[dr . bang]

Hi, i know this is a dumb question but i really need to know! How much money are you guys making per year from illustration, graphic design....etc any thing that have to do with art ? i've heard people saying that going into art doesnt get you a good job and good paid, is that true?

[Visigoth]

...if you're just into art for the cash, you my canadian friend, are fucked up. ...If you get into the art industry, it should be to do something you love. Make money some other way...Art almost never pays the bills.

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Your car is a fiberglass penis extension.

[TheMilkMan]

Don't go into art for the money you won't get what you want unless you are amazing like spooge I am sure he makes the fat cash.

Anyways I am in it for the love of art and if you don't love what you do you won't be happy no matter how much money you are making . If you are in it for the money don't go into video game art..the money isn't good...Unless you are lucky and work for ID software 100,000/yr to start ....that
is the fat cash....

[dr . bang]

Of course I'm gonna love doing it but money of course is something important, without it how can i support my self and in the future, my family?

[dr . bang]

quote:

---

Originally posted by dr . bang:
Of course I'm gonna love doing it but money of course is something important, without it how can i support my self and in the future, my family?

---

You guys seem to focus on gaming art when i mention the word "art field" hey, what about graphic design for print, TV and other stuff?

[EviLToYLeT]

stock market Just go major in something else (go back to college) and then just do some freelance art work in your free time.

[hennifer]

you can make a nice living doing design and illustration as freelance work, but along with that go a lot of hassles dealing with clients and all sorts of business crap that the average artsy-fartsy type doesn't enjoy very much. i know i don't. web design can also pay pretty well, but requires a fair amount of technical knowledge to get hired on to larger projects. of course, everyone & their brother does it these days, so there's a lot of competition.

aside from freelance, i don't know what design agencies pay. i'm sure it varies depending on geography, and exactly what you're doing. anyways, if you're doing commercial-type design, there are plenty of opportunities to make a good living, and even if you're doing classical art, there still are. my friend's father is a painter, and made plenty to support his family over the years.

you're young, right? might as well try it now.

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hennifer

[synj]

eh, "art" is a very general term here. It can pay millions, or put you in debt. When I started animating I did it without even thinking about money. Honest. It pays well now though - i think with that mindset you'll be able to get anywhere you want with it. you just have to hug it.

-synj www.synj.net

[Jenn]

I dont think its nice to ask how much someoen is earning. Some places pay well others dont. I know this from working as a video/audio editor, web designer, graphic artist.. It varies with the company and the style and industry. Also your skills and knowladge base.

And if you are only doing it for the money then I dont see why you are bothering. If you are doing it because you enjoy it then you wouldnt care too much about it. Long as I get enough to be comfortable then thats fine. If I just wanted the money i would have keep going with my programming and so on.

Thats my 2c.

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DarkChyld
http://asylum.wibble.net

[Trance-R]

This brings up a question I had in mind a long time ago but never got the chance to ask it.
When taking up something you love as a job, do you start hating it? Or like it a bit less than before?
If that's the case then I'd rather do something else for a job and keep art as a hobby.

[dr . bang]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jenn:
I dont think its nice to ask how much someoen is earning. Some places pay well others dont. I know this from working as a video/audio editor, web designer, graphic artist.. It varies with the company and the style and industry. Also your skills and knowladge base.

And if you are only doing it for the money then I dont see why you are bothering. If you are doing it because you enjoy it then you wouldnt care too much about it. Long as I get enough to be comfortable then thats fine. If I just wanted the money i would have keep going with my programming and so on.

Thats my 2c.

---

Hey Jenn, I KNOW that in the future i will work in the art field because this is the only thing i'm good at. Like I said, doing what I love this the most important thing but money does mean something in it, my parent tried to get me into bussiness but i turned that idea down and decided to go for the arts.

I hope you guys understand that I'm just not going into art for the money, i have to admid that it is a very stupid thing to do.

[SilverSpy]

It all depends, with experience comes the increase in salary ofcourse.

For starters I know some people who graduated from 3D animation and got jobs at around 30-35k/year which is descent considering your still young and you can work your way up.

Alright Im tired of all the self-righteous people who say you shouldn't go into art just for the money? How else are you suppose to support your family and make it a career if your not concern with pay. OBVIOUSLY ITS IMPORTANT, eh sorry for the caps just tired of hearing that cliche.

[Jezebel]

Err... how come when someone asks how much an artist traditionally makes everyone starts throwing around the idea that the person is a greedy SOB? I had that problem when I asked what kind of positions artists could get into that paid well a while back. It's JUST a question, and there is nothing wrong with being concerned about a stable future. I have dreams for myself, the dream that I KNOW will come true is that I will work in art. The dreams that I have to work for and make wise decisions to have come true are things like my wish to travel the world and learn art from all different perspectives from different teachers around the globe. To be able to do that would make me SO happy, because I have such a passion for art. But you know, being a bum isn't going to get me there. You don't have to be a fake and play the role of the starving artist to make people think you are a "real artist". And just because someone has a question about artists' salaries doesn't mean they don't love art... that has got to be THE silliest connection I've ever heard any one make.

