So you want to be an artist… is this a realistic career choice, or are you going to live in a cockroach-invested flat for the rest of your life, fulfilling the "starving artist" stereotype? In short, the odds of being a successful fine artist (someone who makes a living by creating original, one-off pieces of art) are against you -- but some people do succeed. Though most of us are exposed to art only as paintings in galleries, art teachers, and hobby painters, there are many other options out there. Being a fine artist isn't the only career option for artists.
What Career Options are there for Artists?
A career in art is not limited to being a painter of canvases which get framed and sold in a gallery. Behind every piece of art in a newspaper, magazine, book, poster, and leaflet there's a graphic or commercial artist -- usually a team. There are graphic artists putting the magazines together, illustrators drawing the cartoons and graphics. Website designers, computer-graphic artists (computers don't draw the graphics themselves, they're just a tool, a modern version of a paint brush!), and animators. Film, TV, stage set building, Computer games, Art galleries and museums, Teaching art and art therapy, Mural painting and face painting.
Think more broadly: photography, landscape design, interior design, shop-window design and framing, Textile and clothing design, Furniture and lighting design, Architecture and engineering. These all require creative skills and, even if in your heart you long to be a fine artist, working in any of these fields will complement what you do at your easel in your 'own' time.
Will I Really Make Enough Money to Live On From an Art Career?
The creative industry is competitive, but that's symptomatic of the dedication people in it feel to their work. See it as a challenge to strive and succeed, rather than writing yourself off before you've even begun. It takes hard work and determination, the ability to sell you, and to produce the goods.
Art will not make you the same money as being, say, a stockbroker. But you have to decide what's more important to you: money or having a job/career you thoroughly enjoy. Do you want a fancy car, or simply one that'll get from A to B without breaking down? Assess your priorities and make your choices accordingly. Do without rather than go into debt for a non-essential (and take a critical look at what you consider essential). When you're 80 and look back on your life, what do you rather want be able to say: that you lived an interesting, creative life or that you lived in a huge house, had a new car regularly, and wish you'd found more time for your art?
Some people choose a job simply because it pays the bills and leaves them with plenty of time to pursue a fine-art career part time Or one in an unrelated field so it won't use up their creative energy. Only you can know if this is right for you. Personally I find being in a job I find dull, even for only a few hours a day, stifles my creativity. But balancing demanding, albeit creative jobs means I must work at ensuring I schedule enough painting time in the week.
What Qualifications Should You Get for an Art Career?
Take a look at all the options available at various fine art or a graphic art degrees/diplomas and choose the one that'll give you the most options -- you may think you know what you're going to enjoy, but may end up being surprised by what you enjoy most. Take enough business courses to ensure you've the skills to sell yourself and your work, and can manage your own business (do the books, pay your taxes, understand a contract etc.). You need good language skills to present yourself and your work -- e.g. could you write a good press release for your first show, compose a letter to a gallery without any grammatical or spelling errors? And make sure you can touch type -- it saves a lot of time! If you can't afford full-time college, do part-time courses rather than give up on the idea of an art career.
But I Want to Make a Career as a Fine Artist…!
It takes a lot of determination, hard work, hard selling, and persistence to make a career as a fine artist. You need to create paintings people want to buy. Are you willing to change your style and subject matter so that people will buy more? Will you take commissions, painting to order in terms of size, color, and subject? Being a competent painter isn't a magic wand. You also need to be able to market yourself and your work. It is possible to make a career as a fine artist, but it's tough and few artists make a living by only selling their work (at least initially). But then who says you can do only one thing at a time?
