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Artists

Artists create artistic works using appropriate techniques, materials and media; design artwork and illustrations; and restore damaged pieces of art.

Wages

New workers
AVERAGE
Experienced
£15,643
£30,638
£55,641

New workers start around £15,643. Normal pay is £30,638 per year.
Highly experienced workers can earn up to £55,641.

Available jobs

In the past year there were 11,545 vacancies for this type of job

9.01%

Projected job growth over the next 8 years

Related courses

People work towards these careers by taking these courses at college and uni.

What they do most days?

  • Produces works on commission basis for clients.

  • Markets and sells finished work directly to customers.

  • Liaises with writers and publishers to produce book illustrations.

  • Uses artistic skills to restore damaged artworks.

  • Approaches managers of galleries and exhibitions in order to get finished work displayed.

  • Builds up composition into finished work by carving, sculpting, etching, painting, engraving, drawing, etc..

  • Prepares sketches, scale drawings or colour schemes.

  • Selects appropriate materials, medium and method.

  • Conceives and develops ideas and ways of working for artistic composition.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Painting

  • Adobe Photoshop

  • Adobe Illustrator

  • Adobe InDesign

  • Adobe Creative Suite

  • Marketing

  • Artwork

  • Autodesk Maya

  • Animations

  • Brand Management

Soft Skills

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Communication

  • Detail Oriented

  • Customer Service

  • Sales

  • Management

  • Self-Motivation

  • Problem Solving

  • Packaging And Labeling

  • Organizational Skills

  • Time Management

How do I get a job like this?

People in these types of job started their career paths after studying courses like the ones below.

Routes to this career

See all

Graphic Design (Top-up)

University Centre Farnborough

BA (Hons) · 1 Year · Full-time · Farnborough · 09/2023

Tariff points: N/A

Illustration with Animation

Manchester Metropolitan University

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Manchester · 09/2023

Tariff points: 104/112

Animation

Nottingham Trent University

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Nottingham · 13/09/2024

Tariff points: 104/112

Graphic Design with Foundation Year

Canterbury Christ Church University

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time including foundation year · Canterbury · 09/2024

Tariff points: N/A

Fine Art

Buckinghamshire New University

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · High Wycombe · 30/09/2024

Tariff points: 88/112

Fine Art (Top-up)

London Metropolitan University

BA · 1 Year · Full-time · London · 09/2024

Tariff points: N/A

Digital Media Design

University of Winchester

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Winchester · 16/09/2024

Tariff points: 96/112

Illustration

Petroc

FdA · 2 Years · Full-time · Barnstaple · 11/09/2023

Tariff points: 48/48

Design (Placement Year)

Lancaster University

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time with year in industry · Lancaster · 10/2023

Tariff points: 128/128

Graphic Design

New College Swindon University Centre

HND · 2 Years · Full-time · Swindon · 09/2024

Tariff points: 48/112

Animation

University of Portsmouth

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Portsmouth · 23/09/2024

Tariff points: 112/120

Photography

Leicester College

HND · 2 Years · Full-time · Leicester · 09/2024

Tariff points: 32/32

Photographic Practice

Nottingham College

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Nottingham · 25/09/2023

Tariff points: 64/64

Illustration [with Placement year]

Anglia Ruskin University

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Sandwich · Cambridge · 09/09/2024

Tariff points: 96/96

Fine Art with Foundation Year

University of Wolverhampton

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Wolverhampton · 16/09/2024

Tariff points: 48/48

Art History with Foundation Year

Birkbeck, University of London

BA (Hons) · 6 Years · Part-time · London · 10/2024

Tariff points: N/A

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