But I do agree it's not polite to ask how much people make. That's a personal thing. =p

My lil' ol' opinion

-Jez



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Take off your clothes. It's OK - I'm an artist.

[url=http://div.dyndns.org/FOO!]http://div.dyndns.org/FOO![/url]

[Spydur]

If you are a rare person who can do what he/she likes to do for a living you should count your blessings. That is your payment/reward. Any amount of money that comes with it is just a bonus.

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Let's face it, comedy is a dead art form. Now tragedy, ha ha ha, that's funny!

[Mozeman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jezebel:
there is nothing wrong with being concerned about a stable future.

---

The reason for the reaction is because art is not something to get into if you are looking for something "stable." It's a lot like asking actors how much they make for the same reason.

If you want stability, go into accounting. If you want to be an artist, then do that. You will make what you deserve to make.

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Mozeman
Moser Brothers Animation Forum

[Light]

I personally think its good to know what the average salaries and what people are making for all parties. If someone is getting under payed then they might like to know.

Of course, salaries vary widely from position to position, place to place, and job to job.

However, all indications is the 3d side of it pays good for people who have a little experience and you can expect to make between $40,000 and $80,000 US dollars. And possible even more.

While I dunno about the other fields.. (like comic book artist) I have a nagging feeling they are much less but then they get to sell their sketches too so that could help to offset it. And probably goes up with experience.

I've no personal experience in advertising but it can pay pretty good too. Freelance could be anything.

So, its possible to make good money in art career especially if you take advantage of technical training too. But, just like anything else its probably going to take time, work, and luck to get the best salary.

[Jenn]

Art is not a stable proffesion. You have your dry spurts and you floods.

If you want to be stable financially.. kearn how to handle your money.

Its not really relevant. If you want to knwo what you are worth and which of your skills to put out there go and see a career counciler or an recruitment company. Simple as that.



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DarkChyld
http://asylum.wibble.net

[Jezebel]

No, nobody in their right minds would intentionally go into art hoping for a stable future. But when you're born with that undeniable need to create art, why the hell would you go into accounting?? He has the love of art otherwise he wouldn't be here, otherwise he wouldn't make art and he wouldn't be looking for a job in art. He just asked a question. No one here has any right to make any assumptions about his personality based on a question about salary.

To be quite honest I'm sorta sick of that whole fake starving artist routine. I WOULD starve to make art, as a matter of fact I come pretty close right now. I have no job simply because I can't get a job in art yet. And I don't want a job that's going to take away from my time to create. However, I don't have to do that forever. I'm a firm believer that anybody can do absolutely anything they want if they want to badly enough. There is a wide variety of artistic positions out there. Some that pay 100k+ a year and some that couldn't even cover a Happy Meal. So are you saying to be a true artist and to proove to the world my pain and anguish and passion for art that I need to live off Happy Meals? Bah.

I've known of too many people to go out and buy black wardrobes and sit in starbucks all night just to look like a "true sensitive artist". BAH. It's a competitive world out there. You gotta work your ass off. You gotta study. You gotta practice. And you sure as hell don't have to be an accountant to have a stable future, you just can't be a slacker.

I for one am not going to be a slacker and I don't plan on starving myself forever just to try and prove myself to people.

[Jezebel]

By the way, I'm not trying to say anyone here is wrong. I just can never back down from a good debate. Woo!

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Take off your clothes. It's OK - I'm an artist.

[url=http://div.dyndns.org/FOO!]http://div.dyndns.org/FOO![/url]

[jasonN]

Yay Jezabel! You tell em!

[Mozeman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jezebel:
No, nobody in their right minds would intentionally go into art hoping for a stable future. But when you're born with that undeniable need to create art, why the hell would you go into accounting??

---

I think you've missed my point entirely. I'm not saying you have to starve for your art or that there isn't money to be made. I've never starved for my art and I wouldn't if I didn't have to.

2 points I'm making:

1) If this person wants a stable job, then art is not the field to go into, whether some people are successful at it or not. There are actors that make good livings, that doesn't make acting a stable field. So why ask a question about stability or making money?

2) If this person wants to create art, as he's said, or has an "undeniable need" and it's not about the money, then why ask a question about stability or making money?

In either case, why ask a question about stability or making money?

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Mozeman
Moser Brothers Animation Forum

[This message has been edited by Mozeman (edited December 12, 2000).]

[Jezebel]

Ok, here's my point -

Why do people feel it's so important to pound pessimistic opinions into the heads of artists? I think that ANYONE can do ANYTHING. A career in art won't be stable if you don't work hard enough, but I can guarantee that if you work your ass off and get yourself noticed that you'll be successful.

That's all I'm trying to say. Don't picture yourself living in a cardboard box in 20 years. Don't picture yourself living off Happy Meals or being unstable. Otherwise that might be where you end up :/

Just work. Work work work damn it!

