The following is a list of careers for artists:
- Artist: An artist is someone who creates art, and they can do so in a number of different mediums.
- Muralist: A muralist paints large paintings on walls.
- Illustrator: An illustrator is someone who draws pictures to go with text.
- Graphic designer: A graphic designer creates logos, advertisements, and other visuals that help businesses sell their products or services.
- Painter: A painter creates paintings using paint on canvas or other materials such as paper or wood panels (this is also sometimes referred to as “fine arts”).
- Sculptor: This type of artist uses materials like clay, stone or metal to create sculptures (this is also sometimes referred to as “fine arts”).
- Photographer: Photographers use cameras and photographic equipment to capture images for publication in magazines, newspapers and books; some photographers work for government agencies or companies that need photos for promotional purposes (this is also sometimes referred to as “commercial photography”).
List Of Careers For Artists
If you’re interested in art and design, the workforce offers many opportunities for you to put your creative skills to use. Whether you’re a sculptor or a digital designer, you’re sure to find a profession that suits your artistic flair. Knowing your career options in this industry can help you find a job with greater ease. In this article, we explain the skills you need for an art and design job and list 11 careers in art and design for you to pursue.
Related: Top Arts Careers for All Types of Artists
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What skills do you need for an art and design career?
To succeed in a creative industry, you need both discipline and the right set of artistic skills. Here are some key skills you need for an art and design career:
- Creativity: As an art and design professional, you need creativity skills to develop both new ideas and your artistic style. This ensures you continue to build on your creative expression and continue to showcase your unique and innovative talents.
- Communication: Communication skills help you articulate your creations, concepts, ideas or designs to your clients or coworkers. As an artist, you may use your communication skills to converse in person or online with others in your industry.
- Teamwork: While some artists freelance, most work as part of a collective or for a design agency. Because of this, it’s important to have strong communication and teamwork skills to interact alongside other creatives.
11 art and design careers
Whether you’re interested in creating something by hand or through design software, you’re sure to find a suitable career in the art and design industry. Here are 11 careers you can pursue:
1. Animator
National average salary: $42,546 per year
Primary duties: Animators create characters, environments and objects for digital applications like video games or TV. They produce multiple images known as frames and sequence them together to create an illusion of movement known as animation. Animators also create storyboards that showcase their script and narrative and work alongside clients to ensure they create an animation that meets their needs.
Related: Learn About Being an Animator
2. Video editor
National average salary: $43,534 per year
Primary duties: Video editors use technical software to create promotional or artistic productions using camera footage. They work alongside directors and producers to find the best content and to help them put together a sequence of scenes. Video editors also trim footage, mark frames for audio and organize a variety of raw footage to create a final product.
3. Art consultant
National average salary: $46,394 per year
Primary duties: Art consultants connect artists or an artist’s artwork with a buyer. They use their art and business skills to advise clients on different art pieces and help them determine how each artwork may fit into their personal collection. To do this, art consultants assess their clients’ needs and tastes and work with auction houses and galleries to source different works of art.
4. Cinematographer
National average salary: $48,789 per year
Primary duties: Cinematographers supervise a camera and lighting crew for a film or TV production. They read scripts, make lighting and filter suggestions to the director, visit various locations for test shots and work with a processing lab and a post-production team. They ultimately work to achieve the best visual outcome for a production.
5. Fashion designer
National average salary: $51,488 per year
Primary duties: Fashion designers create designs for clothing, shoes and accessories by sketching on a digital platform or on paper. They research fashion trends and choose fabrics based on current styles or their own vision. Some fashion designers test their designs at a fashion show.
6. Multimedia designer
National average salary: $57,177 per year
Primary duties: Multimedia designers develop multimedia pieces for a variety of platforms like movies and websites. They use their graphic design and animation skills to create designs with a visual impact. Multimedia designers often collaborate with a marketing or public relations team to identify the most appropriate elements for their projects. They also prepare media for final approval and its eventual distribution.
7. Concept artist
National average salary: $71,680 per year
Primary duties: Concept artists visualize and make art for creative assets like characters and environments. They create both 2D and 3D designs through drawings and paintings. Concept artists work to produce assets for different mediums like print ads, video games and online marketing campaigns.
8. Web developer
National average salary: $73,345 per year
Primary duties: Web designers create applications for a variety of websites. They use their knowledge of programming languages and web technologies to ensure site functionality. Web developers also add application features, integrate security measures, troubleshoot website problems and monitor website traffic. While UX designers solve problems for their users, web developers solve problems for their clients.
Related: Learn About Being a Web Developer
9. Digital designer
National average salary: $79,728 per year
Primary duties: Digital designers create assets and elements for digital formats like computer screens, online magazines and videos. Working alongside illustrators and artists, they develop creative ideas to improve marketing initiatives for digital products. Digital designers may also provide direction to digital photographers and illustrators.
10. User interface (UI) designer
National average salary: $81,131 per year
Primary duties: UI designers create or improve existing website interfaces. They anticipate user needs by determining how they may interact with technology. Then, they work on an interface based on a user’s point of view. UI designers essentially aim to improve a customer’s experience with a brand by creating an enjoyable experience with the brand’s website.
11. User experience (UX) designer
National average salary: $96,424 per year
Primary duties: UX designers create and optimize websites, software, mobile applications and video games to make them more user-friendly. They study how people feel about a certain product or system and design products that cater to user needs. UX designers also analyze each systems’ specific components to determine its value, usefulness and accessibility.
