Do you like to paint and draw? Are you one of those people who can't stop doodling on your napkin when you're out at a restaurant? Do you have an eye for color and composition? Then you may have a future as a fine artist.

Fine artists create art to communicate ideas, thoughts, or 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. Fine artists’ works may be realistic, stylized, or abstract and may depict objects, people, nature, or events.

Artists generally fall into one of three categories. Art directors
formulate design concepts and presentation approaches for
visual communications media. Fine artists, including painters,
sculptors, and illustrators create original artwork, using a variety
of media and techniques. Multi-media artists and animators
create special effects, animation, or other visual images on
film, on video, or with computers or other electronic media. The focus of this article will be on fine artists.

Fine artists typically display their work in museums, commercial
art galleries, corporate collections, and private homes. Some of their artwork may be commissioned (done on request from clients), but most is sold by the artist or through private art
galleries or dealers. The gallery and the artist predetermine how
much each will earn from the sale.

Only the most successful fine artists are able to support themselves solely through the sale of their works. Most fine artists must work in an unrelated field to support their art careers. Some work in museums or art galleries as fine-arts directors or as curators, planning and setting up art exhibits. Others work as art critics for newspapers or magazines or as consultants to foundations or institutional collectors.

Usually, fine artists specialize in one or two art forms, such as
painting, illustrating, sketching, sculpting, printmaking, and
restoring. Painters, illustrators, cartoonists, and sketch artists
work with two-dimensional art forms, using shading, perspective, and color to produce realistic scenes or abstractions.

Sculptors design three-dimensional artworks, either by molding
and joining materials such as clay, wire, glass, fabric, plastic, 
or metal. They may also work by cutting and carving forms from blocks of plaster, wood, or stone. Some sculptors combine various materials to create mixed-media installations. Some incorporate light, sound, and motion into their works.

Printmakers create printed images from designs cut or etched
into wood, stone, or metal. After creating the design, the artist
inks the surface of the woodblock, stone, or plate and uses a
printing press to roll the image onto paper or fabric. Some make
prints by pressing the inked surface onto paper by hand or by
graphically encoding and processing data, using a computer.
The digitized images are then printed on paper with the use of a
computer printer.



Employment

Artists of all types held about 160,000 jobs in 2003. More than half were self-employed. Of the artists who were not self-employed, many worked in advertising and related services; newspaper, periodical, book, and software publishers; motion picture and video industries; specialized design services; and computer systems design and related services.

Some self-employed artists offered their services to advertising agencies, design firms, publishing houses, and other businesses on a contract or freelance basis.


Working Conditions

Many fine artists work in fine- or commercial-art studios located in office buildings, warehouses, or lofts. Others work in private
studios in their homes. Some fine artists share studio space,
where they also may exhibit their work. Studio surroundings
usually are well lighted and ventilated; however, fine artists
may be exposed to fumes from glue, paint, ink, and other materials and to dust or other residue from filings, splattered paint, or spilled fluids.

Self-employed artists can set their own hours, but may
spend much time and effort selling their artwork to potential
customers or clients and building a reputation.


Training and Other Qualifications

Training requirements for artists vary by specialty. Although
formal training is not strictly necessary for fine artists, it is very
difficult to become skilled enough to make a living without
some training. Many colleges and universities offer programs
leading to the Bachelor in Fine Arts (BFA) and Master in Fine
Arts (MFA) degrees. Course work usually includes core subjects,
such as English, social science, and natural science, in
addition to art history and studio art.

Independent schools of art and design also offer postsecondary
studio training in the fine arts leading to an Associate in Art or
Bachelor in Fine Arts degree. Typically, these programs focus
more intensively on studio work than do the academic programs
in a university setting. 

Formal educational programs in art also provide training in
computer techniques. Computers are used widely in the visual
arts, and knowledge and training in computer graphics and other
visual display software are critical elements of many jobs in these fields.

Those who want to teach fine arts at public elementary or
secondary schools must have a teaching certificate in addition
to a bachelor’s degree. An advanced degree in fine arts or arts
administration is necessary for management or administrative
positions in government or in foundations or for teaching in
colleges and universities. 


Build a Portfolio

Evidence of appropriate talent and skill, displayed in an
artist’s portfolio, is an important factor used by art directors,
clients, and others in deciding whether to hire an individual or
to contract out work. The portfolio is a collection of handmade,
computer-generated, photographic, or printed samples of the
artist’s best work.

Assembling a successful portfolio requires skills usually developed in a bachelor’s degree program or through other postsecondary training in art or visual communications. Internships are another excellent opportunity for artists to learn their craft and develop and enhance their portfolios.

Fine artists advance professionally as their work circulates
and as they establish a reputation for a particular style. Many of
the most successful artists continually develop new ideas, and
their work often evolves over time.


Job Outlook

Employment of artists and related workers is expected to grow
about as fast as the average through the year 2012. Because the
arts attract many talented people with creative ability, the number of aspiring artists continues to grow. Consequently, competition for both salaried jobs and freelance work in some areas is expected to be quite high.

Artists hired by advertising agencies often start with relatively
routine work. While doing this work, however, they may
observe and practice their skills on the side. Many artists
freelance on a part-time basis while continuing to hold a fulltime
job until they are established. Others freelance part time
while still in school, to develop experience and to build a portfolio
of published work.

Freelance artists try to develop a set of clients who regularly
contract for work. Some freelance artists are widely recognized
for their skill in specialties such as magazine or children’s book
illustration. These artists may earn high incomes and can choose
the type of work they do.

Fine artists who work on a freelance, or commission, basis
sometimes find it difficult to earn a living solely by selling their
artwork. Only the most successful fine artists receive major
commissions for their work. Competition among artists for the
privilege of being shown in galleries is expected to remain acute,
and grants from sponsors such as private foundations, State and
local arts councils, and the National Endowment for the Arts
should remain competitive.

Nevertheless, studios, galleries, and individual clients are always on the lookout for artists who display outstanding talent, creativity, and style. Talented fine artists who have developed a mastery of artistic techniques and skills, including computer skills, will have the best job prospects.


Earnings

Median annual earnings of salaried art directors were $61,850
in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $44,740 and
$85,010. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,410, and
the highest 10 percent earned more than $115,570. Median
annual earnings were $67,340 in advertising and related services.

Earnings for self-employed artists vary widely. Some charge
only a nominal fee while they gain experience and build a reputation for their work. Others, such as well-established freelance fine artists and illustrators, can earn more than salaried artists. Many, however, find it difficult to rely solely on income earned from selling paintings or other works of art. Like other self-employed workers, freelance artists must provide their own benefits.

So if you're up to the challenge, and you really love your art, don't be afraid to consider it as a career. You may have to work at it part time for awhile, and build up your skills and reputation, but a career as a fine artist is well within reach for those with the necessary drive and talent.

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