WHAT DOES A COMMERCIAL ARTIST DO?

COMMERCIAL ARTISTS have an exciting image. The field is a magnet for creative people who love to draw or sculpt, but in contrast to the "fine arts," which concentrate on aesthetics and personal expression, the emphasis of commercial artwork is to express specific ideas or concepts in response to assignments or requests from employers and clients.

• Make products, services, or ideas more appealing to the public by means of designs, illustrations, artwork, and graphic representations.
• They may complete work by hand in various media such as oils, acrylics, silk-screen, and clay.
• They might also use computers or offset printing presses to complete their jobs.

Commercial Artists are classified by the type of work they do.

• Create wearing apparel and accessory illustrations for newspapers, magazines, and catalogs.

• Design copy-layouts (pictures) for books, magazines, newspapers, television, product packaging, letterheads, brochures, and organizational logos and icons.
• Determine the size and arrangement of graphics to be used based on their knowledge of layout principles in printing and publishing.
• Write instructions for workers who prepare the final layout for printing.
• Some do animated graphics for television using electronic video equipment.

• Create rough sketches and finished art work to elucidate, to decorate, or to substitute for spoken or written messages.
• Create graphics with pen and ink, water-color, charcoal, oil, or the computer for various media.

Illustrators may specialize. These specializations include:

Title Artists

• Create lettering or icons for motion picture or television credits.

Medical and Scientific Illustrators

• Create graphics and three dimensional models to demonstrate medical or biological concepts for fields such as anatomy, pathology, or surgical procedures.
• May also devise visual aids such as computer graphics to be used in teaching and research programs.

Motion Picture Cartoonists (Animation Artists)

• Draw cartoons for animated films. When filmed and projected at a specific speed, the cartoons seem to move.
• For feature length films, they trace drawings onto clear acetate before they are painted or colored.
• Do conceptual drawings (story boards) by hand or by computer.

WHAT SKILLS ARE IMPORTANT?

Commercial Artists frequently use the following skills and abilities:

• Operation and Control -- Controlling operations of equipment or systems
• Information Organization -- Finding ways to structure or classify multiple pieces of information
• Idea Generation -- Generating a number of different approaches to problems
• Idea Evaluation -- Evaluating the likely success of an idea in relation to the demands of the situation

Most Commercial Artists work for advertising agencies, organizations with art or publicity departments, publishers, and television and film studios. In most cases, the art department is small, consisting of art directors, perhaps an assistant director, and a small staff of design and production workers. Free-lance illustrators are frequently hired to create illustrations in styles that cannot be done by the staff. Beginning illustrators may successfully compete with established professionals for these assignments.

Work environments are brightly lit and temperature-controlled, with drawing tables and easels arranged for the quick and efficient production of commercial art. Because Commercial Artists work with a variety of people under sometimes stressful situations, they must be resilient, efficient, and able to relate well with people. Much of the design, illustration, layout, and paste-up work is done sitting down, sometimes for extended periods. The work generally requires visual acuity and color vision.

Some Commercial Artists are members of the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Union.

The following information is from the California Projections and Planning Information published by the Labor Market Information Division. The figures represent the broad occupational group, Artists and Related Workers, which includes Commercial Artists.

(These figures do not include self-employment.)

The estimated number of job opportunities (for Artists and Related Workers, which includes Commercial Artists) from 1996 through 2006 is expected to total 13,850.

Self-employment as a freelance artist is common in the commercial art industry, especially for the experienced worker with a network of contacts. Competition is stiff for both the entrant and the seasoned artist in the current job market. While the animation concepts (story boards) are done in this country, much of the routine cell painting in computer graphics is done overseas. This practice further limits job opportunities for beginning artists.

Artists skilled in the use of computers and other mechanized methods of graphic design are usually hired first. Job openings are more plentiful in the State's large metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles or San Francisco since most firms with art departments are concentrated there.

California Commercial Artists earned an average of $18.31 per hour and a median wage of $16.12 per hour, according to the 1997 State Occupational Employment Statistics and Wage Estimates. County-specific earnings are reported in the Directory of California Local Area Wages published by the Employment Development Department and available on the website referenced at the end of this guide.

Commercial Artists normally work standard hours and workdays. Overtime may be required to finish big projects or to meet unchangeable deadlines in the news or motion picture media.

Paid vacation, sick leave, health related insurance, and retirement plans are common benefits for full-time employees; however, those who work on a contract basis usually do not enjoy these benefits.

The talent to communicate effectively through artistic means is the basic requirement for success. However, talent alone does not guarantee employment. Artists must learn styles, techniques, and types of media that allow them to translate ideas into finished art projects. Formal training programs may range from two to four years of academic or vocational art education. It is important to select a school where students train under the direction of professional, working artists.

Both generalized and specialized training are important. Commercial Artists need a solid base in design and color, practice in drawing and lettering, and knowledge of photography and reproduction techniques. Aspiring artists also need the latest computer-graphic techniques. Career preparation in a specific field, such as design or fashion illustration is also very important. For example, the screen cartoonists' union sponsors an institute offering basic and advanced course work in animation techniques. Such specialized training should be enhanced by hands-on training for both professional development and networking contacts.

Artists need an art portfolio which contains at least ten samples that exhibit practical applications along with creative ability and technique. Students and recent graduates should register with graduate placement centers and network through professional associations.

Direct application to employers remains one of the most effective job search methods. Private firms are listed in the Yellow Pages under Artists-Commercial. California job openings can be found at CalJOBS at http://www.caljobs.ca.gov/ or at America’s Job Bank at http://www.ajb.org/.

For more information, see your local employment and training provider and visit the Employment Development Department Labor Market Information web page at http://www.calmis.ca.gov/.

Commercial Artists may work several years before acquiring the skills and reputation for higher paying jobs with more responsibilities. They may advance to the position of art director or become director of projects within an agency or organization. Many freelance artists work as consultants while continuing in their craft.

Society of Illustrators
128 East 63rd Street
New York, NY 10021-7303
(212) 838-2560
http://www.societyillustrators.org/

Graphic Arts Guild
90 John Street, Suite 403
New York, NY 10038-3202
(212) 791-3400
(800) 500-2672 (Voice)
http://www.gag.org/

Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists, Local 839
4729 Lankershim Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA 91602-1864
(818) 766-7151

National Cartoonist Society
P.O. Box 20267
Columbus Circle Station
New York, NY 10023
(212) 627-1550
http://www.reuben.org/