science background, but it will be a disadvantage when finding and dealing with clients.

Artist/Art Director Career

Art directors usually begin as entry-level artists in various fields. Artists are promoted to art director after demonstrating artistic and leadership abilities. As opposed to other specializations in fine arts, art direction requires strong non-artistic skills such as project management and communication, in addition to leadership skills. Some art schools offer coursework in art direction as part of postsecondary training. Depending on the scope of their responsibilities, some art directors also may pursue a degree in art administration.

Graphic Artist Career

Graphic designers generate the visual presentation and design of goods, including anything from websites to detergent boxes, album covers to dog food cans. The work is usually done on a project basis. You must be able to work under extreme time constraints and very defined financial and design limits to produce quality material. Graphic designers also must be creative and able to communicate their ideas in writing, visually, and verbally. Because consumer tastes can change quickly, you need to be well read, open to new ideas and influences, and quick to react to changing trends.

• Problem-solving skills, paying attention to detail, and the ability to work independently and under pressure are important traits.
• It is essential to keep up-to-date with the new software technologies that develop everyday. Some important software programs to master are QuarkXpress, Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, Dreamweaver, and Flash.
• Career opportunities include those in advertising, television and film, publishing and private businesses.

Multimedia Artist Career

Multimedia artists are contemporary artists who use a wide range of media to communicate their art. Such media range from installation art, to rooms containing found objects or other material, to kinetic sculpture, to sound and visual effects. While the field is being defined every day by young new artists, the term today almost exclusively refers to an integration of electronic media and technology.

• It is essential to have knowledge of various technological media tools such as computers, video systems, audio systems and communication networks, in addition to various software programs in those areas.
• However, just knowledge of these technologies is not enough. As a multimedia artist, you should also be aware of the workings of various old and new media formats and their implications for the society.
• Possible career fields include motion picture and video industries, advertising, and computer systems design services.