List of Art Colleges
A.V. College of Arts Science and Commerce (Est.: 1968),
Gagan Mahal, Hyderabad-500029
Tel: 040-27637751
St. Joseph's College (Est.: 1882)
36, Lalbagh Road, Shanthi Nagar, Bangalore-560027
Tel: 080-22274079
Website: www.sjc.ac.in
E-mail: principal@sjc.ac.in
Bhavan's (Est.: 1946)
Munshi Nagar, Andheri (W),
Mumbai-400058
Tel: 022-56970066
Website: www.bhavans.ac.in
St. Stephen's College (Est.: 1881)
University of Delhi Campus, Delhi-110007
Tel: 27667271
Website: www.ststephens.edu
E-mail: webmaster@ststephens.edu
Elphistone College (Est.: 1856)
156, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Fort, Mumbai-400032
Tel: 022-22844060
St. Xavier's College, Kolkata (Est.: 1860)
30, Park Street, Kolkata-700016
Tel: 033-22875995
Website: www.sxccal.edu
Ethiraj College for Women (Est.: 1948)
27, Ethiraj Salai, Chennai-600008
Tel: 044-28279189
St. Xavier's College Ahmadabad (est.: 1955)
Navrangpur, Ahmedabad-308009
Tel: 079-26308057
Fergusson College (Est.: 1885)
F.C. Road, Dellan, Pune-411004
Tel: 020-25675359
Website: www.fergusson.edu
E-mail:fip_comp@vsnl.com
St. Xavier's College Mumbai (Est.: 1869)
5, Mahapalika Marg, Mumbai-400001
Tel: 022-22620662
Website: www.xaviers.edu
E-mail: admin@xaviers.edu
Hansraj College (Est.: 1948)
North Campus, Delhi Universty-110007
Tel: 011-27667747
Website: www.hansrajcollege.com
Stella Maris College (Est.: 1947)
17, Cathedral Road Chennai-600086
Tel: 044-28111987
Website: www.stellamariscollege.org
E-mail: smc@md3.vsnl.net.in
Hindu College (Est.: 1899)
North Campus, Delhi University, Delhi-110007
Tel: 011-27667284
Website: www.hinducollege.org
Symbiosis International Cultural Centre's Arts & Commerce College (Est.: 1983)
8th Floor, Symbiosis Vishwa Bhavan, Ganesh Khind,
Senapati Bapat Road, Pune-411004
Tel: 020-25652444
Website: www.siec.ac.in
Mithibai College (Est.: 1960)
Vile Parle West, Mumbai- 400056
Tel: 022-26184354
Website: mithibai.svkm.ac.in
Mount Carmel College (Est.: 1949)
58, Place Road, Bangalore-560052
Tel: 080-22261750
Website: www.mountcarmelcollegeblr.org
E-mail: mounts@bgl.vsnl.net.in
National College, Jayanagar (Est.: 1965)
36B, 7th Phase, Jayanagar, Bangalore- 560082
Tel: 080-26549684
City College (Est.: 1879)
102/1, Ram Mohan Roy Sarani, Kolkata-700009
Tel: 033-23501565
Presidency College, Chennai (Est.: 1840)
Kamarajar Salai, Chennai-600005
Tel: 044-28544894
Jesus & Mary College (Est.: 1968)
Chanakyapuri, Delhi-110021
Tel: 011-26110041
Website: www.jmcdelhi.com
Presidency College, Kolkata (Est.: 1817)
86/1, College Streets, Kolkata-700073
Tel: 033-22412738
Website: www.presidencycollegekolkata.org
Jyoti Nivas College (Est.: 1966)
Hosur Road, Bangalore-560095
Tel: 080-25631730
Website: www.jyotinivas.org
E-mail: info@jyotinives.org
Queen Mary's College (Est.: 1914)
MR Railway Station, Chennai-600004
Tel: 044-28445910
Website: www.queenmarys.net
E-mail: info@queenmarys.net
K.J. Somaiya College of Arts & Commerce (Est.: 1960)
Vidya Vihar East, Mumbai-400077
Tel: 022-25115915
Website:www.somaiya.edu
Sophia College for Women (Est.: 1941)
Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai-400026
Tel: 23512642
Lady Brabourne College (Est.: 1939)
P-1/2 Suhrawardi Avenue, Kolkata-700017
Tel: 033-22448120
Website: www.ladybrabourne.com
St. Joseph's College (Est.: 1882)
36, Lalbagh Road, Shanthi Nagar, Bangalore-560027
Tel: 080-22274079
Website: www.sjc.ac.in
E-mail: principal@sjc.ac.in
Loyola College (Est.: 1925)
Chennai-600034
Tel: 044-28178200
Website: www.loyolacollege.edu
E-mail: helpdesk@loyolacollege.edu
Sophia College for Women (Est.: 1941)
Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai-400026
Tel: 23512642
Miranda House (Est.: 1948)
Patel Chest Marg, Delhi-110007
Tel: 011-27667367
Website: www.mirandahouse.ac.in
E-mail: mhouse@ndf.vsnl.net.in
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