What Is the Job Description of an Artist?

<h3 id="section---CareerOverview">Career Overview</h3> <p>An artist's main assignment is to create something interesting, unique or functional for use as an advertisement or product packaging, for sale or exhibition, or just to entertain. There are many types of artists and each type of art has its own job description. These job descriptions overlap somewhat; for example, an illustrator may create backgrounds for use in multimedia projects. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutArtists"> Important Facts About Artists</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> Required Education</td><td> High school diploma for fine artists; Bachelor's degree for other fields</td></tr> <tr><td> Key Skills </td><td> Creativity, attention to detail, artistic ability, time management, oral and written communication, computer competency</td></tr> <tr><td> Work Environment </td><td> Office, home-office, or studio settings</td></tr> <tr><td> Similar Occupations </td><td> Art directors, desktop publishers, industrial designers, printing workers, technical writers, web developers</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---GraphicDesigner"> Graphic Designer</h3> <p>Graphic designers work for advertising companies, design firms, magazines and newspapers, and on the Web. As a graphic designer, you would work closely with art directors and clients to plan, design, and produce original artwork for use within an advertising or branding campaign. </p> <h3 id="section---Illustrator"> Illustrator</h3> <p>Illustrators create original artwork for books, product packaging, greeting cards, or anything else that requires images. As an illustrator, you can use traditional media such as acrylic or oil paints, pen and ink, or colored pencils, or could expand your skill set to include digital drawing programs to design your artwork. </p> <h3 id="section---TechnicalIllustrator"> Technical Illustrator</h3> <p>Technical illustrators work with more precision and detail than fine arts illustrators. If you become a technical illustrator, you would work for a scientific or medical company, or even as one who draws instructions for assembling and repairing items such as furniture, electrical equipment, or machinery. </p> <h3 id="section---Sculptor"> Sculptor</h3> <p>A sculptor creates a three-dimensional piece of art from a wide variety of materials such as wood, metal, rock, or ice. As a sculptor, you would create the piece of art either from scratch or from a mold. Ideally, you could sell your finished work to a collector, get it placed in a gallery or have it accepted by a museum. </p> <h3 id="section---MultimediaArtist">Multimedia Artist</h3> <p>Multimedia artists often work in the television, film, and video game industries. Their main job is to create backgrounds, characters, storyboards, and finished pieces for use as animation. Many multimedia artists work in both 2-D and 3-D. </p> <h3 id="section---SketchArtist">Sketch Artist</h3> <p>As a sketch artist, you could work with a government agency to help solve crimes, find people, or depict scenes in places where cameras are not permitted, such as courtrooms. You would work primarily with media such as pencils and charcoals, as speed and accuracy are both important. </p> <h3 id="section---SalaryInfoAndJobOutlook"> Salary Info and Job Outlook</h3> <p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that the employment of graphic designers will likely decline by about 3% between 2021 and 2031, while job opportunities afforded to craft and fine artists (including illustrators and sculptors) will increase by 6% change during the same time frame. The BLS predicts that employment growth for multimedia artists and animators should be around 5% during the decade. Graphic designers were reported to have earned median salaries of $50,710 in May 2021 by the BLS; the same source indicated that fine artists (including painters, sculptors, and illustrators) earned a median of $60,820 a year in 2021, while multimedia artists and illustrators earned a median of $78,790.</p>