Photographer to drawing artist
A photographer already meets 19% of what the drawing artist role asks for. The move turns on 16 required skills not yet in the profile.
79.3/ 100
1 How much of what a drawing artist is expected to do is already part of a photographer’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 drawing artist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A drawing artist role treats 3 of its required skills as things a photographer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- create digital images
- develop an artistic framework
- develop visual elements
What stands in the way is 16 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 7 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A drawing artist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a photographer background worth leading with.
- already held design greeting cards communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held develop visual elements communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held create digital images communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held collaborate with a technical staff in artistic productions communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held develop an artistic framework communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held develop artistic project budgets information skills
All 7 carried skills, including the 3 the drawing artist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 23 missing skills fall into 6 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 perform ideation activities required
- still to learn create original drawings required
- still to learn create sketches required
- still to learn describe artistic experience required
- still to learn discuss artwork required
- still to learn draw up artistic project proposals required
- still to learn ensure visual quality of the set required
- still to learn select artistic materials to create artworks required
- still to learn select illustration styles required
- still to learn use traditional illustration techniques required
- still to learn select subject matter required
- optional, not held identify artistic niche optional
- optional, not held participate in artistic mediation activities optional
- optional, not held present exhibition optional
- optional, not held develop educational resources optional
- still to learn intellectual property law required
- still to learn labour legislation required
- still to learn contextualise artistic work required
- optional, not held assess conservation needs optional
- optional, not held keep personal administration optional
- still to learn art history required
- still to learn use digital illustration techniques required
- optional, not held plan art educational activities optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a drawing artist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 perform ideation activities practise this
- 02 art history study this
- 03 contextualise artistic work 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 7 skills that carry over
- already held create digital images skill
- already held develop an artistic framework skill
- already held develop visual elements skill
- already held collaborate with a technical staff in artistic productions skill
- already held design greeting cards skill
- already held develop artistic educational activities skill
- already held develop artistic project budgets skill
7 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held assess conservation needs optional
- optional, not held identify artistic niche optional
- optional, not held participate in artistic mediation activities optional
- optional, not held plan art educational activities optional
- optional, not held present exhibition optional
- optional, not held develop educational resources optional
- optional, not held keep personal administration optional
46 held skills the drawing artist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role advertising techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role advise customers on photography skill
- not needed by the target role architectural design knowledge
- not needed by the target role art collections knowledge
- not needed by the target role brand marketing techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role care for food aesthetic skill
- not needed by the target role communicate with youth skill
- not needed by the target role computer graphics knowledge
- not needed by the target role conduct extensive international travel skill
- not needed by the target role create artificial light skill
- not needed by the target role create infrared imagery skill
- not needed by the target role design an artificial lighting system skill
- not needed by the target role determine image composition skill
- not needed by the target role develop film skill
- not needed by the target role digital marketing techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role direct photographic workers skill
- not needed by the target role edit negatives skill
- not needed by the target role edit photographs skill
- not needed by the target role handle artworks skill
- not needed by the target role home decoration techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role landscape architecture knowledge
- not needed by the target role license photo usage skill
- not needed by the target role load film skill
- not needed by the target role maintain photographic equipment skill
- not needed by the target role measure light levels skill
- not needed by the target role mount photos skill
- not needed by the target role operate a camera skill
- not needed by the target role organise product display skill
- not needed by the target role prepare digital art for master photograph skill
- not needed by the target role prepare personal work environment skill
- not needed by the target role represent company in exhibitions skill
- not needed by the target role research new photographic procedures skill
- not needed by the target role scan photos skill
- not needed by the target role select auxiliary equipment for photographic work skill
- not needed by the target role select camera apertures skill
- not needed by the target role select photographic equipment skill
- not needed by the target role select photos skill
- not needed by the target role set up cameras skill
- not needed by the target role set up photographic equipment skill
- not needed by the target role set up photographic exhibitions skill
6 further entries not listed here
3 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 art history required
- still to learn intellectual property law required
- still to learn labour legislation required
Common questions about this move
Can a photographer become a drawing artist?
Yes, and it is a career change move. A photographer already covers 19% of what a drawing artist is expected to do: 7 skills carry over, 3 of which the drawing artist role treats as required.
What skills does a photographer need to become a drawing artist?
16 required skills are missing, plus 7 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is perform ideation activities.
How hard is the move from photographer to drawing artist?
Its learning distance is 79.3 out of 100, which is the career change 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.