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What career paths can you take with an art degree?
I'm currently a senior in high school and I am planning on majoring in art studio. I want to know about what career paths I can take with an art degree #art #fine-art #career #art-major
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William’s Answer
What to do with a studio art degree?
What Can You Do With an Art Degree?
Professional artist. Kicking off with perhaps the most obvious of art careers, there is no reason why you cannot pursue a career as a professional artist if you have talent and dedication. ...
Illustrator. ...
Photographer. ...
Animator. ...
Graphic designer. ...
Curator. ...
Printmaker. ...
Art teacher/university lecturer.
What Can You Do With an Art Degree?
Professional artist. Kicking off with perhaps the most obvious of art careers, there is no reason why you cannot pursue a career as a professional artist if you have talent and dedication. ...
Illustrator. ...
Photographer. ...
Animator. ...
Graphic designer. ...
Curator. ...
Printmaker. ...
Art teacher/university lecturer.
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Glad you asked! There are many paths for artists and designers to take! I was an Illustration Major and landed in product design and illustration for retail. To be honest, I would advise not only trying to work a FT job in any creative capacity as early as you can (Internships! A must during college years) but also learn entrepreneurial skills and develop a side gig.
Working for someone else may have great benefits but if you can work for yourself, even better for your long term career health. Some large companies never know quite what to do with creative teams so it is harder to "move up" compared to business majors.
Your work experience and portfolio will be even more important than your degree.
For a list of creative job titles, google Graphic Design Guild to see suggested career paths. Wasn't sure if you were looking for Fine Arts specific careers. Good luck!
Working for someone else may have great benefits but if you can work for yourself, even better for your long term career health. Some large companies never know quite what to do with creative teams so it is harder to "move up" compared to business majors.
Your work experience and portfolio will be even more important than your degree.
For a list of creative job titles, google Graphic Design Guild to see suggested career paths. Wasn't sure if you were looking for Fine Arts specific careers. Good luck!
Updated
Ellen’s Answer
Hi Andy
There are lots of career paths in art. I used to do an exercise with my students. I would show them a photo of the inside of a store, or a movie theater lobby, or an airport, or a shopping mall, and I would ask give them the job to "Find the Art!". The outcome would be that we would find art everywhere--posters on the walls, store signs, store logos, designs on candy wrappers, people's clothing and uniforms, rug patterns, curtain styles, arrangement of furnishings, movie tickets, price stickers, and on and on and on..... So there are many different paths in the art world. Art is such an integral part of our world, we sometimes don't even notice it. For example, have you ever thought about the cloth labels on the inside of your clothing? Well, I had a cousin who was an artist, and her job was to design them!
Some of the art careers are hands on, in that you are an active creator of some kind of art work, and some are more managerial, in that you manage artists or designers who make the art. Some have regular paychecks and benefits, but many are "freelance" , meaning that you work for yourself. Here are some ideas.
Fine Art Artist: freelance; selling your artwork directly to customers or through galleries and stores
Illustrator: create artwork for companies or publishers or magazines that need to show their products
Graphic Designer: design books, advertisements, websites; anything with written words or words with images.
Product Designer: create designs for manufactured 3-D objects (think of your cellphone; someone had to design it) I believe car designers also fit into this category. Furniture and other household objects. Think of all the stuff at IKEA (sometimes they highlight the designers in their stores).
Packaging Designer: create designs for objects; think of your toothpaste tube and the box it came in
Textile Designer: create fabric designs and patterns for fabrics
Fashion Designer: create clothing for people and businesses, including uniforms
Jewelry Designer: create jewelry that you make, or that others make for you to sell
Interior Designer: create designs for interiors using textiles, furniture, paint colors, rugs; for individuals and businesses, and museums
Art Education: teach art at elementary, middle, or high schools, colleges and universities, community art centers
Museum Work: curators (more art history), exhibit designers, museum educators
Art Gallery owner or employee: sell the artwork of fine artists to the public
Theatrical Design: costumes, lighting, and sets for live theater, movies and TV shows
Website Designers: design websites for individuals and businesses
Animation
Architecture: design buildings and public spaces. An art major is a good start on this career, but you'll need a degree in architecture and pass a rigorous exam.
No shortage of paths for you to investigate; and I 'm sure I've probably left several out. I would suggest looking at your own artwork, and what you like to do, and try matching it with some of the paths above. If you like working with words and images, maybe graphic design would be a good fit with you. If you like more 3-D art, then product design or architecture might be good. If you love going to the movies or seeing live theater, then a career in set design or costume design might interest you. I would talk to your art teachers now (if you can during this pandemic!) about what they think your strengths in art lie.
In all these paths, computer graphic skills are necessary, so be sure to take some CG classes.
Best Wishes! I hope this helps.
There are lots of career paths in art. I used to do an exercise with my students. I would show them a photo of the inside of a store, or a movie theater lobby, or an airport, or a shopping mall, and I would ask give them the job to "Find the Art!". The outcome would be that we would find art everywhere--posters on the walls, store signs, store logos, designs on candy wrappers, people's clothing and uniforms, rug patterns, curtain styles, arrangement of furnishings, movie tickets, price stickers, and on and on and on..... So there are many different paths in the art world. Art is such an integral part of our world, we sometimes don't even notice it. For example, have you ever thought about the cloth labels on the inside of your clothing? Well, I had a cousin who was an artist, and her job was to design them!
Some of the art careers are hands on, in that you are an active creator of some kind of art work, and some are more managerial, in that you manage artists or designers who make the art. Some have regular paychecks and benefits, but many are "freelance" , meaning that you work for yourself. Here are some ideas.
Fine Art Artist: freelance; selling your artwork directly to customers or through galleries and stores
Illustrator: create artwork for companies or publishers or magazines that need to show their products
Graphic Designer: design books, advertisements, websites; anything with written words or words with images.
Product Designer: create designs for manufactured 3-D objects (think of your cellphone; someone had to design it) I believe car designers also fit into this category. Furniture and other household objects. Think of all the stuff at IKEA (sometimes they highlight the designers in their stores).
Packaging Designer: create designs for objects; think of your toothpaste tube and the box it came in
Textile Designer: create fabric designs and patterns for fabrics
Fashion Designer: create clothing for people and businesses, including uniforms
Jewelry Designer: create jewelry that you make, or that others make for you to sell
Interior Designer: create designs for interiors using textiles, furniture, paint colors, rugs; for individuals and businesses, and museums
Art Education: teach art at elementary, middle, or high schools, colleges and universities, community art centers
Museum Work: curators (more art history), exhibit designers, museum educators
Art Gallery owner or employee: sell the artwork of fine artists to the public
Theatrical Design: costumes, lighting, and sets for live theater, movies and TV shows
Website Designers: design websites for individuals and businesses
Animation
Architecture: design buildings and public spaces. An art major is a good start on this career, but you'll need a degree in architecture and pass a rigorous exam.
No shortage of paths for you to investigate; and I 'm sure I've probably left several out. I would suggest looking at your own artwork, and what you like to do, and try matching it with some of the paths above. If you like working with words and images, maybe graphic design would be a good fit with you. If you like more 3-D art, then product design or architecture might be good. If you love going to the movies or seeing live theater, then a career in set design or costume design might interest you. I would talk to your art teachers now (if you can during this pandemic!) about what they think your strengths in art lie.
In all these paths, computer graphic skills are necessary, so be sure to take some CG classes.
Best Wishes! I hope this helps.
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