How to become an Artist
Official title: Artists
Also called: Artist, Fine artist, Henna artist, Press artist, Scenic artist, Tattoo artist, Visual artist, Fashion artist, Medical artist, Textile artist, Artist-designer, Artist-illustrator
Artists create artistic works using appropriate techniques, materials and media; design artwork and illustrations; and restore damaged pieces of art.
Main tasks
- Conceives and develops ideas and ways of working for artistic composition
- Selects appropriate materials, medium and method
- Prepares sketches, scale drawings or colour schemes
- Builds up composition into finished work by carving, sculpting, etching, painting, engraving, drawing, etc.
- Approaches managers of galleries and exhibitions in order to get finished work displayed
- Uses artistic skills to restore damaged artworks
- Liaises with writers and publishers to produce book illustrations
- Markets and sells finished work directly to customers
How to become one
No specific academic qualifications are required although a variety of vocational qualifications, degrees and postgraduate courses are available. Entry can be based upon portfolio work.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Storyboard artist (level 7). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0489.
- University: Creative Arts & Design degrees, Offered by 26 universities in the UK
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £47,763 a year
- About 55,200 people work in this job now, and about 61,400 are projected by 2035. (+11.1%)
Related jobs
- Musicians
- Arts officers, producers and directors
- Authors, writers and translators
- Actors, entertainers and presenters
- Dancers and choreographers
- Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators
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Questions people ask
How do I become an Artist?
No specific academic qualifications are required although a variety of vocational qualifications, degrees and postgraduate courses are available. Entry can be based upon portfolio work.
How much does an Artist earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £47,763 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is an Artist a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 11% by 2035, from about 55,200 to about 61,400 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become an Artist?
Usually. 68% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.