You graduated with a fine arts degree. Congratulations!
So… now what?
All college graduates struggle with what they should do once they graduate. Do you want to go on to more schooling to get a graduate or a doctoral degree? Do you want to become an art teacher or try to make it in the art world?
Or, do you want to try something a bit more unique with your degree?
Art degree jobs don’t have to be limited to “artist” or “teacher.” There are so many directions that an art degree can take you. Here are just four of those options:
Art Degree Jobs: Color Specialist
A professional color specialist works with, well, color. It’s their job to understand how colors go together, what colors relate to different aesthetics & time periods, and how to create palettes for homes, buildings, sculpture, graphic design, etc.
Many color experts find work as an online paint color consultant working with people looking to re-paint their homes. Others work directly with brands & businesses to create brand colors, graphic design elements, business cards, offices, and more.
Art Degree Jobs: Art Therapist
Art therapists often have dual degrees in fine arts alongside psychology, or a master's or doctorate in psychology on top of a fine arts degree.
These therapists focus on using art as a way for clients to express problems, issues, fears, anxiety, past traumas, and more during a therapy session. Art therapy helps people to express things that are deeply uncomfortable and scary, and commonly is used to help survivors of abuse, neglect, and trauma.
If you’re interested in working closely with people using art, then art therapy could be the field for you.
Art Degree Jobs: Medical Illustrator
If illustration is your passion, don’t feel that you have to limit yourself to children’s books and comics (unless those are your passions, of course!).
Think about everything else that requires illustrations: technical guides, instruction manuals, business presentations, and, of course, medical texts.
Medical textbooks, diagrams, and explanations all require high-quality and intelligent artists to illustrate complex concepts. This could include everything from microbiology illustrations that help students understand how DNA is replicated to illustrations of anatomy and physiology in a medical school textbook.
If you have an understanding and love for science, then combining that skill with your art degree gives you a great job opportunity.
Art Degree Jobs: Photojournalist
Art isn’t always painting, drawing, and illustrating. Photography is an art form oft-forgotten as “art”, but many fine arts degrees are focused on photography as the main medium.
Photography is perhaps the most applicable art form to traditional jobs with school photography, family photography, digital photos & social media, and graphic design all pulling from the art of photos.
An interesting and exciting way to use photography in your career is through photojournalism. Photojournalists work with newspapers, magazines, and online publications to take photos that align with stories and articles. They’ll also often attend local gatherings, natural disasters, concerts, and other important events to document it for a later publication.
