Art Degrees and Good Talent Help You Draw On Great Art Jobs

How do you separate the word "starving" from "artist?"
Art is in your blood. That's probably what got you to read this. Art degrees from top art schools can show you how to take a passion for art and use it to put good food on your table and money in your bank account.

No one is saying it's easy. What separates achievers from dreamers is hard work, a good portfolio and the right training. Today's art education is designed to launch you into one of the major areas of art jobs.

Art Directors
Because a picture is worth a thousand words, art directors work for magazines, newspapers, ad agencies and other places. They determine what picture or design accomplishes a strategic goal. Then art directors may sketch rough layouts or concepts, and manage others to bring their vision into completion. That might involve working with copywriters, photographers, illustrators, printers and other craftspeople to finish the project.

Fine Artists
This can be the hardest, but most rewarding area of art jobs in which to make a living. Fine artists end up specializing in mediums such as painting, sculpture, illustration or restoration. They may be self-employed, or they may work for a museum, gallery, publisher or the government.

Electronic or Digital Artists
If you can create art on a computer screen, the rise of the internet, video games, TV and other technologies is creating a boom in opportunity. Artists and animators develop special effects, animation or other visual images using film, video, computers and other media. The video game boom alone is absorbing the talents of many artists.

Designers
If it's been made by people, it's been shaped by a designer's vision. A career as a designer can take you into one of many disciplines, creating products, interiors, graphics, displays, fashions, film sets, and more. There are about 150,000 art jobs today, according to the US Department of Labor. One of them can be yours. The best way to get it is with a good art program, hard work, and a great portfolio.

Sources:
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Artists and Related Occupations
http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos092.htm

Choosing Art as a Career:
http://painting.about.com/od/careerdevelopment/a/artcareer.htm?terms=art+careers