Art Careers

There's no limit to how you can earn a living as a full-time artist. These are just a few:

• Gallery artist -- Someone who creates art and sells it through one gallery (including your own) or many galleries.


• Illustrator -- From book illustrations to magazine work to advertising, almost every company uses illustrations... and pays well for them.


• Logo designer -- Companies pay very large sums of money for truly good logos. Start by freelancing with a local print shop, and learn the ins & outs of logo design.


• Writing -- If you can put a sentence together, you can write about art. Online, offline, books, magazines, newspapers... the list is infinite. Some pay better than others, but if you develop a good set of clips (published articles) you can earn a great living talking about art and artists.


• Teaching -- Sure, you can teach at schools. However, you can also teach your own workshops (usually set up through shops or events), or teach people privately. Then there are adult ed opportunities, and you can build a successful art/travel career, leading group tours to places worth painting, sketching, etc. (Don't forget art-related tours, to museums, etc.)


• Product design, theatre set design, fashion illustration and design... the list goes on & on.

There are no limits. Create your own creative career in the arts!

If you want to earn a living as an artist, there is one magazine you must subscribe to: Art Calendar.

Really. You can't just stand at the magazine rack of the art store and browse it. You need to have your own issues as soon as they come out and read them. Then, re-read them.

The reason you want to read it is for art marketing advice, career tips, news about grants, gallery opportunities, fairs & festivals, and so on.

The reason you want to subscribe is so you get the magazine before it's on the newsstands. That way, when you apply for grants, fairs and festivals you're at the front of the line. That can make all the difference in the world.

The biggest challenge to your art career will be yourself.

(You probably already knew this, right...?)

When it comes to art careers, most artists have one of three challenges.

1. They don't market themselves enough. They're accustomed to working alone in a studio or at an easel. They don't realize how pushy they need to be -- in a good way, of course -- to be noticed by people who will fall in love with their art.

To use a dating analogy: It's not enough to sit at the singles bar and hope someone will notice you. You need to stand out... in a good way. (Anyone can get attention by being weird. That won't get you a second date.)

Scroll down and read my recommendations under "Two Important Words." That one tip is what turns most artists into people with an art career. I've seen it work in my own career, and over & over again, in others'.

2. They don't realize how good and unique their artwork is. They need to ask their friends what their strengths are, and then focus on those points in marketing and PR.

3. They don't seem to realize their weaknesses. They're shy, so they put on too much bravado. It sounds hollow, at best. Usually, it sounds like they think they're better at something than they actually are.

Go back to Point #2: Ask friends what your strengths are. Ask people you don't really like, too. Your friends may not be objective enough, or they're trying to be kind by saying what you want to hear. So, get a wide range of opinions. Ask them what aspects of your work need to be improved. (If someone says, "Oh, nothing... I like everything you do," go ask someone else.)

Tip: Family members, especially mothers, tend to be too kind or brutally honest. They're either your best resource or your worst.

In other words: Find out what makes your art shine, and stand out in the crowd. Then, find ways to bring that to the attention of anyone and everyone, whether you think they're useful to your career or not. Word-of-mouth can be your very best friend.

From my experience, the two most important words in your art career are: Letters out.

Start with postcards from VistaPrint.com. (Check their free deals of the week) Often, their postcards are free; all you pay is the postage to receive them.)

Get your artwork on the front, with a standard postcard design on the back. (Your contact info and message on the left, and a blank on the right for the mailing address + stamp.)

Yes, you'll receive 100 of them. Send them to friends, family, local newspapers & other media (radio, TV, etc.), local galleries & shops, schools, interior designers, and anyone who might enjoy seeing (and owning a picture of) your artwork. You never know who they'll show the card to, that will result in business.

Don't just do one mailing. Next time free postcards are available again, order new, different postcards. Send them out, hand deliver them to friends and family, and so on.

Tip: Sign -- or sign-and-number -- the cards. (I like to use American Crafts' metallic markers, but they take awhile to dry.) At the very least, sign beneath your message on the back of the postcard. That makes it more personal and less "advertising."

Another tip: Almost everyone who tries this agrees that the cards work like magic. Just remember that your business (or increased popularity, income or whatever) may not seem to related directly to the cards.

Most artists notice that they put the cards into the mail, and -- a couple of weeks later -- income, contacts, and opportunities seem to arrive.. often from unexpected places.

If you do just one thing after reading this webpage, do this: Order postcards (especially when they're free) and send them out steadily.