Question

ASL grade 9 on arts and craft

Answer 1

So you want to be an artist… is this a realistic career choice, or are you going to live in a cockroach-infested flat for the rest of your life, fulfilling the “starving artist” stereotype? In short, it is not easy being a successful fine artist (someone who makes a living by creating original, one-off pieces of art) -- but many people do succeed in supporting themselves through a combination of hard work, perseverance, and using their artistic talents and knowledge in a variety of ways to supplement their income from the creation of original works of art.

 The internet has broadened the reach of art and made it possible for artists to increase their visibility to viewers and collectors all over the world, making them less dependent on museums and galleries for exposure and marketing, and being a fine artist isn’t the only career option for artists.  

A career in art is not limited to being a painter of canvases which get framed and sold in a gallery. Behind every piece of art in a newspaper, magazine, book, poster, and leaflet there’s a graphic or commercial artist or illustrator -- usually a team. There are graphic artists putting the magazines together, and illustrators drawing the cartoons and graphics. There are also website designers, computer-graphic artists (computers don’t draw the graphics themselves, they’re just a tool, a modern version of a paint brush!), and animators for film and television.

There are stage set designers and builders. There are computer game designers. There are art galleries and museums. There is also teaching art and art therapy; mural painting and face painting; tattoo artist.

And think more broadly about other career options: photography, landscape design, interior design, shop-window design, framing; textile and clothing design; furniture and lighting design; architecture, landscape architecture, and engineering.