America has one of the best and world-renowned art industries.
From filmmakers to visual arts, curators to entertainers and fine arts, making art is an essential part of a nations’ fabric.
However, pursuing a career in drawing or other fine arts isn’t always straightforward; many things come into play, even the cities.
For instance, there’s a vast difference in tailing your drawing career in small towns compared to top cities.
So, want to pursue a career in drawing in the best US city?
Read on!
Which City Has The Best Art Scene In The US?
One thing that makes cities distinctive is that you have easy access to culture and art.
Though art, especially drawing, painting, and sculpting, is created and found anywhere, cities provide definite benefits. They’re the cultural hubs attracting both existing and new artistic talents.
Besides vast job opportunities, you can take private online and in-person drawing lessons with some of the best drawing platforms such as Superprof.
So, if you want to pursue a career in drawing, the following cities are the best options:
- Pursue A Drawing Career In The City Of Angels – Los Angeles
Home to Hollywood – the cinema of the United States – Los Angeles (LA) is one of the best US cities for aspiring drawers and other artists.
Believe it or not, LA offers enormous artistic job opportunities.
According to one report, the city has approximately 122000 artistic employments and boasts some of the highest-earning jobs with average salary packages of $85,050.
In addition to that, it has over 39500 cultural and artistic establishments, including world-famous museums like “The Getty Center,” “Los Angeles County Museum of Arts,” etc.
Moreover, it’s also a hub for television and film production companies like Warner Brothers, Sony Entertainment, Walt Disney, and Universal Studios.
Overall, Los Angeles is a perfect city to pursue a drawing career, especially if you’re looking for beginner drawing ideas.
- Pursue A Drawing Career In The Holy City – Charleston
Charleston – the largest city in South Carolina – is one of the best per capita cities for drawing and art lovers. For years, the city has hosted many renowned art festivals such as “MOJA Arts Festival,” “Piccolo Spoleto,” “Kulture Klash,” and more.
Apart from annual offerings, various art exhibitions and galleries have sprouted out across Charleston, including the “Gallery Row” and avenues alongside French Quarter.
The city offers some of the best job opportunities for various arts, including drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.
Also, you’ll find diverse art institutes and online platforms ready to teach you how to sketch, paint, or draw effectively.
Besides being the best per capita city for artists, Charleston provides more reasonable accommodation than most other cities. For example, you can easily get a one-bedroom flat for about $1092 rent.
- Pursue A Drawing Career In The Magic City – Miami
Thanks to Wynwood and Art Basel, Miami is considered among the leading art cities in America. Wondering what Wynwood and Art Basel are exactly?
Privately managed and owned, Art Basel is a famous for-profit international art fair.
This yearly five-day event, scattered over various Miami locations, attracts more than 70,000 people worldwide and features artworks from over 200 galleries and 4000 artists.
For year-round art gazing, Wynwood is the best option. Famous for its several colorful murals, it’s one of America’s most-happening districts. It contains 70 art galleries and museums and over 25 studios.
You can explore “Wynwood Walls,” an open-air exhibition space showcasing large-scale artworks by the world’s well-known street artists. Unlike Charleston, the accommodation cost is slightly expensive.
However, given the sand, sun, and entertaining Miami nightlife, a one-bedroom flat for $1960/month isn’t bad.
- Pursue A Drawing Career In The Golden City – San Francisco
If you’re looking for a city to pursue your career in drawing, look no further than San Francisco!
Thanks to SFO Museum, America’s first-ever art museum located inside an airport, you don’t have to go further into the city to start an art journey. It hosts over 40 exhibitions annually.
Additionally, the city is home to America’s largest community of art studios known as “Hunters Point Shipyard Artists.”
Consist of 300 artists, the group opens its gigantic studio to the general public four times per year.
If you want to get better at drawing, painting, sculpting, or other art, San Francisco is where you want to be due to its diverse art establishments and job and learning opportunities.
However, the city is comparatively expensive. For example, a one-bedroom flat can cost you more than $3500 per month.
- Pursue A Drawing Career In The Queen City – Cincinnati
Although Cincinnati is best known for baseball across the country, it’s becoming a hub for various art forms, including drawing, architecture, painting, music, theater, sculpting, etc.
With more than 88 art galleries, the “Cincinnati Art Museum” is among the oldest museums in the US.
In addition, the “Taft Museum of Art” features artworks from various sources like old European masters, Chinese antiquities, and 19th C America.
You’ll also find Cincinnati has a wellspring of art where various artworks assist children in making art that influences the entire community.
Moreover, “Art Beyond Boundaries” showcases local artists, including painters, drawers, sculptors, etc., with disabilities.
The city offers affordable accommodation to artists. You can get a one-bedroom flat for rent at about $1001 easily.
What Career Opportunities Are Found In The Fine Arts?

