Artistic Careers and Interest Type

What is the Artistic interest type?

People with a strong Artistic interest tend to see the world as material for something new. A blank page, an empty room or a simple tune can look like a chance to make something. They often dislike being told exactly how to do a task, and they work best when they have some freedom. Many care deeply about how things look, sound or feel. They may also notice small details of mood and style that others walk right past.

This interest reaches far beyond painting and music. Cooking, fashion, website design, advertising, teaching drama, filmmaking, hair styling and building video games all draw on it. Some Artistic people earn from their creative work full time, while others keep it as a side project next to a steady job. Enjoying creative work is not the same as having talent for it yet. Skill comes from practice, and the interest is a good reason to start. Your other letters show which kind of making suits you.

What work do Artistic people enjoy?

• Making something newStarting with nothing and ending with a drawing, song, story, dish, outfit or design that did not exist before and carries your own touch.
• Playing with color and soundChanging how things look, sound or feel until the mix seems right, whether you are designing a poster, a room or a short video.
• Telling storiesSharing a message or a feeling through words, pictures, film or the stage, so that other people laugh, think or see something in a new way.
• Working with freedomHaving room to try ideas, change direction and break a pattern, instead of following the same set steps every single day.
• Performing for othersGetting up to sing, dance, act, play an instrument or show your work in front of people, and feeling the energy of a live crowd.

Where do Artistic people tend to work?

Artistic work happens in studios, theaters, media and ad agencies, design firms, schools, kitchens, salons and game studios. More and more of it happens at home with a laptop. Many people in these fields work for themselves or on short projects, so income can rise and fall. Schedules are often flexible but can get very busy near a deadline or a show. Teams tend to value fresh thinking and honest feedback on the work.

Which interest types often go with Artistic?

• Artistic and InvestigativeArtistic and Investigative sit next to each other on the hexagon. Both like ideas and freedom. People with both tend to enjoy creative work that needs research, such as writing about science, designing apps, making documentary films or building games with clever rules.
• Artistic and SocialArtistic and Social are also neighbors. People with both often enjoy using creativity to reach and help others. They may like teaching art or music, running drama classes, writing for young readers, or using art and play to support people in schools, hospitals and community centers.
• Artistic and EnterprisingArtistic with Enterprising is a common mix in media and business. People with both enjoy coming up with ideas and then selling them. Marketing, advertising, fashion, event planning and running a small creative business can appeal to them, since they get to create and persuade.

What are the top Artistic jobs?

These jobs have the highest Artistic interest scores in O*NET® data, grouped by how much preparation they usually need. Most jobs mix two or three interest types, so a job high on Artistic may still need other interests too. Tap a job to read its full page on O*NET OnLine.