Commercial Artist Job Description

Companies who are in need of images to promote their products and services hire commercial artists. The work of commercial artists can be seen in print advertisements, billboards, product packaging, print advertising and much more.

Typical Job Duties

• Create pictures that coincide with text supplied, for the purpose of complimenting it

• Use text as source of inspiration

• Work with writers, sometimes from the outset of a project, designing and writing cooperatively

• Use methods such as drawing, painting or computer aided design

How to Get a Job as a Commercial Artist

A great way to start your job search as a commercial artist is by contacting the art or advertising directors of a company. Send them copies of your best work, and be sure to document what you’ve sent them and when. You may receive a lot of rejections, or no response at all, just ensure that you are creating and submitting new work on a regular and consistent basis. 

Searching through online job postings is a great way to complement your cold-calling efforts job search efforts and is a strongly recommended practice.

A great way to tap into the hidden job market is to speak with instructors regarding any companies they may know of who are willing to take on some new talent. At the very least this will introduce your ambition to the instructor, and they may be able to refer you to others who can help land you a job.

Scholarships for Becoming a Commercial Artist

The Applicable Majors section below shows fields of study relevant to a career as a Commercial Artist. You can search for scholarships matched to those fields of study on our Fine Arts Scholarships and Graphic Design Scholarships pages.

Success Tip: Be sure to apply for any scholarships that you even barely qualify for, as there are millions of dollars of scholarships that go unused every year due to a lack of applicants!