Best Careers for Painters: Top 5 Best Jobs to Consider

So you’re a good painter. You enjoy painting, and you’re good at doing it. Is it time to consider painting as a career?

While some see painting as a hobby, plenty of people make painting their career.

Some painters go into adjacent fields – like graphic design, branding, or marketing.

Other painters jump headfirst into the field, working as museum administrators or painting instructors.

Today, we’re highlighting some of the potential careers for artists, painters, and other creatives.

Freelance Artist

If you’re a good painter, you can paint full-time for a living. Many painters make a full-time career by selling paintings to various clients.

You can sell work to individuals or art galleries. You can work with interior designers or architects.

Government buildings, libraries, community centers, churches, hotels, and other settings need good art. Your local government might have a budget for local art, for example. If you have grown up in an area, then you could be the local artist they use for local pieces.

Some freelance artists work by commission. They’re asked to create a specific piece of art. Most freelance artists, however, create the art first then sell it afterward.

Art Professor or Instructor

Some people are so good at painting they can lead college classes on painting.

Even if it’s just a hobby for you, however, you likely have better painting skills than 99% of people, and that means you could work as an art instructor.

Lead night classes at a local community college. Or, start your own art workshop or painting class. Create the next Paint and Sip LIVE by leading virtual painting classes online – the world is full of opportunities.

Illustrator

Illustrators create artwork for advertisements, books, magazines, and more. Some create logos for companies. Others design print mail. Some create online ads or billboards.

If you’re an effective illustrator, then marketing companies might hire you. You might work in conjunction with a graphic design department, using your art to influence people in various ways.

Art Therapist

Art is therapeutic to many people. If you find therapy in art, then consider teaching other people how to find similar therapy.

Art therapy is based on the idea that the creative process can resolve conflicts. It flexes your brain in unique ways, opening up paths to clarity and happiness.

Consider starting your own art therapy studio. Or, work with an existing art therapist in your area to learn the basics of art therapy. Even if you just have basic painting experience, you might be more of an art therapist than you realized.

Tattoo Artist

Tattooing is a form of art, and good tattooists are often good painters. If you want a challenging new medium on which to work, then human skin is certainly one option.

Art Restoration Expert

Art restoration experts clean, repair, and restore damaged works of art. Galleries might hire art restoration experts to carefully retouch a piece.

If you’re confident working with rare and valuable pieces of art, then you could be an effective art restoration specialist.

Portrait Artist

Can you effectively capture the likeness of someone? Are you good at creating self-portraits or images of other people? You might be a good portrait artist. People could pay you to paint their likeness.

Graphic Design

Anyone with artistic talent could succeed in graphic design – including painters.

Painters could be sign writers, typographers, advertising directors, or branding designers. You could create virtually anything with graphic design, and someone with good foundational painting knowledge could quickly rise to the top of the field.

3D Product Design

If you have a good grasp of space, then 3D product design may be the right choice for you. 3D product designers create bridges, toys, jewelry, glass pieces, and anything else.

Movie Set, Costume, or Special Effects Designer

Painters are qualified to make movie sets, costumes, and special effects. If you are creative and have a good grasp of visual concepts, then you could help make movies visually spectacular.

Other Career Ideas

Other potential career paths for painters include:

• Visiting artist

• Commercial artist

• Muralist

• Arts program administrator for a government, gallery, school, or clinic

• Sculptor

• Graphic novelist

As a painter, you have the ability to convey something visually.

You take an abstract concept and turn it into something.

That’s a useful skill at any job. Consider one of the careers listed above if you like painting and – and want to explore painting as a career.

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