Craft Your Story: Put Your Degree to Good Work with These Artsy Jobs and Careers

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“Art is a hobby, not a career”.

If you’re someone who is trying to turn their passion for art into a career, you’ve probably heard this ever-so-frustrating phrase a time or two. But, the unfortunate truth is, this phrase does ring true to some extent.

In a recent in-depth study conducted by BFAMFAPhD, researchers discovered that out of 2 million art graduates nationally, only 10 percent, or 200,000 people, make their primary earnings working as artists.

So, does this mean you should throw in the towel and forget about your dreams of becoming an artist?

No, it doesn’t. However, it does mean you may need to expand your personal definition of what an artist is. Because the truth is, if you think outside the “traditional” art careers, like painters and sculptors, there are actually a lot of careers opportunities for budding artists.

And guess what? A lot of them pay pretty well too.

In this guide, we’ll go over the most in-demand art jobs and careers for artistic people. Keep reading to learn more!

1. Graphic Designer

In case you’ve been living under a rock, more and more people are using the internet to find products and services they need.

This means that more and more businesses are also making sure their products and services are displayed online. But, businesses know you can’t just slap a couple pictures of their product on their website and call it a day.

Businesses know that in order to draw in customers, they need to make their products, services, and brand to look as appealing as possible online. And in order to do this, they need to hire a graphic designer.

As a graphic designer, you’ll have the opportunity to create designs for websites, marketing collateral, and product illustrations.

If you can pick up some technical skills in addition to your artistic skills (for example, being a master at Adobe Creative Suite), you’ll be able to pick up work with a design agency, a specific business, or even as a freelancer.

And, you’ll be able to make a decent salary of around $50,000.

2. Photographer

While making it big as a photographer for National Geographic may be a tough feat, there’s plenty of room in the photography world for artists who are keen to put their talent to use.

Some of the easiest field to break into are advertising photography, photojournalism, and wedding photography. Or, if you know a lot of people where you live and are great at networking, you may even be able to open your own studio, focusing on things like family photography, glamour shots, engagement photos, and more.

If you’re willing to take on a diverse range of work, a career as a photographer may be in the cards for you.

3. Film and Video Editor

Don’t worry, to be a film and video editor, you don’t need to pack up your bags and move to Hollywood.

In fact, you’d probably be surprised at the number of job openings there are for film and video editors just in your area.

This is largely due to the fact that more and more businesses are now using video as a way to communicate with potential customers. And most businesses don’t have the time or talent to create and edit these videos on their own. Therefore, they need someone with the right expertise (you!) to take care of it for them.

You can work for a specific business, or you may even want to consider starting your own videography company, in which you create commercials, marketing shorts, and other videos for all sorts of businesses.

4. Art Director

Are you an artist who also has some business savvy? If so, a career as an art director may be for you.

As an art director, you get the chance to design and direct graphics, artwork, visual styles, and layouts for production. You’ll get to oversee the planning and design of things like advertisements, magazines, television productions, film sets, and newspapers, to name a few.

Art directors also oversee the design staff, reviewing and approving all of their work before it is sent to print. They also work with clients to make sure their artistic vision and style requirements are being met.

In addition to a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts, many art directors also hold a Masters in Business Administration. You will also need to have excellent writing skills. You can click here for more information about what it takes to be an art director.

If you can envision yourself in the board room as well as you can envision yourself in an art studio, a career is an art director may be on your horizon.

5. Makeup Artist

Many people think that being able to do other people’s makeup for a living is nothing but a pipe dream.

But the truth is, there are now more opportunities to work as a makeup artist than ever before, In fact, the projected job growth for makeup artists between 2014-20124 is nearly 20 percent. That’s well above the national average for other career fields.

Many makeup artists find work in beauty salons. However, more and more are finding work on film sets or with theatrical productions. And, many also choose to freelance, doing makeup for special events like weddings or proms.

6. Teacher/Professor

During your studies, it is likely that you had at least one teacher or professor who inspired you and helped solidify your passion for art.

Well, how cool would it be if you could be that inspiration for the younger generation?

If you work in secondary schools, you will need a degree in teaching as well as an art degree. If you prefer to work with university students, you will need at least a Master’s degree, if not a Ph.D.

If you have excellent communication skills, patience, and presentation skills, then you will likely find a career as a professor or teacher highly rewarding.

Art Jobs: Are You Ready to Launch Your Career?

As you can see, there are many art jobs out there that provide both satisfaction and stability.

If you have any questions about the jobs on this list, please drop us a comment below. And, if you’re a millennial artist who is still on the job hunt, be sure to check out these budgeting tips specifically written for millennials.