Digital artist to conceptual artist
A digital artist already meets 55% of what the conceptual artist role asks for. The move turns on 9 required skills not yet in the profile.
51.4/ 100
1 How much of what a conceptual artist is expected to do is already part of a digital artist’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the conceptual artist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A conceptual artist role treats 9 of its required skills as things a digital artist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- art history
- contextualise artistic work
- define artistic approach
- define creative components
- develop an artistic framework
- discuss artwork
What stands in the way is 9 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 22 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A conceptual artist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a digital artist background worth leading with.
- already held create pen-and-paper images communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held assess each stage of the creative process communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held design greeting cards communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held provide input to collaborators to guide their work communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held develop animations communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held define creative components communication, collaboration and creativity
All 22 carried skills, including the 9 the conceptual artist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 15 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn adapt artistic plan to location required
- still to learn create artwork required
- still to learn identify artistic niche required
- still to learn maintain an artistic portfolio required
- still to learn make artistic processes explicit required
- still to learn select artistic materials to create artworks required
- optional, not held use artistic materials for drawing optional
- optional, not held design graphics optional
- still to learn monitor art scene developments required
- still to learn study artistic techniques required
- optional, not held monitor sociological trends optional
- still to learn iconography required
- optional, not held manage artistic project optional
- optional, not held manage personal professional development optional
- optional, not held ensure safety of exercise environment optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a conceptual artist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 iconography study this
- 02 adapt artistic plan to location practise this
- 03 create artwork practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 22 skills that carry over
- already held art history knowledge
- already held contextualise artistic work skill
- already held define artistic approach skill
- already held define creative components skill
- already held develop an artistic framework skill
- already held discuss artwork skill
- already held gather reference materials for artwork skill
- already held intellectual property law knowledge
- already held labour legislation knowledge
- already held assess conservation needs skill
- already held assess each stage of the creative process skill
- already held create pen-and-paper images skill
- already held design greeting cards skill
- already held develop animations skill
- already held develop artistic educational activities skill
- already held develop artistic project budgets skill
- already held develop educational resources skill
- already held keep personal administration skill
- already held participate in artistic mediation activities skill
- already held plan art educational activities skill
- already held present exhibition skill
- already held provide input to collaborators to guide their work skill
6 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held ensure safety of exercise environment optional
- optional, not held manage artistic project optional
- optional, not held monitor sociological trends optional
- optional, not held use artistic materials for drawing optional
- optional, not held design graphics optional
- optional, not held manage personal professional development optional
19 held skills the conceptual artist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adobe creative suite knowledge
- not needed by the target role augmented reality knowledge
- not needed by the target role computer graphics knowledge
- not needed by the target role convert into animated object skill
- not needed by the target role create digital images skill
- not needed by the target role design materials for multimedia campaigns skill
- not needed by the target role develop design concept skill
- not needed by the target role develop digital content skill
- not needed by the target role digital arts knowledge
- not needed by the target role digital communication and collaboration skill
- not needed by the target role digital content creation skill
- not needed by the target role digital media knowledge
- not needed by the target role have computer literacy skill
- not needed by the target role monitor developments in technology used for design skill
- not needed by the target role operate 3D computer graphics software skill
- not needed by the target role prepare digital art for master photograph skill
- not needed by the target role receive appropriate permissions for use of recorded audiovisual examples skill
- not needed by the target role use specialised design software skill
- not needed by the target role web based collaborative platforms knowledge
1 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn iconography required
Common questions about this move
Can a digital artist become a conceptual artist?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A digital artist already covers 55% of what a conceptual artist is expected to do: 22 skills carry over, 9 of which the conceptual artist role treats as required.
What skills does a digital artist need to become a conceptual artist?
9 required skills are missing, plus 6 optional ones. They fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is iconography.
How hard is the move from digital artist to conceptual artist?
Its learning distance is 51.4 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.