Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Career, Salary and Skills

Occupation description

Create original artwork using any of a wide variety of media and techniques.

National salary and employment

Top skills

Typical tasks

• Integrate and develop visual elements, such as line, space, mass, color, and perspective, to produce desired effects, such as the illustration of ideas, emotions, or moods.
• Confer with clients, editors, writers, art directors, and other interested parties regarding the nature and content of artwork to be produced.
• Maintain portfolios of artistic work to demonstrate styles, interests, and abilities.
• Market artwork through brochures, mailings, or Web sites.
• Study different techniques to learn how to apply them to artistic endeavors.
• Monitor events, trends, and other circumstances, research specific subject areas, attend art exhibitions, and read art publications to develop ideas and keep current on art world activities.
• Photograph objects, places, or scenes for reference material.
• Use materials such as pens and ink, watercolors, charcoal, oil, or computer software to create artwork.

Technology

• Adobe Acrobat
• Adobe ActionScript
• Adobe After Effects
• Adobe Creative Cloud software
• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Adobe FrameMaker
• Adobe FreeHand MX
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe ImageReady
• Adobe InDesign
• Adobe Photoshop
• ArtScope.net eArtist
• Autodesk 3D Studio Design
• Autodesk AutoCAD

Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators salary by location

Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.

• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in CA
  Median $58,240 · Employment 2,560
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in NY
  Median $78,870 · Employment 1,400
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in FL
  Median $50,360 · Employment 1,010
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in TX
  Median $49,650 · Employment 700
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in OH
  Median $31,780 · Employment 510
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in San Francisco, CA
  Median $126,470 · Employment 450
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in WA
  Median $72,430 · Employment 350
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in GA
  Median $65,010 · Employment 350
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in Miami, FL
  Median $68,140 · Employment 330
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in Houston, TX
  Median $55,490 · Employment 260
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in CO
  Median $51,910 · Employment 250
• Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators Salary in Seattle, WA
  Median $82,580 · Employment 250

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