Artist working at an art-related job:

[Chocolate]

Can y’all help out new artists who want to work in the art industry? What type of jobs are there? How can we land an interview/getting an art job? Any advice is appreciated! 🥰

[river121693]

I think for any specific advices, you first need to specify which art industry you’re interested in. Fine arts? Comic? Animation? concept art? Graphic design? Etc. It's like asking "what kind of job is in the science industry?". The answer is "countless."

Each sector of each industry requires different skills and credentials. Some require a great portfolio, others require require a degree. There are so many positions within each industry which require their own skills— within comics you have writers, line artists, colorists, editors at different levels, company directors etc.

I personally was in the fine arts field for a while. I worked as a curator/exhibition organizer and art handler (delivering and installing artworks for museums, galleries and homes). I also had my own art practice on the side. I originally wanted to be an animator, but I got into the fine arts fields because that was the focus of my university Art program, teachers, and cohort.

I would start thinking of a general direction for your art career. For example, if you want to go into animation, look into education programs and other opportunities (universities, private classes, internships) that specializes in animation. Learn all the softwares that might be useful in the future. Build a good skill sets that puts your in demand.

[NickRowler]

It depends what you want to do.

I used to work as a photo/video editor. I did take class in school for video editing and I had experience doing camera work, that is how I go the job. The job was very assembly line and not really "creative". A lot of these jobs are also being outsourced online to self-employed editors and contract workers. If you are interested in this type of work, I would recommend creating a portfolio/reel and start out working with a YouTuber.

I also briefly worked as a photographer. The company I worked with provided the cameras tho some self-employed photographers would have their own. The downside to these types of job is a lot of travel usually very early in the morning. It also tends to be temp, in the case of something like a school photographer. In the case of something like a school photographer, they are more interested in if you can set up equipment and frame a shot than stuff like an artistic portfolio.

[RedLenai]

As other's have mentioned, it depends on which area you want to get into.

In my case I went through the """easy""" route, which is being an underage kiddo building a fanbase by doing fanart, memes, original characters or comic strips on social media. Then as I got older until I could legally work (In my case 15 years old), I started taking commissions online.
Not really anything unknown so far, simply sharing my work or a pricelist sheet online be it in groups or any place that counts as a community, then of course, offering my services when others looked for artists. With the same modus operandi I landed jobs designing characters, making covers, animatics, webcomics, PNGtuber avatars, printable designs, pins, etc.

Of course, if you want to know about this one then there is a thread where I mention everything I do

Then my other art related jobs were

1. Hairdressing, basically while I studied I won a few awards be it for styling hair and arranging it for special themes or topics. Of course, here your network is basically anyone that knows you and knows you're studying will likely apply to be your guinea pig, as well that once you hit the second half of the course you went to the Salon downstairs and had to deal with clients, since you're a student you obviously don't get paid, but if you do a nice work the clients will likely give you a tip (Here in Argentina, tipping is not obligatory, and is only given if you provide a decent service, so you know how your social and working skills are based no that)

2. I've also worked, at the age of 17, as a video editor be it for my teachers, classmates, maybe some montage for a friend who wanted to make a lil' online ad for their own business. Here was meanwhile I was studying Video Production and Editing, I probably got 3-4 "creative" videos, but because it was a homework students had, I got paid not a big sum but part of my graduation jacket was paid with it.

3. Another creative job I had was painting murals, design the art of handmade toys for children and such. My school since it had the Visual Arts modality, you kinda had people asking you to paint stuff for them, teacher taught us to always charge for the work, and double charge if the person is asking us because they are too lazy to do it. I also did murals at a Kindergarten but because my brother was assisting there and he caught people's attentions with the Cool Covers his note books had, this one wasn't paid in money, but I got paid in several bags of nonperishable food.

4. Then of course I gave some Anime/Manga classes as well Art Class support for students that... didn't pass the subject. Don't ask me how, usually even doing the laziest drawing gets you a nice score, but well. This one was more about self-promoting myself, like printing ads and leaving them with tape in certain populated areas of my city.

5. Make-Up, I couldn't do this one much due to quarantine, but the year prior to the lockdown I did the makeup course. My title is Social and Professional MakeUp Artist, but since most of the time I had helped cosplayers on anime events I also had experience with SFX makeup. I didn't asist events during that year, but I would meet with Cosplayers on a certain area in between to do their makeup before the event started, I helped a few moms prepare to some events like graduations, degrees, job interviews, religious choruses and such. I didn't get paid much, just a tiny bit higher to the total haul of my makeup products (Mostly charged for what I've used on the client + service + Beaty treatment prep). My network that time were friends, followers from my art accounts, friends from my mom or grandmother.

[darthmongoose]

I won't detail my whole life story of how I got to be a pro illustrator, because it's a complicated mess and absolutely not a path I'd recommend anyone else follow step by step (did an unrelated degree, made webcomics the whole time as a hobby, did random internships and started doing more and more commissions, did a crappy factory job to save up, did another, more related degree, did more commissions...).

But I can give some general advice...

1. Your portfolio is more important than your qualifications. Get a website that's easy to find and that uses phrases that make you come up on searches. So when I was in London, my portfolio said things like "Kate Holden is a Games Artist and Illustrator based in London." and it got me work because people searched "Games Artist London" and boom, it found me.
   Your portfolio should be a tight collection of work that shows a few pieces of the styles you do best or the projects that will most impress a client. If you want comics work, it should definitely include comic pages, ideally selections of 5 sequential pages in a row.
2. Make connections with other artists. Support their work, be a friend, encourage people around your own level. Some of the best jobs I've ever had came along when an artist was like "hey, I have this offer of work but I'm too busy on this other project, you're reliable and would suit this, do you want me to put you forward?"
3. Be your friendly neighbourhood artist. Do portrait commissions, do workshops at the local library, draw flyers for local shops and events. No job too small! It's a great way to build up a network of support.
4. Diversify your skillset. Just being able to draw isn't always enough to stand out, so try to add other related skills, like learn to do live 2D,digital painting, 3D modeling, animation, design, or copywriting.
5. Assume you'll need to do at least some work that isn't making art sometimes. It's totally normal.
6. Learn about how to get set up as a sole trader in your country, and how to do your taxes, get public liability insurance and possibly a CRB check if you're doing workshops, keep everything above board and try to give the impression of being a reliable professional.

[Chocolate]

How do you file taxes if you’re doing commission work freelance? Like what type of form for the US artist?

[darthmongoose]

You're going to have to look up that information for yourself, I'm British. Just search online for things like "US become self employed artist tax" or something and you'll find it.

You're going to need to get very proactive about seeking out this sort of information for yourself if you want to work in the arts. Being motivated, organised and able to manage your finances and legal obligations effectively, and being able to market yourself are all practically as important as being able to draw to a consistently high level. If you're not easy to work with, reliable with deadlines and somebody who can be trusted to have everything above-board, it won't work out.