Fine art students develop various creative and practical skills and gain learning experience by entering competitions, exhibitions and creating work portfolios.
Wondering what job opportunities you have as a drawer or painter? Here are the most common careers paths to consider:
- Advertising Art Director
Drive and tenacity are a few major skills for art directors in the world of creative ads.
As an ad or creative art director, you’ll produce creative ideas for various visual components of ad campaigns in different media channels such as:
- Press
- Radio
- Posters
- Internet (virtual or digital marketing)
- Television and cinema
Typically, advertising art directors will work with copywriters to form creative teams. Traditionally, copywriters produce words that sit well with visuals framed by art directors.
- Illustrators
An illustrator is commissioned to make still images and drawings to communicate stories, ideas, or messages in books, packaging, newspapers, greeting cards, magazines, and advertisements.
You’ll have to work on business briefs to persuade, entertain, or inform a client’s targeted audience, modifying the style and mood of images.
In addition, you’ll specialize in specific design mediums like photography, digital illustrations, or drawing.
Work is largely freelance, and many illustrators are independent. Work areas may include:
- Publishing – books
- Advertising – press, storyboards, and posters
- Editorial – comics, newspapers, and magazines
- Fashion – forecasting
- Multimedia – computer games, animation, apps, websites, film, and TV
- Corporate work – catalogs and brochures
- Merchandising – calendars, ceramics, t-shirts, and greeting cards
Specialist areas involve technical, medical, and scientific illustrations. They include showcasing new processes, techniques, or products for reference and textbooks.

- Fine Artists
Fine artists produce thought-provoking and original work that can be aesthetically attractive, disruptive, or shocking through various media channels.
As fine artists, you might specialize in a particular medium or subject matter. Additionally, you may focus on various art forms such as portraits, abstract art, landscapes, etc.
Or, you might work laterally through mediums, disciplines, and subjects to explore concepts in unforeseen ways and form original connections.
You can be designated to create artworks and sell them using an intermediary like an agent or gallery or directly to an audience. In addition, fine artists may engage in creative research practices, contributing to the overall knowledge via conceptual explorations and material.
Other work can include conducting art lessons, partaking in various community art schools or projects, or applying innovative problem-solving strategies.
Here are a few ways you can work:
- Analog – painting, drawing, sculpture, collage, or installation
- Digital – moving images, sound, or interactive narratives
- Live – mixing, intervention, performance, coding
- Conceptual – creative experiments., theories, research questions
How Much Do Drawing Career Jobs Pay Per Hour?
Although the pay scale for careers in drawing varies based on experience and the city you’re in, here are the average income different professions using drawing skills make:
Professions Using Drawing Skills | Salary Per Hour |
---|---|
Fashion Designer | $23.5 per hour |
Art teacher | $19.96 per hour |
Animator | $26.5 per hour |
Graphic Designer | $21.55 per hour |
Industrial designer | $15.44 per hour |
Illustrator | $28.58 per hour |
Art director | $39.93 per hour |
Want To Learn To Draw Or Sketch With Superprof Private Drawing Lessons In Your Hometown

Taking drawing classes shouldn’t be a hassle! This is why Superprof provides affordable and convenient drawing lessons for students across the US.
They provide a range of credible, experienced, and qualified drawing tutors near your hometown ready to teach you how to sketch or draw like a pro.
Besides providing in-person lessons, Superprof also offers online drawing classes, allowing students to take lessons anywhere from America.
Before choosing your favorite drawing tutor, browse through various profiles and see their experience, certifications, academic qualifications, and review left by previous students.
Superprof even allows you to contact your potential tutors in advance.
Why wait further when you can join private Superprof drawing lessons in your hometown or virtually and become the artist you always imagined.