Thursday, May 28, 2009

What kind of work is available to an art major, other than say freelance? Concerned with job security

What kind of work is available to an art major, other than say freelance? Concerned with job security?

Drawing & Illustration - 2 Answers
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1 :
Job security...my dear. If you work your butt off-you can make as much money as you want....but of course--you need to take time off to go to the grocery..sleep..feed the dog fee your kids-feed yourself... Hallmark used to have only 20 artists in their stable of artists--all the rest was done by computer graphics...Hallmark just had a major layoff.Wonder how many live artists they have now? These are top-incredibly talented artists!! I'll be honest...if you want to live in what you make on as an artist--you can do it--but you have to be dedicated-inventive-and tireless. Understand that you will have to understand a very part of what you consider your pay-is the pleasure you have in it's processes. Better learn to like peanut butter-and plant a garden. Go to a LARGER University with an Art Dept..set up an appointment-and talk to them..they can point you i the right direction..and go to the Library. Read. Study up. You can do it. I do art fairs...used to be an artist could do a fair in Ann Arbor and make $20,000-$30,000 in that one fair..Sounds wonderful--but. The art fairs have yearly membership fees-now $75 a year. The booth space on the street-is $700. You have to have a Tent that won't blow over or fold up like an umbrella in the rain. That's a KD Canopy or Easyup--and both cost a grand..Now-display--walls to hang paintings: Propanels are another grand....There's the frames-glass-mats-boxes-business cards-miliage-gas. Hotels in Ann Arbor for fair week are 3 times nomal--and then there's the time spent the making art. No money comes in all winter--but you get it all in July...it's really tough in winter-trust me. Plus...If I charge what I'd make per hour if I worked at McDonalds-just one of my paintings would be up to $900.....and then some guy walks in my both and says-these are expensive! Or they wanted it in another color-like sheets in a dept store...or ask for your business card-then use it to wad up their gum in... It's disheartning to know that after 30 years experience-5 year getting a BFA degree-and knowledge that my University Prof considered me the best artist they ever had- that I would make more money than if I sold fast food. Trust me..you have to really want it. AND-do make sure you are employable so you can feed yourself and family-and support your art habit--because if you are talented-and I am--it'd be a sin to not be an artist...I have had to give up a lot in my life-THAT is not a part I plan to loose. Teach you art..get certified..then you have a paycheck-and can still be that artist. YOU can do it-you just have to plan. Sorry if I was firm about it--but this has to be something you really want. You set your time limits-so it;s up to you...Scary, huh. Wait until the charities in your town start calling you-I had 14 since July. They think you can just donate your artwork..But consider carefully-a person who buys the art can deduct it on their taxes--but the artist can't-we can only deduct materials. I always thought they should ask a Dr for donation-or a plumber or refrigerator repairman. The artist is the least likely to afford the burden of a charity..WE should have charities support us!! Sorry. I'm tired-painting due-better go paint.
2 :
You do like most of the other art graduates do. You go to a successful working artist and ask them how they do it. Unfortunatley they don't tell you that in college

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