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Artist vs graphic artist

The differences between artists and graphic artists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an artist has an average salary of $68,690, which is higher than the $54,900 average annual salary of a graphic artist.

The top three skills for an artist include maya, adobe photoshop and customer service. The most important skills for a graphic artist are graphic design, adobe photoshop, and adobe illustrator.

Artist vs graphic artist overview

ArtistGraphic Artist
Yearly salary$68,690$54,900
Hourly rate$33.02$26.39
Growth rate6%3%
Number of jobs3,8708,752
Job satisfaction4-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age4038
Years of experience-12

What does an artist do?

An Artist specializes in creating various artworks or prose; the audience can vary from individuals or the general public. An artist's responsibility depends on the industry, company, or position where they are assigned. However, most of the time, Artists are expected to work under specific guidelines, deliver materials in a required format within an allotted time and perform revisions according to what is preferred by an editor or client. Furthermore, independent artists may work freelance and receive commissions for their craft.

What does a graphic artist do?

A graphic artist is either an illustrator or an animator who creates art work that will be used in graphic projects such as advertisements, posters, or even book covers. Although a graphic artist has his/her own style of artwork, he/she may be often commissioned to create art specifically for a particular project. A graphic artist may work with a graphic designer in order to convey the overall message of a project. The portfolio of a graphic artist includes cartoons, illustrations, and graphic novels.

Artist vs graphic artist salary

Artists and graphic artists have different pay scales, as shown below.

ArtistGraphic Artist
Average salary$68,690$54,900
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $110,000Between $35,000 And $84,000
Highest paying CitySan Rafael, CABellevue, WA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaWashington
Best paying companyMetaParsons
Best paying industryTechnologyNon Profits

Differences between artist and graphic artist education

There are a few differences between an artist and a graphic artist in terms of educational background:

ArtistGraphic Artist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorFine ArtsGraphic Design
Most common collegeHarvard UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Artist vs graphic artist demographics

Here are the differences between artists' and graphic artists' demographics:

ArtistGraphic Artist
Average age4038
Gender ratioMale, 45.2% Female, 54.8%Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 7.6% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 10.4% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage11%13%

Differences between artist and graphic artist duties and responsibilities

Artist example responsibilities.

  • Manage studio workload and advise print direction to in-house and freelance cad artists.
  • Manage online product catalog using Dreamweaver.
  • Assist customers with product selection and process POS transactions.
  • Provide comparative analysis on traditional vs. Mac vs. PC production.
  • Animate in-game characters, user interface assets and particle effects.
  • Own & operate a specialize faux painting, mural and art business.
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Graphic artist example responsibilities.

  • Manage external communications such as brochures and other sales collateral for direct mail from inception to circulation.
  • Develop, debug, and maintain client websites using HTML & CSS, WordPress, and basic use of JavaScript.
  • Flash & Dreamweaver software assisting in production of the company website.
  • Create custom graphic art for cars, windows, store fronts, business signs.
  • Design and implement the company's first Facebook app and engages in designing everything encompassing pixels and print.
  • Design, develop and maintain websites as projects present themselves with the use of HTML and WYSIWYG web development tools.
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Artist vs graphic artist skills

Common artist skills
  • Maya, 13%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 8%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Graphic Design, 7%
  • Photography, 7%
  • VFX, 6%
Common graphic artist skills
  • Graphic Design, 12%
  • Adobe Photoshop, 10%
  • Adobe Illustrator, 9%
  • Art Direction, 7%
  • Photography, 5%
  • Brochures, 4%

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