-Beth

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Take off your clothes. It's OK - I'm an artist.

[url=http://div.dyndns.org/FOO!]http://div.dyndns.org/FOO![/url]

[Jezebel]

Just making sure that I mentioned work.

WORK! Hard work!

[anticz]

I make mad cash, yeah, mad cash. They pay me a billion dollars a year and all the free pretzels I can eat. It's rad. Now if you'll excuse me it's time for my sedative and then I'm off to alone time in the bouncy, bouncy room .

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Mike B. - Supervising Janitor
anticz.com
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[faustgfx]

like it's a bad thing you're into graphics work just for the money?

it's a job. you're not even supposed to like your day job.



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sky high with a heartache of stone you never see me 'cos i'm always alone

[email protected] /
icq#35983387

[Xcal]

I don't think there's anything wrong with asking about income levels of certain professions, but I do think most people would rather not tell you how much they make - in any profession. I guess ppl are a bit touchy because of the way you worded your question.

As for your question, you can respond the obvious way = it depends on how good you are and about a million other variables. Or, if you've *ever* wondered the same thing (like I have), I'll point you the right way: go on the web, find websites that have salary information, such as www.salary.com and find your answers there.



[This message has been edited by Xcal (edited December 13, 2000).]

[spooge demon]

I was not very encouraged by my parents to become an artist, and I agreed at the time. But we did not know of the existence of illustration as a profession. I was trained as an industrial designer. Go figger.

How much money you need? A poor person today lives better in many ways than a king 500 years ago. You won't starve, so no worries.

Keep in mind that an artist is very different than an illustrator. Don't need to explain this. But I see many illustrators who want to simply �do their thing� as a fine artist might and then expect a client to recognize their genius. Realize that you are solving their problem, listen to the client and try to do it.

Your best insurance is learning basic design and drawing skills. This might change. I saw that a guru at pixar looks for acting ability in animation recruits, figuring that the software will handle the rest. Interesting. I still think that good art and design will support you no matter what the direction you choose later, and that will increase your chance for success, regardless of how you define success.

[samdragon]

You can find plenty of info on how much people make on the net. Do a search for graphic design income or something like that. I did have a link that gave you all the current prices of the highest paid people to the lowest paid. So I know it's out there. The one Xcal posted may be it, i'm not sure.
As for graphic designers, you'll make anywhere from $25-60 a year. This depends on clients/or firm you work for. And your location of course. These days, graphic design also includes webdesign.
Illustration is different, many people who do illustration, freelance, and they also do more than just illustration, they also do graphic design etc. In illustration (commercial illustration) you're selling your style and your skill. there are big THICK books out there for art directors to go through and pick the person they want as their illustrator, the competition is tremendous.
If everyone did art for art's sake, we would not have this board, nor would we have spooge. These people make money because it costs money to produce this artwork. People charge for different things, from time to work on the project to the products used to make the final product.
This is another reason it's called "commercial art" Commercial art encompasses many areas and it's usually related to..what else..commerce.
yes, you can make a living doing "Art". Doing fine art is another story. In any field, you gotta pay your dues. Don't expect to make millions of dollars right out of school. Best advice I can give you is to research what it is that you're most interested in and go with that. Focus is the key! Get as much experience as you can. This usually means doing stuff for free or next to nothing, but the experience is the real payment, it will last way longer than the dollar in your pocket.
Like many have said already, if you like what you're doing, money isn't that important, BUT! You gotta eat, you gotta buy toys and new computers and take your old lady out. So money is a nice benefit
oh yeah, you gotta buy beer too..can't believe I left that one out...

Some good points in here. don't be turned away from the negative responces. The more involved with this "stuff" you get, the more you'll learn. Asking questions is part of learning. If one day I'm setting on some throne some where with all the greats of digital art, I'll always help people who are getting started, cause I'll never forget what it's like to have all these questions and no one to answer them.

There are also plenty of books out there on this stuff.
good luck..


[This message has been edited by samdragon (edited December 13, 2000).]

[zayats]

Here's some information specific to the animation industry:
http://www.awn.com/MPSC839/SLRYSURV.HTM

These are the "going rates" according to the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Union.
(salaries at non-union animation studios are fairly comparable).

Salaries in the games industry tend to be a little lower though.

As for asking how much freelancers make...well, I suppose that's kinda like asking how much musicians or actors make. Anywhere between nothing and a lot.

zayats
www.zayats.net

[AliasMoze]

I guess my opinion doesn't really answer your question, but...

I think getting technically good as an artist is a good way to go. That way you can go from job to job. One problem I think many artists have is defining themselves with too much specificity. I know I have. If you limit your training to "animator" or "illustrator" then you can cut off many of the opportunities you'd have had in the dry spells.

Who cares about the money? It's not what it's cracked up to be. Whatever job you pick, you'll spend at least eight hours a day (half your waking life) doing it. So make it something fulfilling