Coolest Jobs in Visual Arts

Schools always seem to be threatening to cut arts education, as if people don't grow up to be artists. Our Make Art. Save Art. campaign with HP wants to ensure that visual art stays in school, especially because, despite what your parents might say, you can grow up to use art at your job. Here are 11 professions that do.

1. Tattoo artist. If you have a steady hand, a passion for art, and a hard-core side, then you should definitely consider being a tattoo artist. This is a job you need to practice for as an apprentice to a more experienced artist.
2. Architect. Build the next great world wonder of the world, or create a house for the next reality show (i.e. Big Brother, The Real World). Architects plan, design, and oversee the construction of buildings, but they can't propose an idea with a messy sketch or model. The job represents a mix of art and math.
3. Cake Decorator. As long as crazy brides and pushy parents exist, someone will need to make the perfect cake for weddings, birthdays, etc. Cake decorators use icing, frosting, or other edible elements to decorate cakes that resemble 3D people, places, and things. The job is harder than you may think; many cake makers have degrees in fine arts.
4. Scenic Designer. What would Friends have been without Central Perk or Monica's apartment? Scenic designers present movies, TV shows, and live theater with detailed settings that are visually stunning. They can also have their designs incorporated into storylines.
5. Forensic Artist. If you can stomach the crime scenes, as a forensic artist you can composite drawings to document the scene. The justice system also needs people with sketching and image modification skills to draw suspect descriptions and courtroom scenes.
6. Toy Designer. Want to make the next action figure or the latest figurine for those creepy, wide eyed Precious Moments dolls? Toy designers bring imagination to life. They draw, sketch, sculpt and make computer models of concepts. Most toy designers have a background in graphic arts or design.
7. Art Therapist. People can overcome issues and express thoughts through drawing, painting, sculpture, and other creative forms. For example, an art therapist could assign a patient a task and and then asks the patient what the art represents (like "How old are you in this drawing?"). Through art, these sessions achieve therapeutic goals.
8. Textile Designer. Different than a fashion designer, textile experts find ways to manipulate fibers, dyes, looms, and threads. Are you a big fan of patterns like paisley or houndstooth? Textile design was all behind that.
9. Animator. All of those hours of watching Anime may pay off. The continual success of francises like Toy Story proves that people still want to see animation storylines. Plus, as websites and mobile phones become more advanced, more companies will need animation for their products.
10. Museum Curator. These guys and girls make the big decisions about where art goes and how it gets displayed. They take preserve works of art, conduct research, decide on what to collect, and much more.
11. Art Teacher. Even if this one is obvious, we love teachers. Art instructors can open up artistic expression for all students and may even inspire students to pursue the other careers on this list.