What Do Fine Artists and Painters Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Fine Artists and Painters create original artwork using any of a wide variety of media and techniques. They also use materials such as pens and ink, watercolors, charcoal, oil, or computer software to create artwork.

Other tasks include:

• Integrate and develop visual elements, such as line, space, mass, color, and perspective, to produce desired effects, such as the illustration of ideas, emotions, or moods.
• Model substances such as clay or wax, using fingers and small hand tools to form objects.
• Create sculptures, statues, and other three-dimensional artwork by using abrasives and tools to shape, carve, and fabricate materials such as clay, stone, wood, or metal.
• Set up exhibitions of artwork for display or sale.
• Render drawings, illustrations, and sketches of buildings, manufactured products, or models, working from sketches, blueprints, memory, models, or reference materials.
• Confer with clients, editors, writers, art directors, and other interested parties regarding the nature and content of artwork to be produced.

We asked Fine Artists and Painters how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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58% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 51% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Fine Artists and Painters integrate and develop visual elements, such as line, space, mass, color, and perspective, to produce desired effects, such as the illustration of ideas, emotions, or moods. They use materials such as pens and ink, watercolors, charcoal, oil, or computer software to create artwork.

• Apply solvents and cleaning agents to clean surfaces of paintings, and to remove accretions, discolorations, and deteriorated varnish.
• Shade and fill in sketch outlines and backgrounds, using a variety of media such as water colors, markers, and transparent washes, labeling designated colors when necessary.
• Create sculptures, statues, and other three-dimensional artwork by using abrasives and tools to shape, carve, and fabricate materials such as clay, stone, wood, or metal.
• Model substances such as clay or wax, using fingers and small hand tools to form objects.
• Submit preliminary or finished artwork or project plans to clients for approval, incorporating changes as necessary.

We asked some Fine Artists and Painters a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	26% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	8% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	17% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	51% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	51% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Fine Artists and Painters also frame and mat artwork for display or sale. They may also monitor events, trends, and other circumstances, research specific subject areas, attend art exhibitions, and read art publications to develop ideas and keep current on art world activities.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Fine Artists and Painters Create and prepare sketches and model drawings of cartoon characters, providing details from memory, live models, manufactured products, or reference materials. They might also Cut, bend, laminate, arrange, and fasten individual or mixed raw and manufactured materials and products to form works of art.

In addition, they Photograph objects, places, or scenes for reference material.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Maintain portfolios of artistic work to demonstrate styles, interests, and abilities.

To some Fine Artists and Painters, it is also their responsibility to Study different techniques to learn how to apply them to artistic endeavors.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Irregular work schedule that changes depending on weather conditions, customer demand or contract duration.

In a typical work week as a Fine Artist, Painter, Sculptor and Illustrator, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/arts-and-design/craft-and-fine-artists.htm

http://nasad.arts-accredit.org/

http://www.craftcouncil.org/

https://www.nyfa.org/