There Are a Lot of Ways to Be a Full-Time Artist
There are many different paths to establishing a full-time profession in the art world, and not every option requires you to promote your work on social media. If you’re searching for artistic career opportunities and forming your view of the industry based solely on your favorite artists, online influencers, or digital content creators, you may be overlooking how the art industry actually works.
A Really Thorough, Realistic Look at All of the Options
If you want a really thorough, realistic look at all of the options out there for you, you’re gonna have to do some legwork. I’m so sorry, bestie, you’re gonna start having to think really hard about who designs all of the objects that you interact with or you see on a day-to-day basis, and that’s what I want to talk about today.
All of the Job Options Out There for Creative People
I want to talk about all of the job options out there for creative people. I want to open your eyes a little bit. Without further ado, let’s get into the list, and I also want to give a big thank you to SVS for sponsoring this week’s video.
As a Textile Designer
Number one, the first job that I want to talk about is as a textile designer. Textile designers can create fabric patterns using traditional fine art techniques, such as oil painting, watercolor, and acrylics, as well as digital artwork. These designs are then transformed into fabrics used for furniture, upholstery, clothing, and various other products. 
All of the Stuff That You See in Stores
All of the stuff that you see in stores that’s on fabric, like the cutesy patterns in children’s clothes or baby items, or really high-end, expensive clothes, there are people that design that stuff that work either independently as, like, kind of art licensing freelance textile designers, or in, like, an in-house agency, fashion house kind of setting, that their whole job is to make stuff that is eventually, like, put on clothes.
As a Surface Pattern Designer
The second job that I want to talk about is also, like, very much in line with the first one, but it’s as a surface pattern designer. Surface pattern designers, they design stuff that will eventually be turned into things like station area or wallpaper. It’s very much the same concept, the same kind of experience.
You Don’t Need a Degree to Do This
You don’t need a degree to do this, you just need to have a portfolio and make cool stuff and have the right connections, and depending on the kind of industry that you want to corner, it could be, like, really professional stationery or, like, kawaii stationery, like really cute stuff. There are tons of opportunities out there for you, and it’s really suitable for tons of art niches and, like, styles.
As a Medical Illustrator
Number three is kinda zesty, but it’s as a medical illustrator. So medical illustrators are increasingly going to be in high demand. A variety of sources say that it’s one of the fastest growing industries out there for artists and creative people, and basically what you’re doing is you’re, like, visually communicating really complex medical concepts.
Some Kind of Visual Aid
So think of, like, kids that have to have really complex surgeries or medical procedures that are terrified, right? Your job is to create some kind of visual aid. That could be a diorama, it could be, like, a product, like some kind of plushy toy, or an illustration that conveys what’s gonna happen in, like, an easy-to-understand, digestible visual format.
If You Want to Go Into This
If you want to go into this, there are some degree programs that specialize in this field. There are also a couple of people in our Discord server that do this that I think are really cool to talk to if you want to join and chat with them, but this is really interesting and you have to have some kind of complex understanding of what’s actually going on to be able to, like, you know, communicate it.
You Can Use Your Art Skills to Really Help People
But if you have that understanding, then you can use your art skills to really help people, and the medical field is one of the fastest growing industries in the country and in the world, and these artists are really going to only become more in demand going forward.
A Movie Poster Artist
So number four is a movie poster artist. While major studios might go to one artist to design their primary poster for a project, they might also go to a variety of smaller freelance artists to design what’s known as alternate posters.
Alternate Posters
Alternate posters are, like, more experimental, sometimes, like, really, really creative, but still convey, like, the idea of the film and serve as advertising at things like film festivals, small indie theaters, and can also be used for stuff like merch. Yeah, put some stuff out there, start making fan art posters, and then see if you can actually get the attention of these major studios.
As an Icon Artist
Number five is as an icon artist. This is kind of a niche position addition in a lot of game development studios, but basically you’re designing various inventory, ability, and kind of vanity icons as part of the larger UI team.
Looking for Asset Artist Positions
You might also find luck here looking for asset artist positions, where basically you’re designing stuff that’s going into the game, so you’re, like, concepting and 3D modeling things like weapons, like potions, all of the stuff that you pick up and put in your inventory. You need icons for, and then also, like, actually the object in the game.
General Art Applications
But if you’re looking at these studios and you can’t find, like, a position in game dev that works really well for your skill set, these companies might usually have what’s known as general art applications, where you submit your resume and your portfolio and they kind of have that on file and they reference it whenever looking for someone new, and if you fit what they’re looking for, they might reach out to you.
