The pros and cons of being an artist relate to a variety of career options, creative freedom, and financial instability. Here are the top pros and cons of being an artist:
Pros:
A variety of career options
There are artists working in many different areas and industries. Here are some common jobs:
Artist
There are many different careers that fall under this title, some include ceramics artist, sculptor, make-up or special effects artist, collage artist, glass artist, painter, craft maker, or an artist's assistant.
Photographer
There are many different avenues you can pursue within photography, such as photojournalism, fine art photography, wedding and portrait photography, landscape photography, fashion photography, wildlife photography, music photography, and many more.
Graphic Designer
Graphic designers are visual communicators who create concepts by hand or by using specialized graphic design software. They communicate ideas to inspire, inform, or captivate consumers through both physical and virtual art forms.
Illustrator,
There are many different careers for an illustrator, such as fashion illustrator, children's book illustrator, medical illustrator, comic book illustrator, and storyboard illustrator for film and TV. The daily life of any illustrator sees them spending most of their time drawing and revising their work. Illustrators may draw by hand, or use computer programs to execute a project.
Creative freedom
Artists can experience a great deal of creative freedom, which can make all the difference in terms of satisfaction and fulfillment. An artist sometimes gets to work on projects they are truly passionate about, and also on ones that challenge them creatively.
Flexible work schedules
Cons:
Financial instability
While this isn't true for all artists, many do experience financial instability. It can be hard to make a living exclusively from selling your creative work, especially if you are an artist operating in the fine art realm. It also takes a lot of time to build a client base and a strong reputation.
Self-promoting yourself and your work
Some artists have trouble promoting themselves and their work. For new artists, this can be a struggle, especially if you don't like self-promotion through social media and other similar channels.
Facing rejection
Artists often have to face a lot of rejection. Many of their pieces or projects might not be fully appreciated or even accepted by others, let alone sold to them. This can be a very difficult aspect of an artist's career and can lead to low self-worth.
It can be a lonely career
This depends on what type of artist you are, however, many that purely work on their pieces, do so in isolation. This solitary work life can be appreciated by some, but it can also lead to loneliness in others. It can also make it networking and expanding your contact base challenging.
