What are careers in art and design?

Photography, graphic design, and illustration are careers in art and design. Here is a more detailed look at these career paths and others in art and design:

• Photographer

  There are many different avenues you can pursue within photography, such as photojournalism, fine art photography, wedding and portrait photography, landscape photography, fashion photography, wildlife photography, music photography, and many more.

  Photographers may hold full-time positions at companies, work freelance, or run their photography studios. The type of photography you focus on will dictate what status of work you receive.

  A bachelor's degree in photography can be helpful, as you are likely to add a lot of material to your photography portfolio while in college. However, higher education is not a requirement in this field.

  No matter what, you should seek to build your portfolio around a specific type of photography work, whatever most interests you and exhibits your talents.

• Graphic Designer

  Graphic designers are visual communicators who create concepts by hand or by using specialized graphic design software. They communicate ideas to inspire, inform, or captivate consumers through both physical and virtual art forms.

  This includes pictures, words, or graphics. Graphic designers communicate with department heads, clients, customers, and other designers, to ensure that their designs accurately reflect the desired message and effectively express the desired information.

  Most graphic designers get a bachelor's degree in graphic design. A career in the field is possible without a degree. However, you will need to gain the necessary skills and knowledge related to graphic design software, and build an impressive portfolio of work.

• Illustrator

  There are many different careers for an illustrator, such as fashion illustrator, children's book illustrator, medical illustrator, comic book illustrator, and storyboard illustrator for film and TV.

  The daily life of any illustrator sees them spending most of their time drawing and revising their work. Illustrators may draw by hand or use computer programs to execute a project.

  Much like the career of any artist, success relies on talent and how much you can develop your craft. Many illustrators get bachelor's degrees in illustration from art colleges.

  To obtain a career in illustration, you must build an impressive illustration portfolio. You can start this in college and continue on building it after through freelance illustration work and personal projects.

• Artist

  There are many different careers that fall under this title, some include ceramics artist, sculptor, make-up or special effects artist, collage artist, glass artist, painter, craft maker, or an artist's assistant.

  Some choose to get a bachelor's degree in fine art and a specified field. However, this is not a requirement. Qualifications to become an artist mostly rest in inherent or developed talent and craftsmanship. Many artists break into the field by shadowing a veteran artist or becoming their assistant.

  All of these artist career paths require a strong portfolio artwork. Most of these jobs are quite competitive and scarce. You must try to find freelance work at first, build a great portfolio, and perhaps you can then obtain a full-time position.

• Interior Designer

  Interior designers work to create spaces that are attractive, functional, and safe while adhering to the specific wants and needs of a client. They may work on commercial spaces, such as office buildings or hotels, or on an individual's residence, such as a house or apartment.

  Some of their specific duties include sitting with clients to hone in on their goals, visualizing how the space will be used, picking materials and furnishings, and overseeing project construction and installation.

  Most interior designers have a bachelor's degree in interior design. This is not a requirement, however, it can make launching a career in this field easier. Internship programs are another great resource to gain experience and possibly land a full time job in this field.