A Splash Artist
Number seven is a splash artist. I love this job title, I think it’s so fun. Splash artists work on designing things like title and loading screens that players see in between levels of games.
You Could Be Wearing Multiple Hats
Depending on what studio size you work in, if it’s, like, a large studio or a small studio, you could be wearing multiple hats in this position and working on stuff like marketing material for social media, investors, etc. While you go into this position wanting to design just loading screens and logos and titles, you might end up doing some other stuff too.
The School for Visual Storytelling
But before we get into the rest of this list, I want to briefly thank the sponsor of this week’s video, the School for Visual Storytelling. The School of Visual Storytelling, also known as SVS, has a robust, guided curriculum of online classes designed to give you all of the skills that you need to become a working illustrator, to start making money off of your art.
An Amazing Array of Instructors
They have an amazing array of instructors on offer, from artists like Marco Bucci, Jake Parker, Peter Han, and Anna Davis Court. Their previous clients include major brands and studios such as Disney, DreamWorks, Apple, National Geographic, and Blue Sky Studios. The courses they offer explore various artistic techniques, from perspective sketching and character creation to composition and the art of visual storytelling.
You Can Try SVS for Free for 14 Days
You’ll finish your journey at SVS with a nine-piece foundations portfolio and all of the tools you’ll need to start making a living with your art. You can try SVS for free for 14 days to see if it’s a good fit for you, and once you’re ready to commit, they have a monthly and annual subscription option, and they’re also planning on offering specific course bundles from our focused learning coming really soon.
Check Out the Link in the Description
Check out the link in the description or go to svslearn.com/KelseyRodriguez to learn more. Jake Parker reached out to me personally to sponsor this week’s video, and I just want to say thank you to him for thinking of me, because this is great, and I really hope you guys check this out, because SVS has some really truly amazing resources for all of you guys to check out.
A Production Artist or Graphic Designer
All right, let’s dive back into our list. Number eight is as a production artist or graphic designer. There are a ton of small to mid-sized companies that really want graphic designers and artists in-house to work on their marketing material and, like, stuff in-house.
Really Random Job Listings
I was browsing LinkedIn to kind of do research for this video, and I noticed a lot of just, like, really random job listings out there for things like wine gift basket companies, because they really wanted an artist to help design their marketing material, and it really kind of forced me to realize that there is a ton of opportunity out there for really random things.
A Ton of Opportunity Out There
Someone in our Discord server last week was talking about how they used to animate, like, HR training videos as a part of their job. It totally goes to show that there’s a ton of opportunity out there, you just have to look for it in places that you might not be expecting.
A Lighting Artist
Number nine is a lighting artist. So as movie stuff goes increasingly digital, or, like, a hybrid of digital, for example, like, they don’t usually film things in front of green screens anymore.
A Bunch of These LED Screens
A lot of times now it is increasingly, like, in front of a bunch of these LED screens that kind of wrap around that provide a much more immersive environment for the actors and all of the crew, and then you kind of put everything together in the edit in, like, crazy ways that I cannot explain or really understand, but they need lighting artists, people who are really, really just incredible at understanding how light and color interact, to be able to light a scene on these screens and on the set in real life as accurately and sometimes also as creatively as possible.
My Friend Jeremy Vickery
My friend Jeremy Vickery, a foreign Pixar animator and lighting artist, has worked on the set of shows like Westworld as a part of this job. I think that’s, like, a really cool, really cool thing to be a part of, and so technical, but also a ton of room for artists to exert their kind of creative muscles here and do some really cool stuff.
His Channel Is Called Light Ponderings
Jeremy Vickery is here on YouTube if you want to check him out. His channel is called Light Ponderings, and I really recommend it, because he talks a lot about his experiences working on shows like Westworld and also at companies like Pixar.
Studio Staff
Number 10 is studio staff. This, so makerspaces and art studios usually like to have artists on hand to help maintain and set up their equipment and just kind of monitor their makerspace and studio. Usually, as a part of this job, as compensation, you might get your own private studio space on location.
A Really Sweet Gig for Artists
I think this is a really sweet gig for artists. I’m going to be honest, you are not making art as a part of your job. No, I will give you that, the critique is valid, I understand.
A Studio Space That Is Very Specific
But if you need a studio space that is very specific, like some kind of kiln or a glassblowing studio or some kind of metalworking space or, like, whatever, and you can’t afford to have that whole setup at home, you might really actually thoroughly enjoy it, and, like, it could save you a ton of money to work as a studio staff member at one of these makerspaces or studios.
