Artist

Artists and workers related to Art are professionals who carry out their work autonomously or independently.

Artists generally develop their skills through courses, workshops, master classes and also by studying a technical program or bachelor's degree or other training related to art or design.

In general, artists are art professionals, specialists in communicating ideas and emotions through different media, tangible such as painting, printmaking, or sculpture, or intangible in the case of digital artists.

Artists specialize in one or two art forms which may be painting, illustrating, drawing, sculpting, making prints, restoring paintings, etc.

A professional artist is capable of working with a wide range of materials, although most artists develop a preference for working with particular materials and in specific styles. In many cases Artists earn a living by selling the work they produce in their studio independently or for third parties.

Some artists, depending on their situation or specialty, may work as independent freelancers, where the artist himself handles the management and sale of his own work. In other cases there are artists who work in art galleries, others are known as social artists (Urban Artist), because they work on Social Art projects involving a specific community or region within a country.

In the field of education, artists can carry out training activities as art teachers in schools, in university institutions or by teaching privately.

How is an Artist recognized?

They must have talent and imagination, be flexible and able to handle frustration. They must also be able to work on their own and sometimes work long hours.

Artist Training

Artist training is varied, some artists do not have formal qualifications, that is, they do not have a degree in Fine Arts or Art taught by a recognized School or University institution, there are many cases where the artist is self-taught and has a special talent.

There are many degrees offered by art schools and Universities, such as the fine arts degree, which includes subjects related to painting, digital arts, printmaking, sculpture and photography. There are also specific university degrees in audiovisual art, art criticism and contextual art.

Artists hired by companies often start with basic, repetitive and relatively routine work.

In the early stages many young artists work as freelance self-employed and in parallel work full-time for others, their career progresses professionally as their work becomes known and achieves a reputation that they will strive to maintain over time.

Independent artists every day make a significant effort to gain and keep clients who hire their services regularly.

Some artistic occupations

The Art Directors work on creating design concepts in visual communications. The artisans create or reproduce handmade objects for sale or exhibition. The fine artists, the painters, the sculptors and illustrators, create works of art using a variety of styles and techniques. The multimedia animators create special effects, animations or other visual images.

Art directors develop design concepts for publication in magazines, newspapers or digital media, for example among their tasks they decide the best way
to visually present a concept meeting the requirements of a project, they select photographs, icons, graphics or illustrations that will be used in the production of a material, while leading the creative department supervising the tasks performed by the workers involved in works of art, design and copywriting.

The Artisans make a wide variety of objects, mainly by hand, which are sold in their own shops (physical or virtual), in art shows
and craft fairs. Some artisans exhibit their works in galleries and museums. Artisans work with many different materials, including ceramics, glass, textiles, wood, metal and paper, to create unique pieces of art such as pottery, stained glass, quilts, tapestries, lace, candles and clothing.

The Fine artists usually show their work in museums, commercial art galleries, corporate collections and private homes. Some of their
works of art may be commissioned (made at clients' request), but most are sold by the artist or through Art Galleries, on internet platforms, through distributors or representatives.

Some artists work as art critics for newspapers or magazines or as consultants to foundations or institutions. Other artists teach art classes or lead workshops in schools or in their own studios. Some artists also have full-time or part-time jobs that are not related to art and pursue art as a hobby or way of life.

Illustrators are versatile artists, nowadays many work remotely and in digital format, for example, creating settings or objects for a video game. They usually create images for books, magazines, digital publications, applications, web pages and even for promotional products such as merchandising, wrapping paper, stationery, greeting cards and calendars. 

In other occupations we find scientific Illustrators who combine drawing skills with knowledge of biology or other sciences to create images of human anatomy and surgical procedures, they draw animal prototypes, atomic, molecular, geological structures and planetary formations that are used in scientific publications and in audiovisual presentations for teaching purposes. 

Illustrators also work for lawyers, producing exhibits for court cases and in magazines creating political, advertising, social and sports cartoons.

Sculptors design three-dimensional works of art, either by molding and joining materials such as clay, glass, wire, plastic, fabric, or metal, or by cutting and carving shapes from a block of plaster, wood or stone, some incorporate light, sound and movement into their works.

Print Artists, create printed images from designs cut or engraved in wood, stone or metal. After creating the design, the artist uses a printing press to print the image on paper or fabric or other material.

Painting restoration Artists preserve and restore paintings. They apply solvents and cleaning agents to clean the surfaces of paintings, touch up damaged areas and apply preservatives to protect the paintings.

Multimedia Artists and animators work mainly in the film, advertising, video game and software industry.
They usually draw by hand or use special tools or software to create animation or the special effects seen in films.

Multimedia artists also develop storyboards for television commercials, films, and animated series. Many artists are responsible for modeling 3D objects on the computer.

Workplace

To reach the position of Art Director years of work experience are required, generally starting in a position as as a graphic artist or designer. In many cases companies looking to hire artists require a bachelor's degree, the same applies to multimedia artists and animators. In the case of artisans, having a formal education is not a requirement, although it is advisable to study at a school or university since it is very difficult to acquire enough skill to earn a living without a little training.

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's or master's degree programs in Fine Arts, Animation and Multimedia. Courses usually include basic subjects such as English, art history, drawing, painting and subjects where you will learn about the specific software that is used in the industry.

An artist's workplaces

Artists need a space to create their art and to communicate ideas. The artist communicates through painting, sculpture or Illustration and can do so using a variety of materials, including oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, pencils, pen and ink, plaster, clay and also technology such as mobile phones, tablets or computers (Computers).

Many artists work in art studios located in office buildings, warehouses or open-plan spaces. Others work in private studios from
their homes and in other cases share a workspace that also allows them to exhibit their works and sell them.

Some negative aspects of the career

One not-so-pleasant point about the Artist occupation is that in many cases, safety rules for making a piece are not respected, this
leaves the artist exposed to glue fumes, paint, ink, dust, cleaner residues and other toxic fluids.

Artists who sit at drawing tables or who use tablets, touch screens or computers for long hours may experience pain in the
back, tired eyes and fatigue.