An artist who meets the standard, because he has a skill, it is actually easy to make a living.
Let's talk about the example of calligraphers first. I met a calligrapher who won a grand prize (including the first, second and third prizes) at the Lanting Prize, the highest exhibition prize of calligraphy in China. There are four main ways for him to make money: one is to earn some salary outside the position of the city book association; The second is to use business time to run calligraphy training classes. The experience of winning the national prize is a golden signboard, which is very rare; Third, selling words, using online auction, can still be done at regular intervals, and a few square words (acceptable artistic value) can be done at around 2000 yuan, which is a conscience price; The fourth is to write inscriptions for the shops of some enterprises and small businesses, and one word will receive 1,800 decorations.
Generally speaking, the income is not bad.
Painters make money in the same way as calligraphers.
Especially the professors of the academic art department have always been short of money, and it is easier to make money.