Career Ideas for Artists

Art majors were always been told to have a strong second subject so they could support their artistic endeavors. Today, with the growth of the advertising and entertainment industries, artists have plenty of options to pursue their art while practicing a related craft. The computer and graphic arts industries offer options not present just a few years ago, opening up areas for artists with technical skills and widening the options for creative, artistic careers.

Fine Art

Painters, sculptors, illustrators and multimedia artists make original works of art. They may produce their works directly for an employer (like a movie studio or publisher), or they may work independently and sell work through a gallery or broker. These artists work all over the country, but generally choose to work where they are most likely to sell their work---close to employers or in urban areas. Although well-known artists may live anywhere they wish and make thousands of dollars per work, most fine artists make modest incomes, and independent artists often must work in the graphic or commercial arts to make ends meet. Many fine artists earn their livings as teachers, either in schools or as private instructors. Salaries vary widely according to the skill and reputation of the artist, but most beginning artists should plan to hold a second job to support themselves.

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Graphic and Commercial Art

Graphic artists use print, electronic and film media to visually communicate ideas for a wide variety of businesses and industries. Many also have training in computer science and have been in the forefront of developments in computer-generated-imagery (CGI) in the film industry. Art directors, illustrators and cartoonists can find work in advertising, printing or publishing. Graphic and commercial artists also work as consultants, layout artists and freelancers. Web design and advertising are two other growing fields of applied art that can pay well for successful practitioners. Most graphic artists work as project directors or project staff, but, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, about a quarter of them function as self-employed or freelance artists. Again, income varies widely and is often based on an individual's work or the type of project. Because so much commercial art is now CGI art, graphic artists with computer-science backgrounds will find a wide variety of jobs from which to choose in entertainment and business.

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Applied Arts

Applied artists use their art knowledge and technical skills to create or preserve art in real-world or brick-and-mortar applications. Printers create images using a wide variety of processes. Curators and restorers preserve and restore works by others. Architects and decorators design and decorate interior and exterior building and landscape spaces. Many architects, designers and restorers work as independent professionals. Applied artists may work in industry and nonprofit organizations, such as museums and convention bureaus. Many successful independent professionals earn large fees, yet many printers and architects, for example, also have the expense of hiring and managing employees or purchasing special equipment needed for their work. Nonprofit work is typically low-paying, and artists in this area often depend, as do many of their fine-arts colleagues, on institutional or government grants for income.

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Career Ideas for Artists by advantagecareer.com