how much do you earn?

[alffla]

well last night i finally got the guts to tell my parents that i wanted to become a concept artist or whatever lol instead of doing law, anyway they're pretty supportive of my choice but my dad keeps talking to me about how:

-he supports my interest in art but mentioned the idea of how ppl become successful laweyers or doctors or whtever and in their FREE time pursue this interest -_-;

-once i pick up this interest as my job it wont be as interesting anymore due to issues of pressure

-as an artist you're not going to make enough moeny to support urself or a family

-not enough money to get a house or whatever
-going to eat ramen 24/7 cuz gonna be poor as shi*
-can't support family etc...


of course i've read tons of articles and comments and everything about the career path of a concept artist and one of the most important points is that you should NEVER be doing it for the money. however, obviously it still has to be practical enough and i was just wondering how much money average concept artist earns?

:\

[Qitsune]

I'm not a concept artist, I'm a production artist in video games.

1) I bought my house after 1 year in the game industry (that was some years ago)

2) I am making more money now then I ever have before in other kinds of jobs.

3) I still paint for fun, but way less than I used to which probably means I'm not burned out yet!

[Stoat]

I imagine there's a huge variation between industries and skill levels (I'm a corporate cubicle-monkey, so I don't count).

I have to say, there are many people for whom your father's advice is very good advice. Just because he's a downer doesn't make him wrong. On the other hand, the people who do well do very well indeed. And an awful lot of people manage to make a living.

I knew there was some reason I woke up this morning with Que Sera, Sera going through my head. (I really did. Driving me NUTS. Stupid earworms).

[alffla]

hmm thanks for the replies...i knew it couldn't have been that bad having a career as an artist..haha

corporate cubicle monkey? what exactly do you do stoat?

[Stoat]

I was hired as an illustrator for an engineering company. Then computers happened and I got sucked in...I think my current title is multimedia producer or some such. I still get to draw sometimes :)

This week will be my 25th anniversary. I have really enjoyed my job (improbably -- NOBODY goes to art school thinking, "some day, I want to draw boilers for engineers!"). Any time you can sit on your butt and play with software and draw pictures for a living, it's good times.

Because I arrived at this place via art school, I make maybe a third less than somebody who got here via a computer degree. Who knew? When I was in art school, computers were the size of refrigerators and lived in specially air conditioned basement vaults tended by dweebs in white coats.

[dose]

Actually, most people I know who take the day job thinking they will do it in their free time don't actually end up doing it. It takes a lot of energy to put in the day job and come home and work at anything with any level of seriousness. That being said, there are people who are able to do this, but I tend to think it's because they are organized and self-motivated and could probably be successful as an artist as well. I think it comes down to the individual rather than the profession.

I would recommend that if you become an artist that you also learn how to be a good business person.

[Ilaekae]

It's a job just like any other. How well you do and how much money you make is based on how wise your decisions are as a business person. Your dad sounds like he knows nothing about the field at all, so he's probably operating like he's saving your soul from a life of destitute artistic f*gdom. Sit down and give him a blow by blow picture of how the "art" world works in this particular universe AFTER you do some research on all the real possibilities and reasons for wanting to do it and why it's no safer or worse than working as an accountant.

[DavePalumbo]

Actually, most people I know who take the day job thinking they will do it in their free time don't actually end up doing it.

I remember the instructor for the business course when I was in school saying that "if you're not working at your painting minimum 4 days a week, you're not a painter, you're a hobbyist." Sure, you can't just up and make a living one day because you feel like it, you may have to supplement with hourly wage or whatever, but it's true that many people just end up letting it go. Setting rules for yourself and planning goals is important. Motivation, discipline, and determination are extremely important.

Is it a viable career that you get paid in actual currency and all that? Of course it is. Movies and video games and advertisements and product illustrations and so on and on and on and on aren't made by people who just feel like doing it in their free time. It's a huge industry with many different branches. Most of them are invisible to the general public and many of them are even invisible to working artists. But hell, I don't know how banking works but I hear that some people make a living doing that too ;)

[ArtZealot]

i agree with what pretty much everyone has been saying. It sounds like the information you got wasn't entirely accurate, there definately is money to be made as a concept artist, or at least as an artist in the game/movie industry.
Concept art is something that in my opinion seems pretty hard to do in your free time, especially while you are studying for the bar, and reading up on legal crap. I'm of the opinion that if you really, like really want to do it, you've got to devote yourself 100%. If your portfolio ends up being half assed, and done in free time; it will show. It will look like it was just done with whatever free time the person had.

If concepting and working in games is your passion, then do it. Your parents advice should always be considered, but the decision of what you are going to do with the rest of your life absolutely must be your decision, and nobody elses. I mean you dont want to 20 years down the road, end up hating your parents for making you pursue a career in legal. They'll understand if you choose to pursue your passion, they'll have to. If it's your passion, you'll most likely do good, earn good money, and end up making your parents proud. Believe me, you won't end up eating ramen and living in a box. (just make sure your portfolio is the shit, by the time you actually apply for a job)

[Mirana]

Heheh, having parents that don't understand your dream (but humor you) can be a good thing, because it gives you major motivation to work hard and show them they were wrong! :P

I agree about what's been said about "Day Job" vs "Time Off." I worked a full-time job (and a part-time one a few times a yr) WHILE being a full-time student and doing the massive amounts of homework art school entails. That sucked, but I did it. Once I was out, the Day Job just held me back. Made me make excuses and veg out. Getting rid of it was fantastic and now I make more money. ;)

[otis]

Just read my sig.

