10 Jobs for Artists and People Who Love Drawing
Picture your future in these art careers.
Jobs for artists are as varied as the color wheel itself. If you love to draw, your passion could very well sketch out an impressive career path. And you’d be in good company: Some of the most notorious doodlers in history happened to be our presidents. In contrast to long-held popular beliefs, doodling actually improves concentration and can spark creativity.
So sharpen those pencils (or computer skills), and get ready to draw. Using data from Monster and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we found 10 arts jobs for the doodler in you.
Animator
What you’d do: Animators develop characters, objects, and environments for various applications, including video game development, motion graphics for TV and film, and more.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree in computer graphics or multimedia studies is usually required, as well as 2-D and 3-D animation and design skills. Check out this animator resume sample.
What you’d make: The median salary for an animator is $59,509 per year.
Art Teacher
What you’d do: Encourage future doodlers! Remember art class, where you could finally let your imagination loose? If you’re an art teacher, you get to create that opportunity for kids every day.
What you’d need: Public school teachers need a state certification on top of a bachelor’s degree. Check out this art teacher resume sample.
What you’d make: The median salary for an art teacher is $44,355 per year.
Cake Decorator
What you’d do: Cake decorators whip up everything from elaborate multi-tiered wedding cakes to more straightforward creations for corporate events, birthdays, and other celebrations.
What you’d need: Cake decorators usually hone their skills in culinary school. Check out this baker resume sample.
What you’d make: The median salary for a baker is $12.57 per hour.
Fashion Designer
What you’d do: There’s lots of clothing—outerwear, underwear, streetwear, everywhere!—and all of it needs to be designed. Same goes for shoes and accessories. Fashion designers create wearables with performance, comfort, and style in mind.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree in fashion design or merchandising is usually required, and you should be up on the latest fashion trends, have an acute sense of detail, and knowledge of apparel construction standards and materials. Check out this fashion designer resume sample.
What you’d make: The median salary for a fashion designer is $56,260 per year.
Graphic Designer
What you’d do: Graphic designers create and edit visuals, typically in graphic design software like Adobe InDesign. You’d most likely work directly for a brand or for a variety of clients at an agency.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree in graphic design or a related field such as printmaking is the typical minimum, although a portfolio of your work will likely also be required. View this sample resume for a graphic designer.
What you’d make: The median pay for a graphic designer is $22.72 per hour.
Illustrator and Technical Illustrator
What you’d do: Illustrators get their doodle on every day, creating everything from sketches and storyboards to glyphs and logos. Technical illustrators (also known as scientific illustrators) use descriptions of products to create visual counterparts. They draft charts, schematics, and diagrams that will often appear in technical publications, textbooks, or user manuals.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s or associate’s degree in illustration will help you land this job.
What you’d make: The median pay for an illustrator is $20.34 per hour.
Industrial Designer
What you’d do: From cars to home appliances to manufactured goods, industrial designers are the people behind the designs. Your job is to weigh a bunch of factors like function, aesthetics, and production cost, and propose designs to project managers.
What you’d need: Along with a portfolio of your best work, industrial designers should have a related bachelor’s degree in fields like graphic design or engineering. Check out this industrial engineer resume sample.
What you’d make: The median salary for an industrial designer is $83,289 per year.
Makeup Artist
What you’d do: Interested in art and cosmetics? This job’s all about making people look great, whether it’s on the set of a movie or at a brand. Let’s call it face doodling.
What you’d need: Typically, you’ll need a certificate from a cosmetology program. View this sample resume for a makeup artist.
What you’d make: The median pay for a makeup artist is $19.48 per hour.
Motion Graphics Designer
What you’d do: Do you like big, explodey stuff and slick 3-D models? Not to be confused with animators, motion graphics designers create and edit imagery in a live action shot, which might also contain animation and special effects.
What you’d need: Most hiring managers look for a bachelor’s degree in computer graphics or film, plus a qualified portfolio of motion graphics work. Besides that, you’ll want to sharpen your software skills with commonly used programs in the Adobe creative suite such as After Effects.
What you’d make: The median salary for a motion graphics designer is $77,700 per year.
Painter
What you’d do: Painters come in many shades, including interior and exterior painters, and in industrial and automotive capacities.
What you’d need: Painting doesn’t require a college degree, so many people pursue it after high school and get on-the-job training.
What you’d make: The median pay for a painter is $16.59 per hour.
Next Steps: Help Recruiters Find You
Ah, the plight of the artist. You could be bursting with talent, but if you’re not getting seen by the right people, your career isn’t likely to take off. Could you use some help with that? Make your Monster profile for free today. You can upload up your resume, sign up for job alerts, connect to recruiters, and much more. Don’t let your skills go unnoticed. Let the experts at Monster help you get the exposure you need to land a great new job.