Expressive artists
use a variety of mediums to express emotion.
While some artists accurately portray images in their artwork, other artists deliberately distort reality to convey general or specific feelings. These artists, called expressive artists, sometimes create art as a hobby or sell an occasional art piece. However, many expressive artists have managed to find full-time work, or have managed to attract enough attention to sell enough artwork to make a living.
Significance
Expressive artists are artists who attempt to depict the personal emotions of a particular scene rather than trying to create objective images. The way in which the art is produced is very stylized and particular to the artist who creates the artwork. Oftentimes, brush strokes are agitated, colors are intense and proportions are off. This artwork is meant to create an emotional reaction in those who view the paintings. These emotions are elicited through distortion, exaggeration, primitive images and fantasy.
Function
Expressive artists sell their art to galleries, private collectors and public commissioners. They also seek out government grants that are awarded to artists. Expressive artists who broaden their artistic skills can possibly find other work as illustrators or designers.
Conditions
Expressive artists work in a variety of settings. Some work directly for art studios, while others work out of their home. Some of the art materials used by expressive artists can produce fumes that are bad for the health of the artist. Some artists also develop back strain and eye strain from sitting and staring at a piece of artwork for a long period of time. Some expressive artists have a hard time finding places to sell their artwork, which can be stressful.
Training
Fine arts colleges provide students with training in a variety of art methods. However, a large percentage of expressive artists are self-trained, and there are usually no educational requirements for an artist to be able to sell his own work. Instead, to find artist jobs, an expressive artist needs to construct a portfolio of her best pieces of art to persuade recruiters to hire her.
Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008, 23,600 fine artists held jobs. The need for artists is expected to grow by 12 percent between 2008 and 2018. However, there are a large number of talented artists who compete for art jobs, making competition for these art jobs very keen. The median earnings for salaried artists in 2008 was $42,650, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, many artists work part-time for commission, which pays a varied amount.
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