Your Dad is only spewing his own regrets.
Thank him for his concerns, but don't make his regrets your reasons for not pursuing your happiness and goals.

BTW, there are just as many lawyers and doctors who are failures, make little money, and hate their careers as there are artists.

Money isn't determined by title, it's determined by how valuable you and your services are.

When you hear people say, "don't do it for the money" they are not saying you can't make money in it. They are just saying, once your purpose for something revolves around money you will never be satisfied. And more than likely you will quit before you succeed.

[arttorney]

I've been an attorney for over 12 years and I would say that if you enjoy being an attorney you probably have rocks in your head. If your parents insist on it then you must get into the "very best" school you can. (I quoted that phrase because I think school snobbery is a bunch of horse shit, personally. It's the person and his ability to get the job done that matters.) If your parents whine about the cost of the "top school" remind them that it was their idea for you to make bucks as a lawyer. There's enormous snobbery in the legal profession and only the ivy leaguers have much chance at the megabucks jobs.

Otis (and Mr. Thoreau) are right about advancing confidently in the direction of your dreams. Happiness counts for very much in this life. There is no guarantee there will be any other life.

How much I make is extremely variable because I am a freelancer, even in the law.

[Elwell]

-he supports my interest in art but mentioned the idea of how ppl become successful laweyers or doctors or whtever and in their FREE time pursue this interest -_-;


The people who become truly successful as layers or doctors are the ones that love law or medicine, not the ones who wanted to do something else in their free time.

[HunterKiller_]

The people who become truly successful as layers or doctors are the ones that love law or medicine, not the ones who wanted to do something else in their free time.

Amen.

I think someone once said, "Only do it if you love it, because the people who do love it will mop the floor with you."

[J Wilson]

If you are going to do it you have to want it more than anything else, because it takes a LOT of drive to get to that professional level where you CAN make decent money. If you can be talked out of it, you didn't want it bad enough to succeed anyways. It has to be a 100% commitment. Whether your dad is right when it comes to YOU is something only you can answer. If this is a recent decision for you, maybe you need to consider it carefully. If you've always wanted art to be a big part of your life, and you just can't see anything else making you happy, maybe you have the drive to stick it out.

[Dave Kendall]

Have no doubt that this is a difficult career to make in roads, yet one foot in a decent door will open many others, but it's that first door many people end up crashing and burning against.

I had a pretty tricky start which brought me into conflict with my Dad. I was doing some cool work but only for one client. When that client failed I didn't have any more work. The recession was in full flow and I had extreme difficulties getting paying gigs. i had no choice but take on a 9-5 job. In the meantime I just carried on working at my art and sending work around. Eventually I opened up another door and have since opened many others.

I think stubbornness and a single minded direction is vital in this industry.

I sometimes have 3 or 4 paydays a month and at other times none for a couple of months. Although boring, Cash flow control is as vital a skill to learn as drawing and painting. If you screw your finances you'll find yourself back in a 9-5 quicker than you can blink.

[DavePalumbo]

I sometimes have 3 or 4 paydays a month and at other times none for a couple of months. Although boring, Cash flow control is as vital a skill to learn as drawing and painting. If you screw your finances you'll find yourself back in a 9-5 quicker than you can blink

if one plans on going freelance, it's pretty essential to build a rainy day fund. You really need a few months worth of expenses in the bank just in case. You may never need to touch it, but it's the best way to avoid the "what next?" pressure if a job is wrapping and you don't have your next thing lined up. It might not even be that you're not working, but some times client just don't send the checks on time. I had to hound for about 4 months for a recent job and that was an established, reputable company. I've heard some people talk about payments coming in 6 month to a year after invoicing and follow-ups. It's not normal, but if it happens, you have to be ready.

I don't really know how studio people go about this, because I've heard that many face periods of down time and lay-offs are not uncommon either these days. I guess the moral is that everyone ought to hope for the best and plan for the worst.

[alffla]

well i would want to press that THanks button for all the people that have replied in my thread but well i don't know if it's really that important to you all... anyway THANK YOU so much everyone yes.. art has always been a big part of my life although i had a period of not really being as enthusiastic about it as before since april i've been thinking abuot it everyday and thanks to site i've become very inspired and i'm really determined to make this work...!

thank u again eveyrone :)

[Seedling]

Tell your dad that there are way more underemployed lawyers now than there used to be. The law market is full. Those who go into that field for job security are in deep doo doo.

I don’t have the numbers on me, but game industry artist salary survey info can be found in the game industry link in my sig. Of the top of my head, I think the range is maybe from $40,000 to $80,000 a year (but I’m guessing – go check the actual numbers). I won’t say here what I make, but it’s a hell of a lot more than I ever expected to be making as an artist. :) And it comes with insurance, woo!

[Maidith]

This year I've had a quite steady stream of commissions/income; mainly illustration work. It was definitely not enough to make a living from, but remember I'm not even a pro yet. I think that for a non-professional I'm doing pretty well. :)

As I improve and my work becomes really outstanding some day, I'll be able to make a living from it. There are many mediocre artists out there who won't be able to earn a living, but the very few really outstanding ones (e.g. Stephen Assael, Donato Giancola, Jason Chan, and more) get more work than they can handle.

And personally I wouldn't spend my life another way than just drawing and painting all the time.

[alffla]

thanks for the replies again everyone :)