CAREER AS AN ARTIST
An artist is person who uses the medium of paper, wood, mud, clay, etc to manifest his feelings, emotions and perceptions to make them visible and real to the eyes of a connoisseur. An artist is creative, loves colours, experiments with shapes and forms and is driven by an intense urge to explore a medium for self expression.
A painter is an artist who uses the paintbrush, fingertips, razors or any such medium to bring life on canvas (including a graffiti artist).
A sculptor is an artist who uses clay, mud, wood and other materials to sculpt his expressions and make them tangible impressions of his personality.
Fine Artist is an artist who combines, both-sculpting and painting to manifest myriad thoughts on paper. Any of these who use their artistic talents for commercial gains can be a commercial artist.
The Job
- It requires dedicated hours and lives to come up with the masterpiece of lifetime
- Sometimes can spend entire life without either the hope or a chance of public recognition
- Subject to criticism and ridicule. On the flip side can become an M.F. Hussain.
- Most of the time not satisfied with their own piece of work and therefore insecurity plagues them.
- Sometimes tough to explain their masterpiece to the outside world
Personality Traits
- Quiet, spending hours, days and weeks together on a piece of job.
- Temperamental recluses
- Highly sensitive to images, people and the world around them
- Patient and endowed with a keen sense of observation.
- Creative & Imaginative
Job Prospects
- Most artists are not attached to any commercial organization as such unless sponsored by them. The reason for this is that painting and sculpting are highly individualistic forms of expression and therefore revolt under any sort of pressure and impositions.
- Fine artists are primarily attached with the advertising and publishing industry. Career options open to commercial artists are in:
- Advertising agencies, as visualizers, illustrators, graphic artists,
- Creative directors
- Design houses, as freelance illustrators, cartoonists, graphic artists, photographers etc. to design items like cards, calendars and book covers
- Print and electronic media, as commercial and graphic artists
- Greeting card agencies, that employ card designers
- Designing web pages using rich graphics is the latest challenge.
- Publishing houses commission artists to design book covers.
Salaries
- A freelance artist commands a price for his/ her work according to the value that the patron (client) puts on the quality of work and potential. While initially one may have to struggle to get Galleries to display one’s work, for the deserving artists, sky is the limit in terms of remuneration. Prices of paintings could range from anywhere between Rs.3000 to a few crores at the top end.
- As Commercial artists, the initial salary would be approx 2-3 Lacs per annum after a Graduate degree. As a Branch Head designers could earn approx. 35 - 50 lacs per annum.
Study Route
Art director and his team are selected from art schools or design institutes. The Bachelor of Applied Art course teaches the prospective creative artist the use of photography, graphics, and other visual communication media. Courses in multimedia and mass communication are also useful.
Class XII (any stream) with Art as an optional subject, followed by degree in applied art (4-5 years) or diploma in industrial design, or diploma in multimedia will be useful for the art and visual communication professionals.
Places to Study
Diploma Courses
- Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art, Dr. D. N. Road, Mumbai. Apprentice training in Photography, Interior Decoration.
- Faculty of Fine Arts, MS University of Baroda, Baroda. Painting, Sculpture, Applied Art.
- Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati, Shantiniketan - 731 235, West Bengal. Fine Art, Crafts, Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Art and Design.
- College of Fine Arts, Tilak Marg, New Delhi - 110 001
Degree Courses
- Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art, Dr. D. N. Road, Mumbai. Bachelor of Fine Arts after X entrance test.
- Faculty of Fine Arts MS University of Baroda, Baroda. Bachelors degree in Applied Arts, Art History, Painting, Sculpture.
- Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati, Shantiniketan - 731235, West Bengal. Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Art Design, History of Art.
- College of Fine Arts, Tilak Marg, New Delhi - 110 001. Bachelors degree in Painting, Sculpture, Applied Art.
Most of the above also have Post Diploma courses available.
Colleges Overseas
USA
- Academy of Art University
- Ball State University
- New England College
- Stephens College
- Pace University
- Rider University
- Xavier University
UK
- CECOS London College
- Aston Business School
- Henley Management School
- Grafton College of Management Sciences
- Bournemouth Business School International
- London College of Law and Management
- Aberdeen Business School
- Hamilton College, London
- Kelvin Business School
- Silpa Business Training
Australia
- Murdoch Business School
- Carrick Institute of Education
- Sydney School of Business and Technology
- Le Cordon Bleu Australia
- The University of Western Australia
Source: Compass One
Date: 12th Nov., 2009
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