Printmaking

Job Summary:
Printmakers create printed images from designs cut or etched into wood, stone, or metal. After creating the design, the artist inks the surface of the woodblock, stone, or plate and uses a printing press to roll the image onto paper or fabric. Some make prints by pressing the inked surface onto paper by hand or by graphically encoding and processing data, using a computer. The digitized images are then printed on paper with the use of a computer printer.

Qualification:
You do not need formal training to become an artist. However, most artists receive formal training of one sort or another. Many artists earn a bachelor's (BFA) or master's (MFA) degree in fine arts. Course work usually includes art design, history, and studio art. Art schools offer degree programs and studio training in fine arts. In general, colleges and universities offer more programs outside the subject of art than art schools do.

To teach art in a public school you need a teaching certificate plus a bachelor's degree. Director of arts programs or foundations often have a master's degree.

Salary Range:
Nationally, half of all people employed in this group earn between $23,970 and $48,040 each year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $16,900, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $73,560.

The national hourly wages for fine artists ranges around $17.20.

Prospects:
Nationally, the number of jobs for fine artists is expected to grow as fast as average through the year 2010.

As the population grows and personal income levels rise, the demand for fine artwork should increase. Competition will remain keen for fine artists who must sell their work to be successful. It will be difficult to show work in galleries because of the number of artists who want to display their work. Talented artists with a mastery of skills will have the best prospects.

Fine artists advance as their work becomes more widely circulated. If an artist can establish a reputation for a particular style, it may become easier to receive commissions for future work. It will also become easier to find art galleries willing to show their work.