Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Research and gather information about careers in the visual arts. 
• Analyze the relationship between art forms and careers. 
• Describe the impact visual artists have in many areas of daily life and our community.
• Create a visual arts career book containing work samples and career descriptions.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

• Capture Sheet: Visual Arts Careers

Videos

• Fashion at Parsons School of Design Video
• Architect Career Video
• Graphic Designer Career Video

Websites

• Is Fashion Design For You?
• What Does a Fashion Designer Do?
• Career Kids: Architect
• What Does an Architect Do?
• Career Kids: Graphic Artist
• What Does a Graphic Designer Do?

Additional Materials

• Blank paper, construction paper, cardstock 
• Optional: scrapbook paper with patterns
• Pencils, markers, crayons, colored pencils
• Constructing materials (Legos, cardboard, building blocks, or woodcraft sticks)
• Glue

Teacher Background

Teachers should have a basic understanding of visual arts job descriptions, activities, and education required for each of the careers (ex. fashion designer, architect, and graphic designer). Teachers can substitute the careers for other options such as exhibit designer, historic preservation specialist, urban designer, artist-in-residence, art critic, art therapist, book illustrator, web designer, landscape architect, furniture designer, or greeting card designer. 

Student Prerequisites 

Students should have an understanding of visual arts as a category within the arts, as well as familiarity with some of the disciplines of visual arts (drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.).

Accessibility Notes

Modify handouts, text, and utilize assistive technologies as needed. Allow extra time for task completion. 

Engage

1. Ask students to name examples of visual art that they see in their daily lives and list them on the board. Encourage students to consider the items they touch and places they go during the day.

2. Ask students to name the careers of the people who created the items or places from the list of examples. List them on the board next to each example. Tell students they are going to explore three visual arts careers: Fashion Designer, Architect, and Graphic Designer.

Build

1. Define and discuss the three careers that will be designated in the stations. A fashion designer is an artist who designs all the things that we wear - clothes, hats, shoes, etc. Fashion designers must know how to draw and illustrate, sew, and be very creative and aware of trends. Share the following resources with students to explore a career in fashion design and to note facts using the Capture Sheet: Visual Arts Careers resource. 

- Is Fashion Design For You?

- What Does a Fashion Designer Do?

- Fashion at Parsons School of Design Video

An architect is an artist who designs buildings. The architect studies all types of building styles and materials. Some architects also design landscapes around buildings and parks. Architects must know all about construction and structure, the interior and exterior of buildings. Share the following resources with students to explore a career in architecture and to note facts using the Capture Sheet: Visual Arts Careers resource.

- Career Kids: Architect

- What Does an Architect Do?

- Architect Career Video

A graphic artist is a broad category that includes many types of artists. The type of graphic artist that students will learn about in this learning station designs all the commercial packaging we see in our stores and markets. Graphic artists study design, form, and even marketing. The work of the graphic artist must grab the attention of the customer and also sell the product. Share the following resources with students to explore a career in graphic design and to note facts using the Capture Sheet: Visual Arts Careers resource. 

- Career Kids: Graphic Artist

- What Does a Graphic Designer Do?

- Graphic Designer Career Video

2. Discuss the need to balance art and practical needs in objects used in everyday life. Artists want things like clothing, buildings, and packaging to be artistically appealing, but it is also important that they can be used for their intended purposes. Clothing must be wearable, buildings must have the right number of doors and windows, and packaging must give information about what is inside.

Apply

1. Introduce students to each of the career stations, explaining the resources and supplies they will need. Briefly demonstrate what students should do at each station. Students can work independently, in pairs, or in collaborative groups. Have students place their finished work in a folder or bin after completing the station.

2. Allow time for students to work through each station. Place inspirational pictures and examples of each career around the stations (clothing, buildings, cereal boxes). 

Station One: Fashion Designer

Each student will design 2 - 4 outfits. The clothes should be for a very special day or occasion such as a holiday. Students can cut and paste their clothes or draw directly on the paper. The students should label what the occasion is on the back of their papers when they have completed their work. 

Station Two: Architect

Each student will have a choice to design or construct one of the following: a new school, house for a family of 6, apartment complex, office building, or museum. Students should explore picture examples of the buildings to determine what type of building they want to design. Have students draw or construct their examples. What materials will you use? What size will it be? What colors will you use? 

Station Three: Graphic Designer

Each student will design the packaging for a new cereal called “Krunchy Munchies.” Students should look at the examples of cereal boxes in the station before beginning to draw. What things will you put on the front of the box? What types of images do you think of when you hear the name of the cereal? What colors will you use that will make people want to buy the cereal? Using paper and markers students will create a drawing for the box front of the new cereal. The design should include the name of the cereal on the cover. 

Reflect 

1. Mount students work on construction paper and have them title or describe each of their pieces. Punch three holes on one side of each mounted piece so they can be tied together to form a book.

2. Students then design a front and back cover for their books. The front cover should include a title, the student’s name, the date, and any other information needed. Students may also add illustrations to the front and back cover if time permits. Punch holes in the cover and back and assemble the book. The career paragraph should be placed in front of the design work for each corresponding career.  Add the front and back covers and use string or yarn to tie into a finished book.  

3. Have students participate in a “Gallery Walk.” Students will walk around the classroom and view each student's visual arts career book. 

4. Assess students’ knowledge of careers in the visual arts with a written reflection. Ask students to select one career to write about, including facts, skills required to do the job, and how the job is a career in visual arts. 

Extend

1. Have students explore other careers in the visual arts. Ask students: How can a career in one art form lead you to a career in another art form? How do careers in various art forms merge or help one another?

2. Share the following resources for students to explore. Tell students careers like these exist in our own communities or nearby communities. 

- Celia Ledón: Costume Designer

- Scenic Design with Deb Sivigny

- Sound Design with Nick Hernandez

- Lighting Design with Alberto Segarra

3. Engage students in reading a play, fashion show, or art show. Assign careers to students to design a set or display using techniques learned from the designers.