How to Become a Professional Artist in 5 Steps
Research what it takes to become a professional artist. Learn about the education requirements, job duties, job outlook, and salary to find out if this is the right career for you.
What Is A Professional Artist?
Most professional artists produce artworks that may be displayed or sold. Professional artists include painters, illustrators, sculptors and craft artists. They may create commissioned pieces, such as painting or portrait of a specific person or place, or they may create images used to illustrate books or animate television shows, commercials or movies. The professional art field also encompasses multimedia artists and animators and art directors. Multimedia artists focus on digital art, and their work may end up in projects like computer games and films. Art directors create the overall design and style for everything from packaging to magazines to movies.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Education Required</b></td><td>High school diploma; bachelor's degree required for multimedia artists and art directors and recommended for professional advancement for fine artists</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Education Field of Study</b></td><td>Fine arts, art, computer graphics, design</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Key Responsibilities</b></td><td> Represent ideas visually by using various mediums, create drawings, organize work in portfolio</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Growth (2020-2030)*</b></td><td> 17% growth <i>(for all fine artists</i>)<br/> 16% growth (<i>for all multimedia artists and animators</i>)<br/> 11% growth (<i>for all art directors</i>)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Average Salary (2020)*</b></td><td>$52,340 <i>(for all fine artists)</i><br/> $88,080 (<i>for all multimedia artists and animators</i>)<br/> $114,490 (<i>for all art directors</i>)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h2 id="section---ProfessionalArtists">Professional Artists</h2><p>A professional artist depicts people, places or things through visual works created by various materials, such as clay, paint, pens and computers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that as a professional artist, you will generally provide artistic services as an art director, crafts artist, fine artist or multimedia artist (<i>www.bls.gov</i>).
</p><p>If you serve as an art director, you develop design concepts for different types of visual communications. If you're a craft artist, you manually create items or products for exhibits or commercial sales. If you become a sculptor, painter or illustrator, you would be categorized as a fine artist. If you serve as a multimedia artist, you use film and various forms of electronic media, such as computers and video, to create visual images, including animation.
</p><h3 id="section---Step1GetTrained">Step 1: Get Trained</h3><p>The BLS reports that to work as an art director or multimedia artist, you need a bachelor's degree. While formal training may not be required if you're a fine artist or crafts artist, it is advantageous for employment and professional development.
</p><p>Associate's and bachelor's degree programs that are consistent with your profession include those titled fine arts and related disciplines. Coursework in fine arts may include subjects, such as 3-D design, sculpture, digital photography, printmaking and electronic imaging.
</p><h3 id="section---Step2AssembleAPortfolio">Step 2: Assemble a Portfolio</h3><p>A portfolio is a compilation of samples of your artistic works. Your portfolio provides visual evidence of your expertise for potential employers or clients. While completing a portfolio may be part of your degree program, you can also add and subtract pieces as your career continues.
</p><h3 id="section---Step3AcquireWorkExperience">Step 3: Acquire Work Experience</h3><p>When you're a professional artist, you may choose to provide services as a freelance, independent contractor or as an employee. Possible clients or employers include software and print material publishers, video and motion picture companies, advertising agencies and design service companies. The BLS reported that the employment growth for fine artists was projected to be 17% from 2020 through 2030, while multimedia artists and animators should see 16% growth and art directors should see 11% growth.
</p><h3 id="section---Step4JoinATradeAssociation">Step 4: Join a Trade Association</h3><p>By joining a trade association, you gain access to benefits, such as professional networking opportunities and industry updates. You can join a national association, such as the National Association of Independent Artists, and/or one of many regional trade associations, such as the Artists Association of Nantucket.
</p><h3 id="section---Step5StayCurrent">Step 5: Stay Current</h3><p>Staying abreast of industry trends, tools and initiatives is important to your day-to-day work activities. Some artists will change artistic focus or mediums over time, and this practice could help you find new clients and opportunities, as well as help you acquire new skills. You can receive continuing education through some employers, but it is also available through educational institutions and trade organizations.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatAreSomeRelatedAlternativeCareers">What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?</h3><p>Graphic designers do design and layout for things like packaging and advertisements, and they primarily perform their work using computers. Web developers design websites and need a good visual sense of proportion and style to create their designs. Photographers use cameras to capture images, which may be strictly for artistic purposes or for commercial purposes, like stock photography. Graphic designers need a bachelor's degree, while Web developers need an associate's degree. There are no degree requirements for photographers, though many earn a bachelor's degree.</p>