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Design and Arts Schools and Programs
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Information about Design & Arts Programs

Artists create art to communicate ideas, thoughts, or feelings. They use a variety of methods—painting, sculpting, or illustration—and an assortment of materials, including oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, pencils, pen and ink, plaster, clay, and computers. Artists’ works may be realistic, stylized, or abstract and may depict people, objects, nature, or events.

Artists generally fall into one of four categories:
1) Art directors formulate design concepts and presentation approaches for visual communications.
2) Craft artists create or reproduce handmade objects for sale or exhibition.
3) Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators, create original artwork, using a variety of media and techniques.
4) Multi-media artists and animators create special effects, animation, or other visual images on film, on video, or with computers or other electronic media.

Design and Arts Job Types

Art directors
Fine artists
Illustrators
Medical and scientific illustrators
Cartoonists
Multi-media artists and animators

Education Needed for Artists

Artists usually develop their skills through a bachelor’s degree program or other postsecondary training in art or design. Although formal schooling is not strictly required for craft and fine artists, it is very difficult to become skilled enough to make a living without some training. Art directors usually have years of work experience and generally need at least a bachelor’s degree. Due to the level of technical expertise demanded, multimedia artists and animators generally also need a bachelor’s degree.

Many colleges and universities offer programs leading to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in fine arts. Courses usually include core subjects such as English, social science, and natural science, in addition to art history and studio art. Independent schools of art and design also offer postsecondary design training classes in the craft, fine, and multi-media arts leading to certificates in the specialties or to an associate or bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Typically, these programs focus more intensively on studio work than do the academic programs in a university setting. In 2007, the National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredited 282 postsecondary institutions with programs in art and design; most of these schools award a degree in art.

Employment Outlook for Artists

Employment of artists is expected to grow 16 percent through 2016, faster than the average for all occupations. Competition for jobs is expected to be intense for both salaried and freelance jobs in all specialties because the number of people with creative ability and an interest in this career is expected to continue to exceed the number of available openings. Despite the competition, employers and individual clients are always on the lookout for talented and creative artists.

About 62 percent of artists were self-employed. Of the artists who were not self-employed, many worked for advertising and related services; newspaper, periodical, book, and software publishers; motion picture and video industries; specialized design services; and computer systems design and related services. Some self-employed artists offered their services to advertising agencies, design firms, publishing houses, and other businesses.

Earnings and Pay for Artists

Median annual earnings of salaried artists, May 2006:

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Artists and Related Workers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos092.htm

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