About Art Careers
The starving artist stereotype is rarely true. Disciplined artists who market themselves and consistently expand their portfolio can make a nice and enjoyable living. Artists are needed in a surprisingly large number of industries and freelance artists who have made a name for themselves can find clients willing to pay them large sums of money for their artwork.
Education
Artists with formal educations have backgrounds in illustration or design. Illustration focuses on training students to reproduce what they see in real life while design courses focus on different forms of visual communication, such as product design and architecture. Many artists go to universities that specialize in art education, while other artists are self-taught. While art education can be helpful, most clients and businesses hire on the basis of artists' art portfolio.
History
Traditionally, many artists have been commissioned to create art for decorative purposes on book covers and buildings. Many artists have sold art to private collectors and museums. Before the invention of photography, portrait artists drew artistic representations of real-life individuals for those who could afford it.
Types
Today, art careers are more diverse than most individuals think. Freelance artists can make a living creating commission artwork, selling the original form of their artwork and selling prints of the artwork. Other artists create comics and manga that visually depict stories in a sequential manner. Artists can also get permanent jobs creating advertisements, storyboards, product designs, architectural designs and character concepts for various companies. An interesting alternative career is that of a police sketch artist. The job of a police sketch artist is to listen to the descriptions of criminals and create a visual depiction of the criminal.
Revenue
The median average of artists in the United States is $46,674. Artists charge a variety of prices for commission based on the artist's reputation and the complexity of the art piece. Some commissions can range from $20 to $100 and some range in the hundreds. Prints are often sold at prices ranging from $2 a print to $60 a print. Very talented artists sell their artwork for $200 to $5000 or more.
Considerations
Artists often freelance and must therefore submit a 1099 form. These freelance artists do not receive pensions and must come up with a plan for financing retirement. Salaried artists might receive pensions, but these jobs are very competitive. Artists are typically chosen for work on the grounds of the quality and style of their work, the ability to communicate with management over the requirements of the art design, and productivity.
