Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
Machines can already do 29% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 64%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 29% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 36% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2032, and 64% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 11,220 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $55,490 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 39% for contact with people.
- Also called: Artist, Automotive Artist, Blacksmith, Fine Artist.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use materials such as pens and ink, watercolors, charcoal, oil, or computer software to create artwork | 22% | 20% to 60% | |
| Integrate and develop visual elements, such as line, space, mass, color, and perspective, to produce desired effects, such as the illustration of ideas, emotions, or moods | 11% | 20% to 60% | |
| Market artwork through brochures, mailings, or Web sites | 6% | 25% to 55% | |
| Render drawings, illustrations, and sketches of buildings, manufactured products, or models, working from sketches, blueprints, memory, models, or reference materials | 6% | 35% to 65% | |
| Teach artistic techniques to children or adults | 6% | 25% to 55% | |
| Confer with clients, editors, writers, art directors, and other interested parties regarding the nature and content of artwork to be produced | 4% | 78% to 97% | |
| Monitor events, trends, and other circumstances, research specific subject areas, attend art exhibitions, and read art publications to develop ideas and keep current on art world activities | 4% | 82% to 97% | |
| Create sculptures, statues, and other three-dimensional artwork by using abrasives and tools to shape, carve, and fabricate materials such as clay, stone, wood, or metal | 4% | 20% to 60% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Music Directors and Composers63% of tasks by 2035 · US median $73,710
- Fashion Designers58% of tasks by 2035 · US median $80,960
- Communications Teachers, Postsecondary60% of tasks by 2035 · US median $78,580
- Stand-up Comedians54% of tasks by 2035
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2032. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators?
Machines can do 29% of the tasks of fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators today and 64% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 27-1013.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/fine-artists-including-painters-sculptors-and-illustrators/