Getting a caricature version of your family portrait might be fun to pass down through the generations to your grandchildren, and hold a lot of sentimental value, but I am not sure this is the type of art that is going to yield a financial gain on the initial investment.
Just like a photographer creates art, a caricature artist does as well. Of course, they must be paid accordingly and based on their caliber of talent. Please do not insult artists and expect to pay a talented seasoned professional the same as a rookie college student.
Considering I work as a writer in the highly creative field of marketing and advertising, I have begun collecting art, such as photographic prints, from my commercial photographers. However, since we are not wealthy professionals, my collection is small, at best.
Even though I know some assume we are rich, at the end of the day, we’re modern-day artists who happen to get a paycheck in the corporate space. While we earn a paycheck, we are free to continue creating whatever art form we are passionate about. Instead of being starving artists, we get to be “prosperous artists” who do not have to be among the poorest of the poor in order to have a career as artists.
My passion is in creating music thus I have multiple guitars, percussion instruments and a piano which serve as display art when I am not playing them.
To date, the art I have the most of is in my vinyl collection. Especially my mom’s vinyl that includes a few originally released Beatles’ albums. I have an original Michael Jackson Thriller album, as well as a Prince and the Revolution Purple Rain album, that might be worth something someday. I also have some of my mom’s original Beatles poster prints from magazines that are no longer in production.
I also have an original painting done by Miguel Frietas that I purchased before his name was known among the art community (Featured in image above). When I got divorced, the painting was going for almost $10,000! However, it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, so it’ll probably be something I hand down to my sons and their kids in the hopes it’ll be of true value years down the road.
According to Marcus by Goldman Sachs, “Art is a long-term investment, and there are no guaranteed returns.
Investing in art also requires patience. Some experts suggest that you may need to plan on staying invested for anywhere between five to 10 years or more.
If you’re buying art as an investor, know that you’re likely going to have to hold on to your art asset for a while. It’s not like flipping a house and hoping to turn a quick profit. Even if you’ve bought a piece that’s expected to appreciate, it’s unlikely to happen overnight.
This brings us to another important point to remember: There are no guaranteed returns when it comes to art investments because pricing can go up or down at any time.
The sale of a few high-value art pieces may grab headlines. But what you may not see are the hundreds of pieces that have little or no appreciation. So it’s possible for your art investment to end up being worth less than the original purchase price,”.
What art degrees pay the most?
Okay, so across the board, we do not make a lot of money; however, most of us have college degrees, and the jobs we usually qualify for require a degree. Typically, a bachelor’s degree, although some employers prefer a master’s degree. Here is a list of possible careers with an art-focused degree:
- Creative Director / Most Common Major: Graphic Design
- Design Director, Interior Design / Most Common Major: Interior Design
- Design Manager / Most Common Major: Graphic Design
- Visual Designer / Most Common Major: Graphic Design
- Animation Director / Most Common Major: Animation
- Art Director / Most Common Major: Graphic Design
- Multimedia Artist / Most Common Major: Multimedia Arts & Sciences
- Interactive Media Designer / Most Common Major: Interactive Media Design
- User Interface Designer / Most Common Major: Graphic Design
- Game Artist / Most Common Major: Game Art & Design
- Writer / Most Common Major: Communications/Journalism/English
Some of the highest-paying art jobs are in management and administration. For example, an art director at a museum or gallery can earn an average annual salary of $62,000. A curator can earn an average salary of $58,000 per year. A museum director can earn an average salary of $73,000 per year.
Below are average salaries for these art-based careers:
- Art Director. Median Salary: $94,220
- Producer & Director. Median Salary: $74,420
- Landscape Architect. Median Salary: $69,360
- Video Editor. Median Salary: $63,780
- Graphic Designer. Median Salary: $52,110
- Drafter. Median Salary: $56,830
- Art Curator: Median Salary: $54.000
- Interior Designer: Median Salary: $56,000
How competitive are marketing jobs
In my experience, it is competitive in the marketing landscape because our skills are based not only on talent but also on who you know and how long you have been in the game. For example, just because I graduated with high distinction from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Communications/Public Relations with a minor in Sociology, it did not mean I was guaranteed a job, and there was no one helping students in my field attain employment like the engineers had.
Nope, we needed to get out there, add to our creative portfolio (usually with an unpaid internship), and network with other professionals in our field to build our personal brand to become employable. It isn’t easy, and we have to pay our dues before someone gives us a chance to showcase our talent—but it is so worth it!
To stay abreast of ongoing changes and network with professionals while in college, I was a member and Treasurer of U of M’s PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) Chapter. PRSSA is the foremost organization for students interested in public relations and communications.
After graduation, I joined and networked with the following professional organizations in the advertising and marketing space:
- PRSA (Public Relations Society of America)
- AMA (American Marketing Association)
- AAF (American Advertising Federation)
- SMPS (Society of Marketing Professional Services)
Collecting art as an investment
In conclusion, whether creating your own art or collecting others’ art, this creative adventure blends passion with patience. While financial returns aren’t guaranteed, the emotional and cultural value can make the journey truly worthwhile over time.