can you get employed as an artist if you dont have a college degree?

Question

for instance, as an illustrator, etc

suppose you have some talent and no reputation - do you have to pass an exam or something like that or does only reputation count?

do you think this can ever work

thanx

Answer 1

All kinds of things CAN happen. But that doesn't mean they're particularly likely.

Obviously a college degree doesn't necessarily make you a better artist than someone without, but it does demonstrate at least marginally that you can complete assignments in a satisfactory and timely manner, which is something most employers are going to want to know that you can do!

Where I work right now, they employ a number of artists, and other than the ones who are interns just about every one has a degree of one type or another. I don't think it's that we WOULDN'T hire someone without one... but when you compete against those who do have one, it puts you at a very distinct disadvantage.

Of course, if you go into business for yourself then it hardly matters what other people think about your credentials. One artist I know who did that went and got a college degree anyway because he thought it would raise the value of his art to buyers. So a degree arguably still has value, even if its not strictly necessary.

Answer 2

The best thing you could do is put together a portfolio, with varied examples of your best work.
A college degree from an art school always helps, of course, but the visual arts is one of these domains where demonstrating what you do is more important than paper credentials (At least in most venues - the museum circuit is another story, but as you mentioned wanting to be an illustrator, I don't think it would be that important to you.)
So get the portfolio together. You might want to scan some of your work and print it in a smaller format (copy shops can do that kind of thing for a fee now). That way you can just send in a sheet of paper with reduced examples to would-be employers.

Hope this helps.
Best of luck to you.

Answer 3

I had a job doing graphic design for a small t-shirt and banner shop in a small town before I went to school. After I got my degree they actually allowed me to come back!
Since then I've taught myself other programs and have gradually been getting better jobs. Some employers even admitted that they didn't know I went to school for it. Meaning they completely overlooked that fact on my resume. Experience is everything. Fill up a good portfolio. The art will speak for itself. And yes, reputation is what got my foot in the door... word of mouth.
p.s. you will get the door slammed in your face more times than you can remember. Never stop updating your portfolio!

Answer 4

Absolutely. You might make contacts via your professors if you persue a degree but without talent, you have no chance. It's not like physics where you have to have a degree to get in.

Answer 5

Art does not have to have a degree, only results that show talent.

Answer 6

Why not become independent and market yourself.