How to become A Fine Artist

Fine Artists create original and thought-provoking work, which may be aesthetically pleasing, shocking, or disruptive, through various media to send light into the darkness of people’s hearts...to wash away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

• Painter
• Sculptor
• Illustrator

What do Fine Artists do?

A Fine Artist would typically need to:

• Create original works of art for their aesthetic value rather than for a functional one, using techniques, such as painting, drawing, or sculpting
• Use visual elements, such as composition, color, space, and perspective, to produce desired artistic effects
• Research and visit locations; interview people; use libraries and the internet
• Generate and develop artistic ideas or new methods for making art; create sketches, templates, or models to guide their work
• Source materials and develop relationships with suppliers; select materials based on color, texture, strength, and other qualities; process materials, often by shaping, joining, or cutting
• Develop portfolios highlighting their artistic styles and abilities to show to gallery owners and others interested in their work
• Write funding applications and plan projects; write project proposals to and liaise with contacts, gallery owners, curators, other artists, and art residencies
• Negotiate a sale or commission; create or develop a piece of work in response to a brief or commission; display their work at auctions, galleries, museums, and online marketplaces
• Evaluate a project and give feedback to the primary funder or sponsor
• Carry out self-promotion activities, including networking, attending private viewings, and other events
• Carry out administrative tasks such as managing correspondence and financial planning such as creating and managing a budget

Your work environment may comprise studios, museums, galleries, schools, outdoor or public spaces, or an online/physical exhibition space. Studios may be located in a converted industrial space such as a warehouse, loft, office building, or the artist’s home. It is common for artists to share studio space and to show their work from there.

Studios are usually well-lit and ventilated. However, artists may be exposed to fumes and dust. Fine Artists may also work off-site while adhering to health and safety procedures.

Work may involve frequent travel, depending on the market for the artist’s work. Fine Artists exhibit worldwide, so travel across the globe to events and galleries is relatively standard. Most Fine Artists dress casually and in attire that suits their chosen area of artistic expression. They do need to dress up when attending events and meeting clients.

Most Fine Artists have a flexible schedule without deadlines unless they are working on time-bound projects, such as exhibitions or contests, or as stipulated by contracts.

Part-time and variable work schedules are typical. Many hold another job in addition to their work as an artist.

Those assisting or working in other artists' studios may be able to keep regular hours. However, all artists need to set aside time to sell their artwork to potential customers and build a reputation.

Roughly 50 percent of Fine Artists are self-employed, often combining freelance work or practice with another salaried job. Others are employed in various private or public sector industries. Vacancies and opportunities are often not advertised at all. You should be prepared to research and uncover opportunities through networking and have the confidence to approach suitable organizations and individuals.

Fine Artists are generally employed by:

• Newspaper & Periodical Publishers
• Book & Directory Publishers
• Educational Institutions
• Merchant Wholesalers of Durable & Nondurable Goods
• Performing Arts, Spectator Sports & Related Industries

Professional associations and organizations like the International Arts & Artists (IA&A) are crucial for Fine Artists interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Lack of preparation for a stable and lucrative career; balancing creation of art with self-promotion
• New sources of competition; unstable income; irregular working hours
• Potentially toxic exposure to glue, paint, ink, dust, or other residues from filings, splattered paint, or spilled cleaners

Fine Artists improve their skills through practice and repetition. They can train in several ways other than, or in addition to, formal schooling. Some Fine Artists learn on the job from more experienced artists. Others attend noncredit classes or workshops or take private lessons in artists’ studios, community colleges, art centers, galleries, museums, or other art-related institutions.

You may also work with other artists on either a formal or informal basis. Traditional arrangements may include internships or apprenticeship programs. Try to complete some relevant work experience during your degree. Work shadowing or voluntary work in a creative setting is helpful for applying to work for others, or from a business perspective for setting up your studio.

Many artists freelance part-time while still in school, develop experience, and build a portfolio of published work. Gallery owners, art directors, and potential clients make decisions about investing in potential artists based on their impressions of the artist’s portfolio.

Fine art includes painting, new media, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Professional qualifications are not essential to make your mark as a talented Fine Artist. However, formal training and relevant qualifications in art and associated crafts, art criticism, art history, design for performance, fine art, fine art critical practice, and interdisciplinary fine arts may prove useful in developing your career. Independent schools of art and design offer postsecondary training, leading to an associate, bachelor's, or master’s degree in fine arts.

Independent schools of art and design offer postsecondary training, leading to a certificate in an art-related specialty. Usually, those who want to teach fine arts at public elementary or secondary schools must have a teaching certificate in addition to a bachelor's degree. A combination of short courses such as evening or weekend classes, one-week intensive courses, and diplomas or certificates in ceramics, drawing, illustration, and painting may also increase your chances of success.

