Drawing artist

A Drawing Artist is a visual creator who specializes in producing artwork using traditional or digital drawing techniques. Their work may range from fine art and illustration to commercial design and concept art, depending on their focus. Drawing Artists use tools like pencils, ink, charcoal, pastels, or tablets to communicate ideas, emotions, and narratives. Whether working on portraits, storyboards, editorial illustrations, or abstract pieces, Drawing Artists combine technical skill with creative vision to bring images to life on paper or screen.

Here are some typical duties of drawing artists:

• Create original drawings based on personal inspiration, client briefs, or project requirements.
• Use a variety of tools and materials such as graphite, ink, charcoal, colored pencils, or digital drawing software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco).
• Explore different styles, techniques, and subjects to develop a unique artistic voice.
• Produce artwork for fine art exhibitions, publications, advertising, book illustration, concept art, or product design.
• Work with clients or creative teams to meet deadlines and adapt work to specific needs or feedback.
• Prepare and refine sketches, storyboards, or concept drawings for use in larger visual projects (e.g., animation, fashion, architecture).
• Exhibit artwork in galleries, art fairs, or online platforms to reach collectors and audiences.
• Maintain a professional portfolio to showcase skills, style, and versatility.
• Stay up-to-date with artistic trends, tools, and techniques to evolve creatively and professionally.

The following job titles also refer to drawing artist:

artist
street artist
visual art expert
cartoon artist
illustrator

Drawing Artists often work in personal studios, art collectives, or design firms, depending on whether they are freelance or employed. Their work involves long periods of focused drawing, often in quiet environments. Freelancers may have flexible schedules, but commissioned work usually comes with deadlines. Some Drawing Artists supplement their practice by teaching, selling prints, or participating in residencies and exhibitions. Digital artists may also work remotely, collaborating with clients or creative teams online.

While formal education isn’t strictly required, many Drawing Artists have a degree in fine arts, illustration, or graphic design. Training in anatomy, perspective, composition, and color theory is fundamental. Experience often comes from practice, workshops, mentorships, and self-initiated projects. A strong portfolio is essential to demonstrate artistic ability and land commissions or exhibition opportunities. For commercial work, knowledge of digital tools and adaptability to client briefs are crucial. Continuous skill development and experimentation are important for staying competitive and creatively fulfilled.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Drawing artist is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to drawing artist.

street artist
digital artist
artistic painter
glass artist
conceptual artist

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of drawing artist.

• Labour legislation: Legislation, on a national or international level, that governs labour conditions in various fields between labour parties such as the government, employees, employers, and trade unions.
• Intellectual property law: The regulations that govern the set of rights protecting products of the intellect from unlawful infringement.
• Art history: The history of art and artists, the artistic trends throughout centuries and their contemporary evolutions.

These skills are necessary for the role of drawing artist.

• Create original drawings: Create original drawings, based on texts, thorough research and discussion with authors, journalists and specialists.
• Use traditional illustration techniques: Create drawings using traditional illustration techniques such as watercolour, pen and ink, airbrush art, oil painting, pastels, wood engraving, and linoleum cuts.
• Develop visual elements: Imagine and apply visual elements such as line, space, colour, and mass to express emotions or ideas.
• Create sketches: Draw sketches to prepare for a drawing or as a standalone artistic technique.
• Select artistic materials to create artworks: Select artistic materials based on strength, colour, texture, balance, weight, size, and other characteristics that should guarantee the feasibility of the artistic creation regarding the expected shape, color, etc. – even thought the result might vary from it. Artistic materials such as paint, ink, water colours, charcoal, oil, or computer software can be used as much as garbage, living products (fruits, etc) and any kind of material depending on the creative project.
• Create digital images: Create and process two-dimensional and three-dimensional digital images depicting animated objects or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modelling programs.
• Confer on artwork: Introduce and discuss the nature and content of art work, achieved or to be produced with an audience, art directors, catalogue editors, journalists, and other parties of interest.
• Contextualise artistic work: Identify influences and situate your work within a specific trend which may be of an artistic, aesthetic, or philosophical natures. Analyse the evolution of artistic trends, consult experts in the field, attend events, etc.
• Use digital illustration techniques: Create drawings using digital illustration programmes and techniques.
• Select subject matter: Select subject matter based on personal or public interest, or ordered by a publisher or agent.
• Select illustration styles: Select the appropriate style, medium, and techniques of illustration in line with the needs of the project and client’s requests.
• Draw up artistic project proposals: Write project proposals for art facilities, artist residencies and galleries.
• Ensure visual quality of the set: Inspect and amend the scenery and set-dressing to make sure the visual quality is optimal with in constraints of time, budget and manpower.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of drawing artist. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Assess conservation needs: Assess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.
• Plan art educational activities: Plan and implement artistic facilities, performance, venues and museum-related educational activities and events.
• Develop educational resources: Create and develop educational resources for visitors, school groups, families and special interest groups.
• Develop artistic project budgets: Developing artistic project budgets for approval, estimating deadlines and material costs.
• Develop educational activities: Develop speeches, activities and workshops in order to foster access and comprehension to the artistic creation processes. It can address a particular cultural and artistic event such as a show or an exhibition, or it can be related to a specific discipline (theatre, dance, drawing, music, photography etc.). Liaise with storytelles, craftspeople and artists.
• Collaborate with a technical staff in artistic productions: Coordinate the artistic activities with others who are specialised in the technical side of the project. Inform the technical staff of the plans and methods suggested and obtain feedback on feasibility, cost, procedures and other relevant information. Be able to understand the vocabulary and practises concerning technical issues.
• Keep personal administration: File and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.
• Present exhibition: Present an exhibition and give educational lectures in a comprehensible way that is attractive to the public.
• Participate in artistic mediation activities: Participate in cultural and artistic mediation activities: announce the activity, give a presentation or talk related to a piece of art or an exhibition, teach a class or a group, lead artistic mediation activities, lead or participate in a public discussion.

2651 – Visual artists

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References

1. Drawing artist – ESCO
2. Featured image: Photo by Daian Gan