When I was a kid I wanted to grow up to be an artist. Realistically tho, these days you have to be REALLY good and get a reputation to make a good salary at it tho. If you can do that it can be a very high paying job. Seems like it would be a fun and enjoyable job, but people would have to notice and appreciate your work otherwise you will be a "starving artist" and have to pick up a side job in the mean time.

In a perfect world, I would be independently wealthy and spend my free time spitting out Masterpieces. Unfortunately, this World is not perfect. And since I have apparently, no talent, I get to make a living Working in a creativity-killing environment. It pays the bills and I get to draw. Lest anyone think I am complaining, believe me- There are worse jobs to have.
If you are one of those one in a trillion people who beat the odds and become great: Congratulations. For the rest of us no-talent hacks: Let's Keep trying.

If you are good you are good, when you are bad you are bad.

Nattie's soon to be job

no wayy.

cool

if i could i would but i cant so i wont

nope

can't draw for crap

i'm not artistic unless its scrapbooking or internet/computer related

good

can't draw.

obviously i would say yes, but not if you're starving

i like 2 draw not that good though

art is in the eye of the beholder

i cant draw

Don't have the talent.

Do stick figures count?

NO

I think being an artist would be a great occupation, but if you're anything like me, a stick figure would be a major accomplishment.

If you have the talent to be a commercial or industrial illustrator, this can be extremely lucrative, although you'll take some flack from "real" artists about prostituting your talent.

This is fine if you have the talent, but so many people struggle and starve in this area.

But you'd better be damn good- the world doesn't need any more untalented artists. . .

My mother is an artist. She has done computer graphics, photography, pencil work, and paintings. She has been on an "erotic" kick for the past four years. Some really cool stuff. She as a few piece in galleries in Southern California.

Both my dad and my younger sister are quite an artists. Not to brag, I'm not that bad either. I guess it runs in the blood!

As LT notes, this is really two different occupations. Commerical art is a decent way of making a living, and can be either enjoyable or terribly boring, depending on the company you're working for. Creative art is a whole different story. This is the ultimate 'winner-take-all' field: there are 1000s of people who make next to nothing, and a tiny few who become rich and famous. There are few 'middle-class' artists. Most successful artists are self-promoting, no-talent creeps like Damien Hirst; however, there are a few really great artists out there. But even they have to go through a juggernaut of unscrupulous agents, dealers, critics, gallery owners and buyers on their way to success-or more likely, failure. Contrary to popular myth, most successful artists come from well-off families and were never 'crazy' or 'starving'. Art is no profession for the poor or weak-willied.

again, another vague term. you've got commercial artists who work for ad companies, design house etc and pure artists who do stuff that gets shown in galleries. then you've got talented painters and sculptors who create beautiful works of art but you've also got self-important pretentious pseuds who produce rubbish such as performance art and installation art. the main problem with art is the industry that surrounds it. it tends to be chocka block with complete w@nkers who have got lost so far up their own jacksies, even more so than in the fashion and theatrical professions.

no such thing

Artists are the most underappreciated geniuses of the world and that's sad. They are the creators and they give us the beauty of the world. People like motherdonuts2 are very rude to say such nasty things.

I am one. It's provided me true happiness, nice finance, and some fame in my small town.

It is a REAL job, motherdonuts! My mother is one! She's highly admired and she's good at what she does. It's a job that requires talent! She makes damn good pay for what she does. Everything we do in our life relates to art. Imagine if we didn't have any artists in our world. We'd have nothing. Art relates to practically everything. The T-shirt you're wearing, An Artist created that! Your mouse pad, Your wallpaper, etc.

Get a real job.

Being an artist would be pretty bad. Whenever you imagine being one you see Dali and michaelangelo but not Brock the hippie or bucky the starving. Most artists live a precarious unsuccessful life.

I think art is wonderful as a hobby, but I wouldn't want it to be my occupation.

Being an artist would be great in the sense of thinking originally and expressing that into an art form. I have actually had it suggested to me several times that I should be an artist, but I know I couldn't handle the pressure of having to keep coming up with great stuff each time. It would squelch my creativitity. I can't explain the difference: but I feel better about a career in writing.

well, being in art school i must rate this occupation high. except i've gone the path of video and animated art. but it's too bad the field of art is so underappreciated in the western world. in places like poland artists and designers are revered (and paid) like doctors and lawyers.

Making a living by creating art (and I mean real art, not the kind that looks like a four-year-old did it) must be extremely euphoric. To know that your painting, sculpture, drawing, etc., is on display in a museum or in the home of an unknown admirer must be incredible.

Great for picking up girls, terrible for paying the bills. It would nice to be able to be an artist for half the week and a venture capitalist for the other half. Isn't that possible under Marxism?

Making a living as a fine artist could be the most rewarding ways to spend your life. On the other hand, unless you are one of the few who are able to sell their work be ready to live a life of meager means.

I would love to be an artist. It is so fun to paint, draw, and sculpt. You could just throw on your overalls and head out for a day of art. It would be so relaxing and satisfying. You would work so hard on something and see this beautiful thing come out of it. I think it would just be a great job. I am so jealous of people with natural artistic ability.