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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
£13,689
£36,496
£68,250

New workers start around £13,689. Normal pay is £36,496 per year.
Highly experienced workers can earn up to £68,250.

Available jobs

In the past year there were 11,428 vacancies for this type of job

8.30%

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

  • Machinery

  • Hand Tools

  • Power Tool Operation

  • Carpentry

  • Workflow Management

  • Adobe Photoshop

  • Animations

  • Technical Drawing

  • Adobe Illustrator

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

  • Problem Solving

  • Customer Service

  • Management

  • Teaching

  • Organizational Skills

  • Teamwork

  • Planning

  • Sales

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

  • Graphics & Digital Design FT

    Nottingham Trent University

    FdA · 2 Years · Full-time · Nottingham · 09/2026

  • Photography & Moving Image

    East Sussex College

    BA (Hons) · 6 Years · Part-time · Hastings · 21/09/2026

  • Graphic Design

    Bedford College Group

    HND · 1 Year · Full-time · Bedford · 09/2026

  • Graphic Design (Top-up)

    University Centre Farnborough

    BA (Hons) · 1 Year · Full-time · Farnborough · 01/2027

  • Fine Art (Top-up)

    London Metropolitan University

    BA · 2 Years · Part-time · London · 09/2026

  • Animation

    University of Gloucestershire

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Cheltenham · 21/09/2026

  • Fine Art and Material Practice

    SGS (South Gloucestershire and Stroud College)

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Bristol · 09/2026

  • History of Art

    Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · London · 21/09/2026

  • Illustration with Animation

    Manchester Metropolitan University

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Manchester · 28/09/2026

  • Fine Art with Foundation Year

    University of Wolverhampton

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Wolverhampton · 09/2026

  • Fine Art with Foundation Year

    Buckinghamshire New University

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · High Wycombe · 09/2026

  • Animation

    University of Portsmouth

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Sandwich · Portsmouth · 14/09/2026

  • Comics and Graphic Novels

    Teesside University

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Sandwich · Middlesbrough · 21/09/2026

  • Computer Games Development

    University of Westminster, London

    BSc (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time with year in industry · London · 14/09/2026

  • Fine Art: Painting

    University of the Arts London

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · London · 28/09/2026

  • Animation

    UCEN Manchester

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Manchester · 09/2026

  • Photography with Lens Based Practices

    Chichester College Group (inc Brinsbury, Chichester, Crawley, Northbrook & Worthing Colleges)

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · West Sussex · 09/2026

  • Ceramics

    Coleg Sir Gar

    Cert · 1 Year · Full-time · Carmarthen · 09/2026

  • Fine Art

    University of Northampton

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Northampton · 21/09/2026

  • Fine Art

    Aberystwyth University

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Aberystwyth · 21/09/2026