An art career can take you anywhere.
There are many ways to make a living in the world of art, and the requirements vary from job to job. If you're particularly crafty and want to sell your art from home or at craft shows, no special training is required. If you want a career at a museum or an animation studio, you may need years of art-related classes and a college degree.
Careers In Art
The Art Schools website breaks careers in art into four broad categories. Art Directors are the people who oversee a media project from its creation through its production. ArtSchools.com says the average salary for an art director is around $88,000. Craft artists make an average of $32,000 and sell and show handmade objects, such as quilts, pottery or candles. Fine artists are the people behind the paintings and sculptures you find at museums and art galleries. Multimedia artists find work animating movies, doing graphics for TV and adding an art component to other forms of electronic media. Newspapers, ad agencies and magazines also employ artists. If you want to share your gift with others, schools employ artists as teachers, and many artists welcome students into their own homes or studios for classes.
Art Schools
Craft artists may never have a formal day of schooling in the arts. Some learn their craft from others or develop a skill by dabbling on their own. Those who seek formal training can pursue certificates or associate degrees at art schools or community colleges. Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's or graduate degrees in art or art-related fields. Competition for art careers can be quite tough, so it's important to know what level of education is necessary for your chosen career. You may need to focus your classes in areas such as teaching, computer design, art history, film or advertising.
Internships
An internship can be a great way of learning more about your chosen career and figuring out if it's what you really want to do. Through internships, you can advance skills and make important connections that can help you network when it comes time to look for that full-time career. Some internships give you nothing but experience, but some may offer a small payment.
Portfolio
Artists need a portfolio of their work so potential employers know what they have to offer. Be sure to compile a sampling of work that shows your range. Many artists today also create websites that can serve as an online portfolio and resume or can be used to sell their artwork.
Future
ArtSchools.com says the demand for multimedia artists and animators is growing with the popularity of animation and special effects in movies and TV, and with the growing number of video games. As medical research grows, ArtSchools.com says there will also be a need for more artists skilled in medical illustration.
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