Qualifications

• To become a drawing artist, an individual first needs to obtain at least a bachelor's degree in fine arts. This can be done at a four-year university or an arts school. Art schools typically focus more on studio work than regular four-year universities with art programs. However, four-year universities give artists additional education in other subjects that can broaden their ability to draw more items. School and then internships can provide drawing artists with samples of drawing work for their portfolios, which can then be shown to potential employers down the road.
  
  

National Median

• According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median average annual salary for drawing artists was $42,650 per year in May 2010. This breaks down to $20.50 per hour based on a day 40-hour workweek. Self-employed drawing artists can earn a larger income based on the sale of each of their individual works of art. The more skilled and experienced drawing artists can hold shows in galleries to sell off their work or to obtain clients for commissioned pieces.
  
  

Other Salaries

• The middle 50 percent of drawing artists earn between $29,230 and $60,650 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This breaks down to $14.05 per hour at the lowest end and $29.16 per hour at the highest end of the 50 percent pay scale. The 10th percentile of drawing artists earned $20,780 per year and 90th percentile earned $83,410 per year. This breaks down to $9.99 per hour and $40.10 per hour.
  
  

Job Outlook

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for drawing artists will grow about as fast as the national average, which is 12 percent, from 2008 to 2018. With the increased use of computers, there will be an additional need for drawing artists with a digital background. Companies also are hiring drawing artists with multimedia backgrounds to work with 3D imaging for movies and video games to make images as realistic as possible.