Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators

What the job really is

Create original artwork using any of a wide variety of media and techniques.

At a glance

• Sector: Arts, Design & Media
• O*NET-SOC code: 27-1013
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Use materials such as pens and ink, watercolors, charcoal, oil, or computer software to create artwork.
• 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.
• Confer with clients, editors, writers, art directors, and other interested parties regarding the nature and content of artwork to be produced.
• Maintain portfolios of artistic work to demonstrate styles, interests, and abilities.
• Market artwork through brochures, mailings, or Web sites.
• Study different techniques to learn how to apply them to artistic endeavors.
• 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.
• Photograph objects, places, or scenes for reference material.
• 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.

Tools and technology

Adobe Acrobat, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk Maya, C#, C++, Extensible markup language XML, Facebook

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Special Effects Artists and Animators
• Graphic Designers
• Craft Artists
• Etchers and Engravers
• Art Directors
• Set and Exhibit Designers
• Photographers
• Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.