Let’s Finish Off Strong, Wrong, Shall We?
I’m gonna be honest, if I didn’t have this channel and if I didn’t have my own business, I would be trying to get work as a studio staff member at one of these places. All right, we are nearing the end of our list here. Let’s finish off strong, wrong, shall we?
An Art Handler
Number 11 is as an art handler. Art handlers really get a thorough understanding of the inner workings of art gallery operations. If you really wanted to be represented by a gallery going forward, sometime in the future of your career, then it could be almost invaluable, to be honest, to have an understanding of how galleries work from the inside.
If You’re Just Up and Coming
If you’re just up and coming, if you don’t have the skills quite yet to get into a gallery, maybe consider working as a part of their operations team to get a really good understanding of how they work from the inside.
A Conservator
Number 12 is as a conservator. Conservators are really highly trained artists. You’re going to have a thorough understanding of pigments, traditional art techniques, and how to repair and just maintain old masterpieces. These artists usually have master’s degrees and are really experienced and knowledgeable about art history.
A High Attention to Detail
If you have a good technical understanding of how pigments work and, like, the science behind restoring old artwork, and you’re really good at tedious work, and you have a high attention to detail as a person, this could be a really great job for you. It is a thing that will require a lot of commitment.
Go to Grad School for This
You do have to usually go to grad school for this and intern at some really selective museums, like the Met, but if you can get into it, I think it could be really cool and really fun and super fulfilling to be able to leave your mark on restoring artwork that the rest of humanity can benefit from. I think that would be really creatively fulfilling and just, I think, mean a lot, you know what I mean?
A Set Designer
Number 13 is as a set designer. I have been watching a lot of Dropout’s Dimension 20, a live TTRPG D&D game, and it’s great, it’s so much fun. I love having it in the background while I work on my new paintings, but Dropout is a relatively small production company, but there’s so much, so much art that goes into it, from, like, set design to props, the little miniatures, to the art that goes into the edit of this show.
Making Small Dioramas
You might really enjoy making small dioramas, like fantasy landscapes, or painting on little miniatures, and you could work as a set designer at Dropout or one of the other many indie production companies out there and just see if it works out for you.
A Prop Artist
And number 15 is as a prop artist, for kind of the same thing. You’re just designing a little objects, little tchotchkes, little, like, you know, miniatures, etc., that bring this show to life. It could be as part of, like, a theater performance or for a show like this one.
I Would Really Enjoy This
This is kind of cool to think about, you know what I mean? I don’t know, I would, I would really enjoy this, to be honest. I would really enjoy this.
A Typeface or Font Designer
Last but not least, number 15, this is a typeface or font designer. I know, I know, fonts are kind of random, but hear me out, okay? Well, you might think of fonts like Baskerville, Comic Sans, Arial, Times New Roman.
When I Say the Word Fonts
When I say the word fonts, there is a ton of creative opportunity and just, like, unexplored avenues when it comes to font design. You could design fonts that are entirely made up of ferns or flowers or paintbrushes. You could handmake a font, like, hand-paint it yourself with oil paints, watercolors, acrylics, and then you could turn it into a thing that other folks can use in their creative projects.
Font Designers Can Work Independently
Font designers can work independently, or they can join, like, a larger font design house and kind of be one of, like, the team members there, but there’s a ton, a ton of cool things to do here, and I really hope that one thing on this list inspired you.
I Know This List Wasn’t Super Comprehensive
I know this list wasn’t super comprehensive and that maybe some of the things in here felt really random, but I really do hope that maybe it opens your eyes just a little bit into what’s out there, all the possibilities to explore, because I think that a lot of artists that are really starting out look at YouTube and Instagram and social media in general and think that they have to post on socials, they have to become an influencer or content creator, and I know that not everyone wants to be that.
You Don’t Have To
I know that not everyone wants to have, like, this kind of job, and you don’t have to is kind of my whole point here. You can really just explore the big, wide world of other things out there to do and see what works for you. That is it for this video.
Please Consider Joining Our Discord Server
If you want to chat more about this and kind of build some connections with artists from a wide variety of industries, please consider joining our Discord server. It’s totally free to join. We have tons of artists in here that have worked at all of the things that I’ve listed out in this video, and I think it’s a great place to be.
I’ll See You in the Next One
So with that, I will let you guys go and hope you have a great rest of your day, and I’ll see you in the next one. Bye!
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