Art Careers

An undergraduate degree in art can open doors. If you enjoy drawing and designing, and want to make money doing it, you may be contemplating an art career. However, you may be hesitant to quit your current job for an art career because of the perceived lack of stability. Rest assured that if art is truly your passion, there are many undergraduate careers in art available that offer a steady income and allow you to express your creativity.

Although most artists work for themselves and generate their own business, there are many types of companies that regularly hire people for art careers. These include galleries, museums, publications, advertising agencies, schools and studios. Although being self-employed has its benefits, such as the flexibility to work your own schedule and the ability to work on only the projects that interest you, working for a company offers a steady income. You will want to decide what factors are more important to you.

There are four main types of art careers: art directors, fine artists, craft artists and multimedia artists. Art directors often work for advertising agencies and oversee the media creation process. Fine artists create artworks, such as paintings and sculptures, which are displayed in galleries. Craft artists make creations by hand, such as pottery, quilts and candles. Multimedia artists create 3-D images for movies and video games. Art careers in the multimedia field are increasing rapidly, at a rate of 26 percent annually, with skilled artists in high demand due to consumer need for realistic images in the media.

There is very tough competition for art careers due to the number of talented artists. Salaries can vary dramatically, with freelance artists often struggling to find enough work to make ends meet. Although many fine artists and craft artists are self-taught, most artists enhance their skills through some kind of education, either through occasional art classes or a bachelor’s degree program. Art career directors make the most, at an average of $88,510 annually. However, depending on education, experience, industry and job location, salaries for these types of art careers can increase even more, up to $135,000.