A canvas of opportunities

Ashwani Kumar Prithviwasi

Traditionally, fine arts as a subject has been about artforms like painting, sculpture-making, dance and drawing. With time and technological advancement, newer mediums have been explored to express creativity. Some popular additions being digital art, filmmaking and multimedia. These have helped artists to broaden their scope. Today, a career in arts is not just about making painting or creating sculptures or learning music; it also includes the skill to market the product as well. 

MF Husain’s artworks have always been inspirational for artists. The renowned painter also directed a film Gaja Gamini. A versatile artist must explore various mediums, something which Husain was so adept at. 

Youngsters, who aspire to professionally take up arts, seek admission in Bachelor’s of Fine Arts (BFW), a standard undergraduate degree programme. It is meant for students who have a passion to study fine arts and different aspects of it like drawing, painting, sculpting, visualisation, etc. 

Fine arts also take into their ambit applied arts, graphic design, painting and sculpting.

Know the scope 

Today, the fine-arts sector offers a plethora of opportunities. Commercial arts is an emerging field that promises a lucrative career. With the growth of the digital industry, prominent brands hire artists to design their campaigns. Their job also includes designing digital catalogues, display windows, packaging, cover designs, billboards, hoardings, etc.   

Course and eligibility

BFA is an undergraduate degree course, which deals with the study of visual and performing arts. This curriculum educates the students to hone their creative skills and follow practices that are aligned with creation of art. A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree will require you to decide on an area of specialty — music, ceramics, computer animation, creative writing, dance, drama writing, drawing, fiber, film production, visual effects, animation, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, visual arts, technical arts, interior design, metalworking, new media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, stage management, or television productions.

The duration of the course is four years. An integrated course is offered in the first year, and the remaining three years are allocated for specialisation in applied art. The specialised branches in the second year will be offered on the basis of the students’ aptitude.

The first and final-year examinations are conducted by the universities to which the colleges are affiliated, and the second and third year examinations are conducted by the respective colleges.  

Check out the options

If you have an entrepreneurial bent of mind, you can start your own business and live your dream. If you are good with crafts, you can start making and selling your handicrafts. If painting is your area of expertise, you can put up your pieces on sale on various art-selling websites. Or you can tie up with agencies, studios and art galleries that can buy your sculptures. You can even work as a freelance artist, design logos and catalogues for companies, where in you will be paid on commission basis. If you want to be a regular employee, seek employment with commercial art studios, design companies, publishers and ad agencies. 

It is being predicted that the stream will see an employment growth of three per cent during the 2014-2024 decade.

Remuneration

A fresher in this industry can start his career with Rs 10,000 per month. What you earn initially depends entirely on your talent and how well you can market your skill. Those who work with magazines, publishing houses or advertising agencies can expect to earn Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 a month.

— The writer is director, Delhi Collage of Art