There is no standard or structured career path for a Fine Artist, so career development is not easy to predict. Your success will be highly dependent on the level of commitment you have to your work. Career growth and success are primarily a matter of self-development; this is not a profession where educational qualifications spur advancement, though they provide a small advantage.

Fine art is a highly competitive field, and you must be resourceful to create your opportunities and seek new and exciting places to show and sell your work. These can include artist-led spaces, bars, museums, shops, events, and public spaces. You may obtain commissions to make specific pieces of work for individuals or institutions. Within five to ten years of graduating, you may have your studio, gallery representation, regular shows, and a network of influential contacts. At this stage, you will hopefully have had enough success that you can work on your art on a full-time basis, possibly even employing some staff to work in your studio.

You may choose to work in portfolio style where you spend some time on your chosen field of art and the rest in a related field, such as teaching art in schools. It provides variety and a more secure income. You could become an artist in residence, engaged over time by a gallery, organization, or institution to contribute skills and knowledge.

Freelance Artists try to develop a set of clients who offer regular contracts. Those widely recognized for their skill in specialties like cartooning or children's book illustrations may earn high incomes and choose the type of work they do. A few artists become enormously successful such as Picasso and Andy Warhol. Still, it is more common that Fine Artists need to teach or do other work to help supplement their income, especially when starting their careers.

Talented individuals who have mastered artistic techniques and marketing skills will have the best job prospects in this competitive field.

Talent, creativity, imagination, and prolific output over a relatively long period (at least five years) are the main drivers in becoming a successful Fine Artist. Other crucial requisites are diversification and experimentation in, for example, new media and different techniques or forms of expression. Advanced degrees in fine arts or arts administration are usually necessary for management or administrative positions in government, management positions in private foundations, and teaching positions in colleges and universities.

Short courses in multiple fine arts disciplines help you gain expertise in making concerted promotional and marketing efforts. Seek new professional contacts and forge relationships with other artists, curators, and gallery owners to learn and improve through collaboration. Fresh graduates could seek work as an artist's assistant or studio assistant for training and learning opportunities. You could eventually be promoted to the role of studio manager.

Artists hired by firms often start with relatively routine work where they have the opportunity to observe other artists and practice their skills. You can also develop by learning new artistic techniques as a fabricator, creating pieces on behalf of other artists.

A Wide Range of Concepts...An Even Wider Range of Interpretations

Work by Fine Artists may include framed pictures, elaborate room installations, or performance pieces to be exhibited, experienced, or sold. The artworks may be exhibited outdoors as public art or indoors in art galleries, museums, biennial exhibitions, art fairs, and alternative locations.

As a Fine Artist, you may specialize in a particular medium and concentrate on a specific subject matter and type of art - landscapes, portraits, or abstract art, for instance, or work laterally across subjects, mediums, and even disciplines to explore ideas in unexpected ways and make authentic connections.

Find Your Niche

Fine arts in the analog field may include drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, and installation, while in the digital area, they may comprise sound, moving images, and interactive narratives. Live fine art may involve coding, mixing, performance, and intervention, while fine conceptual art is driven by ideas, creative experiments, research questions, and theories.

Potential Pros & Cons of Freelancing vs. Full-Time Employment

Being a freelance Fine Artist offers freedom regarding flexible schedules, working hours, and location. They have full ownership of the business and can afford selectivity in terms of the variety of projects and clients presented. While it has unlimited earning potential, freelancing comes with less stability and security, with inconsistent work and cash flow. There is more responsibility, effort, and risk involved. There are no paid holidays, and sick/maternity/paternity leaves are almost unaffordable. There is also dthe added pressure of a self-employment tax and no eligibility for unemployment benefits.

A full-time Fine Artist has access to company-sponsored health benefits, insurance, and retirement plans. They have job security with a fixed, reliable source of income and guidance from their bosses. Despite that, they are susceptible to potential boredom and inability to pursue passion projects due to their lack of time or effort. With a lack of flexibility, ownership, and variety, there is also a need to budget extra money for commuting and attire costs.

When deciding between freelancing or being a full-time employee, consider the pros and cons to see what works best for you.

Willard Wigan’s works are ‘micro-sculptures,’ so tiny they must be viewed through a microscope. In creating his art, Wigan has to slow his heartbeat and work between pulses.

Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art. Let your passion and talent drive your brushes.

Looking at other artists for inspiration is great, but don't compare your work to others and let it get you down. Everyone has their own unique, individual style, and everyone is at a different stage in their artistic journey.