Painters, sculptors and other visual artists
Career Overview
Painters, sculptors and other visual artists:
- Create original paintings, drawings, sculptures, engravings and other artistic works
- Are usually self-employed
This group also includes art instructors and teachers, who are usually employed by art schools.
Job Titles
Duties
Painters:
- Create drawings, paintings and other artwork using oils, pastels, watercolours, charcoal, ink and other media
Sculptors:
- Create sculptures, statues and other three-dimensional artwork by shaping, carving and working with materials such as clay, ice, paper, stone, wood or metal
Art instructors and teachers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Teach students the techniques and methods of drawing, painting, sculpting and other forms of artistic expression
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
3,545% Employed Full Time
27%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings that include various weather and temperature conditions
- Working with machinery, instruments or power tools may be a source of injur
- Flying particles in the workplace may also pose a risk of injury
- Non-poisonous airborne particles such as textile dust, flour, sand, sawdust and feathers may also be present
- The workplace may contain strong or toxic odours
Career Pathways
Career path information is currently not available.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Creative ability and talent, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, and knowledge of the safe use of materials, tools and equipment are required. Art programs are offered at universities, colleges and private art schools
- A college diploma in fine arts techniques may be required
- Art instructors and teachers may be required to have a university degree or college diploma in a field related to art
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Animation, Commercial Art & Illustration
- Visual Arts
- Metal and Jewellery Arts
- Fibre, Textile and Weaving Arts
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
3,545Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 55 | 1.6% |
| Kootenay | 125 | 3.5% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 2,055 | 58.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 40 | 1.1% |
| Northeast | 15 | 0.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 305 | 8.6% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 945 | 26.7% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
1,840Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 20 | 0.2% |
| Kootenay | 30 | 0.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,140 | 1.6% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 20 | 5.7% |
| Northeast | 10 | -1.1% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 230 | 1.8% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 410 | 0.7% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Information, Culture and Recreation | 1,340 |
| Educational Services | 220 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 120 |
| Retail Trade | 60 |
| Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services | 20 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
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