Online Fine Art & Craft Degree Programs

Professional artists don't always have it easy, but they do have the daily reward of doing what they love. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that about 62 percent of artists are self-employed, and competition for salaried jobs and freelance assignments is intense. However, employment for those skilled in fine arts and crafts is expected to grow faster than the average for all other occupations and a variety of exciting career options are available.

Degrees and Career Training for Art Director Positions

If you enjoy working with others, display leadership, and have creative vision, consider becoming an art director. Art directors work for newspapers, periodicals, and other forms of digital media, including the movie industry. They oversee creative design and layout and decide which images and artwork will be used. Art directors usually begin their careers as entry-level artists. A bachelor's degree in art is usually required, either from a college, university or an independent school of art and design. Online career training in studio design, art history, and art direction can provide essential information to aspiring fine art and craft professionals. Sometimes art directors also earn a degree in art administration, which emphasizes project management and finance. According to the BLS, the median salary for art directors was $72,320, in 2007.

Degrees and Career Training for Craft Artists

If working with paper, wood, metal, glass, ceramics, and/or textiles appeals to you, becoming a craft artist may be a good career choice. Craft artists create a variety of handmade objects for sale and display, either in galleries, museums, or their own studios. Although not all crafts artists earn degrees, and many craft artists supplement their income from other jobs, training is necessary. Online coursework from an independent school of art and design or a college or university can provide vital career training for this field. In 2007, BLS records show that craft artists earned on average, $26,200.

Degrees and Career Training for Fine Artists

Fine artists enjoy careers as painters, sculptors, or illustrators, and display their work in galleries, museums, corporate collections, homes, and in the case of illustrators, books and textbooks. Many fine artists teach classes as a way to subsidize their income, which was a median of $42,070 in 2007, according to the BLS. Various universities and colleges offer Bachelor of Arts degrees and advanced degrees in fine art with online components. Independent art and design schools also offer many online classes, which supplement studio work. Studio training includes painting, illustrating, sketching, sculpting, restoring, and printmaking. Successful completion of academic training will facilitate the development of your portfolio, showcasing your best work for potential employers and clients.

Degrees and Career Training for Multi-Media Artists and Animators

Multi-media and animation careers are increasingly popular. If you are as comfortable with computers as you are with art, this career path provides an excellent fit. Multi-media and animation artists create special effects as well as storyboards, which present scenes similar to that of a comic strip, for the motion picture, video, and advertising industries. The BLS reports that the median wage for multi-media artists was $54,550 in 2007. Most multi-media artists have a bachelor's degree. Many online programs offer multi-media and animation classes in drawing, color, character, design, and computer applications.

If you truly dream of becoming an artist, don't let anything stand in your way. Get the career training you need to succeed. An online education program can enable you to take the first step today.

• Fine Art & Craft
• Arts & Design