by Aimee Chou, EarnMyDegree.com
The myth of the "starving artist" has painted a liberal-arts or fine-arts degree as a death knell to financial stability, leading some "creatives" to become accountants instead. But is the myth really true?
Less Wonk, More Warhol
Without an MBA or M.D., you can still have a well-paying career. Now is an ideal time to embrace your right brain, with a few guidelines:
Go digital. Oil never goes out of style, but pixels pay better in today's market. Invest in a raster-based digital paint application, to stay in tune with the times and still somewhat true to traditional media.
Major in business, minor in fine arts. Like supply and demand, marketing and fine arts are two sides of the same coin. Learn to sketch out a business plan, and your art just might thrive.
Market yourself. Artists starve when commercialism doesn't match creativity. Talent notwithstanding, your work must endear you to a gallery or company's bottom line via marketing or target audience analysis.
Think "four tiers." Artists fit into one of four categories, and so do their income brackets (median salaries from the Bureau of Labor Statistics):
* Art director: Oversees design, layout, copywriting, and more. $68,100
* Multi-media artist: Animators, graphic designers, and game developers. $51,350
* Fine artist: Painters, sculptors, and illustrators. $41,970
* Craft artist: Works ceramics, textiles, stained glass, and more. $24, 090
Hot Art-Related Fields
According to Daniel Pink, author of "A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future," left-brained jobs are increasingly outsourced. What remains are more art-related opportunities than ever -- requiring intuition, pattern recognition, and holistic meaning (salaries from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unless otherwise noted):
Postsecondary teacher. Art is back -- and bigger than ever -- on the curriculum. Neuroimaging studies show that the arts affect student cognition, reigniting a hot career path. From music to performing arts schools, students everywhere need inspiring teachers. Median Salary: $51,240.
Greeting card writer. Make a living by making people laugh, cry and reminisce. Half sentimental and half humor, this $7.5 billion industry is perfect for creative freelancers. Salary: Two tiers of payment range from $35-$50 to $75-$125 per assignment (Greeting Card Association).
Grant writer. Even if art grew on trees, funding it doesn't. For performing, visual, and literary arts organizations, it comes from compelling proposals. As a bonus, you'll vicariously indulge in the excitement of watching art come to life. Median Salary: $49,623.
Video game developer. This industry never sleeps, as gamers are always waiting for the "next big thing." Don't snooze on the chance to turn your hobby into a vocation -- as a software tester, documentation writer and more. Median Salary: $51,350 (multi-media artists).
Architect. This dual-brained career is growing fast to accommodate infrastructure changes. For a surefire foot in the door, add computer-aided design and drafting technology skills to your portfolio. Median Salary: $62,960.
Curator. Love all things historic, aesthetic, and preserved? As a curator, you'll wear multiple hats doing what you love -- including administration, PR, fundraising, and technology (like digital imaging and scanning technology). Median Salary: $46,300.
Brand manager. More globalization, products, and competition means more careers. Managers mix creativity with business smarts to differentiate one brand among many and ultimately maximize product sales. Median Salary: $72,620.
Job Info , Jobs Sources , Employment
The myth of the "starving artist" has painted a liberal-arts or fine-arts degree as a death knell to financial stability, leading some "creatives" to become accountants instead. But is the myth really true?
Less Wonk, More Warhol
Without an MBA or M.D., you can still have a well-paying career. Now is an ideal time to embrace your right brain, with a few guidelines:
Go digital. Oil never goes out of style, but pixels pay better in today's market. Invest in a raster-based digital paint application, to stay in tune with the times and still somewhat true to traditional media.
Major in business, minor in fine arts. Like supply and demand, marketing and fine arts are two sides of the same coin. Learn to sketch out a business plan, and your art just might thrive.
Market yourself. Artists starve when commercialism doesn't match creativity. Talent notwithstanding, your work must endear you to a gallery or company's bottom line via marketing or target audience analysis.
Think "four tiers." Artists fit into one of four categories, and so do their income brackets (median salaries from the Bureau of Labor Statistics):
* Art director: Oversees design, layout, copywriting, and more. $68,100
* Multi-media artist: Animators, graphic designers, and game developers. $51,350
* Fine artist: Painters, sculptors, and illustrators. $41,970
* Craft artist: Works ceramics, textiles, stained glass, and more. $24, 090
Hot Art-Related Fields
According to Daniel Pink, author of "A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future," left-brained jobs are increasingly outsourced. What remains are more art-related opportunities than ever -- requiring intuition, pattern recognition, and holistic meaning (salaries from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unless otherwise noted):
Postsecondary teacher. Art is back -- and bigger than ever -- on the curriculum. Neuroimaging studies show that the arts affect student cognition, reigniting a hot career path. From music to performing arts schools, students everywhere need inspiring teachers. Median Salary: $51,240.
Greeting card writer. Make a living by making people laugh, cry and reminisce. Half sentimental and half humor, this $7.5 billion industry is perfect for creative freelancers. Salary: Two tiers of payment range from $35-$50 to $75-$125 per assignment (Greeting Card Association).
Grant writer. Even if art grew on trees, funding it doesn't. For performing, visual, and literary arts organizations, it comes from compelling proposals. As a bonus, you'll vicariously indulge in the excitement of watching art come to life. Median Salary: $49,623.
Video game developer. This industry never sleeps, as gamers are always waiting for the "next big thing." Don't snooze on the chance to turn your hobby into a vocation -- as a software tester, documentation writer and more. Median Salary: $51,350 (multi-media artists).
Architect. This dual-brained career is growing fast to accommodate infrastructure changes. For a surefire foot in the door, add computer-aided design and drafting technology skills to your portfolio. Median Salary: $62,960.
Curator. Love all things historic, aesthetic, and preserved? As a curator, you'll wear multiple hats doing what you love -- including administration, PR, fundraising, and technology (like digital imaging and scanning technology). Median Salary: $46,300.
Brand manager. More globalization, products, and competition means more careers. Managers mix creativity with business smarts to differentiate one brand among many and ultimately maximize product sales. Median Salary: $72,620.
Job Info , Jobs Sources , Employment
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