What Do Artists Do

Artists are creative people who make art in many different ways. Some artists paint pictures. Others make sculptures, take photographs, or draw cartoons. Artists use their imagination to share ideas and feelings. Their work can be found in museums, books, and even on the streets.

How Artists Work

Artists use many tools and materials. Painters use brushes, paints, and canvases. Sculptors shape clay, metal, or stone. Digital artists create pictures on computers and tablets. Many artists spend hours working on a single piece until it looks just right.

Art as a Career

Artists can work in many places. Some sell their art in galleries. Others design characters for movies and video games. Illustrators draw pictures for children's books. Graphic designers create logos and posters. Art is everywhere around us, from cereal boxes to movie posters.

Fun Facts

• Leonardo da Vinci spent about 16 years painting the Mona Lisa's lips.
• The color blue used to be more expensive than gold because it was so rare.
• Some artists create pictures using only sand, which wash away when the wind blows.

Did You Know?

Pablo Picasso could draw before he could talk. His first word was the Spanish word for pencil!