FINE ARTIST

Job description

Fine artists create original pieces of art work, through a variety of mediums. Often specialising in a particular type of art which can be categorised in the following ways:

• two-dimensional work (drawing, painting, collage);
• three-dimensional work (sculpture, installation);
• four-dimensional work (moving images, performance).

As well as specialising in a type of art, many artists also specialise in a subject and may concentrate on areas such as landscapes, portraits or abstract.

Fine artists can be commissioned to produce a piece of work or they can create pieces from their own imagination for sale at a later date.

Typical work activities

A typical day will involve research, making art work, planning and creativity.

Tasks typically involve:

• generating ideas, idea development, sketching, making models;
• creating or developing a piece of work in response to a brief or commission;
• meeting deadlines;
• working in a studio or off-site and adhering to health and safety procedures;
• sourcing materials and developing relationships with suppliers;
• researching, visiting locations, interviewing people, using libraries and the internet;
• administration, correspondence, creating publicity;
• project planning, creating and managing a budget, financial planning, calculating expenditure;
• managing tax and self-employment issues;
• organisation and administration tasks associated with running a studio;
• writing project proposals for galleries, competitions or artist residencies;
• writing funding applications (public and private);
• applying for residencies and competitions;
• liaising with contacts, gallery owners, curators and other artists;
• curating individual and group shows;
• negotiating a sale or commission;
• self-promotion, networking, attending private views and other events;
• writing press releases;
• maintaining a portfolio which will typically include a website;
• evaluating a project and feeding back to the main funder or sponsor.

I understood that it involved 2-D, 3-D, and 4-D work as well as the fact that it is about generating ideas and meeting deadlines. I know I can draw, paint and perform, however, this list of typical jobs is far more elaborate that I thought. There is the process of understanding and managing budgets, writing and self promotion (because getting an agent is only one way of doing it) as well as getting sponsors etc. There is alot of debating and conversing with people who have your livelihood in their hands. Therefore, a clear head and the means to find trustworthy people is a quality that a fine artist needs as well as the obvious point of being able to paint, draw etc. There is alot of things that are involved that I never knew were there...

(from prospects.ac.uk)