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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
£36,495
£68,248

New workers start around £13,689. Normal pay is £36,495 per year.
Highly experienced workers can earn up to £68,248.

Available jobs

In the past year there were 11,426 vacancies for this type of job

8.29%

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

  • Adobe Photoshop

  • Autodesk Maya

  • Workflow Management

  • Animations

  • Carpentry

  • 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

  • Customer Service

  • Problem Solving

  • Teaching

  • Management

  • Time Management

  • Organizational Skills

  • Teamwork

  • Self-Motivation

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

  • Illustration with Animation

    Manchester Metropolitan University

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

    Tariff points: 104/112

  • Design (Study Abroad)

    Lancaster University

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time with time abroad · Lancaster · 01/10/2024

    Tariff points: 128/128

  • Graphic Design (Top-up)

    University Centre Farnborough

    BA (Hons) · 1 Year · Full-time · Farnborough · 09/2024

    Tariff points: N/A

  • Animation

    University of Gloucestershire

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

    Tariff points: 96/96

  • History of Art

    Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London

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

    Tariff points: 128/144

  • Fine Art with Foundation Year

    University of Wolverhampton

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

    Tariff points: 48/48

  • Comics and Graphic Novels

    Teesside University

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Sandwich · Middlesbrough · 13/01/2025

    Tariff points: 96/112

  • Ceramics

    Coleg Sir Gar

    Cert · 1 Year · Full-time · Carmarthen · 09/2024

    Tariff points: 96/96

  • Commercial Photography

    University of East London

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

    Tariff points: 112/112

  • Animation

    The University of Edinburgh

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

    Tariff points: N/A

  • Acting

    University of Hull

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

    Tariff points: 112/112

  • Fine Art

    Aberystwyth University

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

    Tariff points: 104/120

  • Illustration

    Petroc

    FdA · 2 Years · Full-time · Barnstaple · 09/2024

    Tariff points: 48/48

  • Fine Art (with Foundation Year)

    Liverpool Hope University

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time including foundation year · Liverpool · 23/09/2024

    Tariff points: 48/48

  • The Animation Industry

    UCEN Manchester

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

    Tariff points: 64/64

  • Photography

    Southampton, Solent University

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

    Tariff points: 104/120