Graphic artists draw everything from comic strips to cartoons to business logos to illustrations on pamphlets, product packages, books, etc. They are now designing websites.
An emerging field is the computer visual artist who creates everything through the masterful use of animation software. Professional companies who need good websites go to graphic artists and illustrators to do the job.
Visual artists use an almost limitless variety of methods and materials to communicate ideas, thoughts and feelings. They may use oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, silkscreen, plaster or any of a number of other media, including computers, to create abstract works or images of objects, people, nature or events.
Visual artists generally fall into one of two categories, fine artists and graphic artists. Fine artists do their art for their own interests, graphic artists do whatever they are hired to do.
Graphic designers may design special packaging and promotional displays for a new product or a distinctive logo for company stationery and products.
The field of graphic arts is not limited to advertising. Illustrators paint or draw pictures for books, magazines and films. Many do a variety of illustrations, while others specialize in a particular field.
Editorial artists specialize in illustrations for magazines, record album covers, theater posters and other publications. This specialty is perhaps the most glamorous graphic art specialty.
Medical and scientific illustrators combine an interest in art with knowledge of the biological and physical sciences. They draw illustrations of parts of the human body or animals and plants.
These illustrations are used in medical textbooks and in slide presentations for teaching purposes. Fashion illustrators draw stylish illustrations of the latest fashions in women's and men's clothing.
Some illustrators draw story boards for TV commercials. Story boards present TV commercials in a series of scenes in much the
same way as a newspaper comic strip tells a story so that the advertising agency and the client (the company doing the advertising) can evaluate the effectiveness of proposed commercials.
Some graphic artists, especially illustrators, are freelancers who do individual projects for those wishing to use their services. While freelancers can set their own hours, much time and effort must be expanded on recruiting potential customers and building a reputation for high quality and dependable work.
Visual artists are concentrated in large cities. New York City has by far the largest concentration because it is the center of both advertising and publishing. Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco also have many artists.
The portfolio is a collection of examples of the artist’s best work. There are many kinds of art schools but ultimately your education doesn't matter, your portfolio and skill do.
Freelance work may be hard to come by, especially at first and many freelancers earn very little until they acquire experience and establish a good reputation.
Competition in all sectors of the visual arts is fierce. The supply of those seeking entry to this field will continue to exceed requirements in both the graphic and fine arts fields.
Nonetheless, graphic arts studios and clients alike are always on the lookout for artists who display outstanding talent, creativity and style.
Graphic arts goes from #760-769 at the library.
Multimedia artists create websites, graphic images, computer-generated images for video, powerpoint presentations, etc. They're part graphic artist, part techno geek. They can also create TV commercials, email maketing campaigns, cd-rom design, dvd design and do search engine marketing services. Some of them even get into software creation.
artist-schools.com
bls.gov/oco/ocos090.htm, designers.
bls.gov/oco/ocos092.htm, artists.
nmaa.com, national multimedia assn.
nmaa.org/nmaa/jobbank
An emerging field is the computer visual artist who creates everything through the masterful use of animation software. Professional companies who need good websites go to graphic artists and illustrators to do the job.
Visual artists use an almost limitless variety of methods and materials to communicate ideas, thoughts and feelings. They may use oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, silkscreen, plaster or any of a number of other media, including computers, to create abstract works or images of objects, people, nature or events.
Visual artists generally fall into one of two categories, fine artists and graphic artists. Fine artists do their art for their own interests, graphic artists do whatever they are hired to do.
Graphic designers may design special packaging and promotional displays for a new product or a distinctive logo for company stationery and products.
The field of graphic arts is not limited to advertising. Illustrators paint or draw pictures for books, magazines and films. Many do a variety of illustrations, while others specialize in a particular field.
Editorial artists specialize in illustrations for magazines, record album covers, theater posters and other publications. This specialty is perhaps the most glamorous graphic art specialty.
Medical and scientific illustrators combine an interest in art with knowledge of the biological and physical sciences. They draw illustrations of parts of the human body or animals and plants.
These illustrations are used in medical textbooks and in slide presentations for teaching purposes. Fashion illustrators draw stylish illustrations of the latest fashions in women's and men's clothing.
Some illustrators draw story boards for TV commercials. Story boards present TV commercials in a series of scenes in much the
same way as a newspaper comic strip tells a story so that the advertising agency and the client (the company doing the advertising) can evaluate the effectiveness of proposed commercials.
Some graphic artists, especially illustrators, are freelancers who do individual projects for those wishing to use their services. While freelancers can set their own hours, much time and effort must be expanded on recruiting potential customers and building a reputation for high quality and dependable work.
Visual artists are concentrated in large cities. New York City has by far the largest concentration because it is the center of both advertising and publishing. Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco also have many artists.
The portfolio is a collection of examples of the artist’s best work. There are many kinds of art schools but ultimately your education doesn't matter, your portfolio and skill do.
Freelance work may be hard to come by, especially at first and many freelancers earn very little until they acquire experience and establish a good reputation.
Competition in all sectors of the visual arts is fierce. The supply of those seeking entry to this field will continue to exceed requirements in both the graphic and fine arts fields.
Nonetheless, graphic arts studios and clients alike are always on the lookout for artists who display outstanding talent, creativity and style.
Graphic arts goes from #760-769 at the library.
Multimedia artists create websites, graphic images, computer-generated images for video, powerpoint presentations, etc. They're part graphic artist, part techno geek. They can also create TV commercials, email maketing campaigns, cd-rom design, dvd design and do search engine marketing services. Some of them even get into software creation.
artist-schools.com
bls.gov/oco/ocos090.htm, designers.
bls.gov/oco/ocos092.htm, artists.
nmaa.com, national multimedia assn.
nmaa.org/nmaa/jobbank
