Chapter 14 Summary—English

Careers in Art

Lesson 1: Careers in Two-Dimensional Art
If you have art abilities and you enjoy art, this chapter will introduce you to some exciting career possibilities. The business world needs art specialists in many areas. Many positions require computer skills as well as artistic ability. Graphic designers are artists who translate ideas into images and arrange them in appealing and memorable ways. They use computers to produce the art but still rely on fundamental design principles to create it. They design the layout of images and text for newspapers, magazines, and advertisements. Advertising designers create logos, or symbols or trademarks that are immediately recognizable. Many businesses also hire illustrators to create the visual images that complement written words. Cartoonists also need strong art skills. These artists create drawings meant to provoke thought and laughter. People interested in photography, film/video, and multimedia can find employment in many art-related fields. Photographers can specialize in many areas including product and food photography, architectural photography, and fine art photography. Animators, artists who create moving cartoons, use their skills in movies, television, and on the Internet. As animators develop a story for an animated film they draw storyboards, a series of still drawings that show the story’s progress. These provide the outline for the development of the film. Special effects designers plan the stunts and illusions in movies in order to make them look real, often using the skills of a painter, sculptor, and engineer. Artists also design multimedia presentations; Web sites; and computer, arcade, and video games. When artists are designing Web sites, they must balance beauty with function. The Web artist must make the page visually appealing but easy to use.

Lesson 2: Careers in Three-Dimensional Art and Education
Today, there are many kinds of designers who plan spaces such as homes, offices, and landscaping. Architects design buildings that are well constructed, aesthetically pleasing, and functional. They must be creative and know basic engineering concepts, mathematics, and drafting. Urban planners control the growth and development of entire cities. Designers who plan playgrounds, parks, and other outdoor areas are called landscape architects. Interior designers plan the design and decoration of the interior spaces in homes and offices. In industrial design, artists plan the products of industry, such as automobiles and toys. The things they design must not only be functional but they must look functional and attractive. Industrial designers must design a product to do the job for which it was designed, to look like it can do the job, and to be visually appealing. Since there are so many different products to design, designers usually focus on one career specialty such as packaging or fashion. There are also many opportunities in film, television, and theater for artistically inclined people. Set designers, art directors, and costume designers all need strong art skills. Careers in art education are good for those who like art and enjoy helping others. Art teachers share their artistic knowledge and skills with students, and art therapists use art to help people cope with emotional and physical problems. Museum curators oversee the operations of museums, organizing art collections to provide information to visitors. Fine artists are dedicated to creating their own artworks. Many fine artists need other jobs to supplement their incomes. Think about whether you might be suited for a career in the art world. If you decide you want a career in art, you should begin working toward that goal while in high school.