OPINIONS | Vol. 24, Issue 11 | 2

How Much Does it Cost to be an Artist?

The art world is full of programs, materials, and creative methods but according to many professionals—only a handful of those actually matter. The majority of which are both expensive and difficult to get your hands on. Despite what some may say, there should be no shame in utilizing ways to create which are more easily accessible.

As a graphic designer, I’ve noticed this issue being particularly bad in my field. The industry standard is Adobe, with a monthly subscription for the Creative Cloud Pro costing $70. While it can be cheaper when just looking at certain programs, graphic designers need access to all Adobe has to offer. Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign are some of the most used Adobe programs. I myself use Illustrator and InDesign the most in and out of the classroom. And when it comes to the job market, employers expect and require efficiency in those very same programs.

When looking at other programs, there are many that are just as good if not better than Adobe. Take Canva for example. Canva has many different ways that users can create slideshows, videos, flyers, logos and so much more. It is also considerably cheaper (the basic version of the program being free) and easier for users to navigate.

Another good example is Procreate, which for a cheap one time purchase gives users the ability to create high quality graphics and animations. Even though these programs are both easier to access and also capable of creating work of equal quality to more expensive programs, they tend to be labelled “unprofessional” by those in the industry.

This emphasis on “industry standard” can be seen extending to the fine arts as well, a field that is full of elitist attitudes. People will get a lot of comments on which mediums to use and which brands to use for those mediums. There are people who only consider oil paint to be the best of the best and look down on those who use acrylic paints. And even if these people use acrylic, you need to buy the most expensive set of paints for your painting to look good. At least that’s what most people would say.

In reality however, you can buy Dollar Store acrylics, add some corn starch, and the paint will end up looking practically identical to higher end products.

Recently, acrylic paint markers have been gaining popularity, used to create all sorts of artwork. Poscas are the most well known and frequently used brand, but they are also incredibly expensive. There are plenty of cheaper options on Amazon that work just as well or even better! It is the same with colored pencils. So many people say you need to buy Prismacolor Pencils when Crayola colored pencils can achieve the same effects.

Many industry experts like to claim that if you use cheaper alternatives, that your art is inherently less professional or of lower quality. But in reality, artists should be focusing on finding the mediums and brands that work for them.

By demanding that artists only use the most expensive, “industry standard” resources–you are dipping into classist territory by basically saying those who are incapable of affording such products cannot be considered “real” artists.

It is this accessibility within the art world that keeps it alive and going. The people who strive to continue tend to start off with cheaper, more accessible materials and programs. While many may eventually move on to the more expensive “industry standard,” there are plenty who stay using more accessible options because they work.

The art and graphic design world needs more programs which are both easy to obtain and navigate. Not programs that only people with money can get, but ways of creating that everyone can use. It makes beginners feel like they can’t make it or that in order to be the best you need the best. When the reality is you only need what works for you and if that means using what’s not “industry standard” then that is perfectly okay.

Creating art should be accessible, and not having fancy tools does not make you any less of an artist.