MEDIA, COMMUNICATION AND THE ARTS

Painter and Fine Artist

Creates original paintings and artworks sold through galleries, exhibitions and commissions.

Any Class 12 stream; drawing skill helps After Class 12 Self-employed

Facts checked 29/10/2026

Is this for me?

People in this work enjoy

Spending long, quiet hours on one idea until it feels right
Watching your own style grow over the years
Making things with your hands and eyes, and seeing the results

It may not suit you if you dislike

Income can be irregular for many years
Rejection from galleries, juries and buyers is common
You work alone for long hours and must keep yourself disciplined

Class 11–12 subjects: Class 12 from a recognised board in any stream. Most colleges ask for about 45–60% overall, with lower marks for SC, ST and OBC students. Some colleges want English or Hindi as a core subject. A practical drawing or art aptitude test is usually part of the process.
First degree: BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts), usually 4 years, with a specialisation such as Painting (reported). An MFA, usually 2 years, is for those who want deeper study or teaching in colleges.
Entrance exams: CUET (UG) by NTA for Delhi's College of Art and some central universities. State tests such as MH-AAC-CET in Maharashtra. Many colleges also run their own practical test, portfolio review or interview, for example Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.
Licence or registration: None needed to start working.

Open to every streamAny Class 12 stream; drawing skill helps.Check your subjects against every career

What the work is like

Making original paintings in oils, acrylics, watercolour or mixed media. Planning series for shows, pitching work to galleries, taking commissions, pricing and keeping records of your work.

A day in the work
A painter usually starts the morning in the studio with coffee and a cleared table. The day goes on with a few hours of painting, then checking how the work looks in daylight and changing what is not working. The afternoon may go to emails with galleries, a commission client, or photographing finished work for an online portfolio. Some days are quiet and some are hard, and the work continues whether or not a sale comes in.

The path, step by step

Step 1 · Class 10–12Draw and paint every week and keep a sketchbook. Pass Class 12 in any stream, and check the marks and subject rules of the colleges you like.
Step 2 · Class 12Sit the entrance route your college uses: CUET (UG), a state test such as MH-AAC-CET, or the college's own practical test with a portfolio.
Step 3 · 4 yearsBFA in Painting or a related subject. Studio practice, drawing from life, art history and critiques. Seats may also depend on a portfolio review or interview. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 4 · During the BFABuild a portfolio. Take part in college annual shows and group exhibitions, and enter small local or open shows.
Step 5 · After the BFAEarn through sales, commissions, teaching, workshops or design work. An optional 2-year MFA is for deeper practice or teaching at college level. (reported — check with the official body)

Ways in

RouteGovernment or central university BFA, entered through CUET or a state test, with low fees.
RoutePrivate art college BFA, entered through a merit or portfolio route, usually at higher fees.
RouteSelf-taught artist who builds a portfolio and exhibitions without a degree. Possible, but harder to get into teaching and some institutional work.

Time and money

Stage	Time	Government college or body	Private college	Help available
Class 11–12 (Your school's fees)	2 years	Your school's fees	Your school's fees	—
Entrance exam: CUET (UG), state test, or college practical test with portfolio	1 day exam	Check the notice for exam fees	Check the college's fee page	—
Government BFA (4 years), e.g. Sir J.J. School of Art: about ₹10,000 per year (2025–26 prospectus)	4 years	Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai: about ₹10,000 per year (2025–26 prospectus); MSU Baroda: check the college's fee page	—	Merit scholarships and freeships offered at Sir JJ School of Art (reported)
Private art college BFA (4 years)	4 years	—	Check the college's fee page	Check the college's fee page

Total timeAbout 4 years after Class 12 for a BFA, with an optional 2-year MFA

Total costGovernment BFA fees are far lower than private ones; the Sir J.J. School of Art figure is about ₹10,000 per year, and private fees depend on the college's fee page.

Good to knowThe page gives no fee for private colleges, and the Sir JJ total of ~₹34,000 is third-party and reported, so verify on the college's page.

Fees from: Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda: Faculty of Fine Arts programmes · Sir JJ School of Art fee listing (third-party, reported) · Sir J.J. School of Art admission prospectus 2025–26 (sirjjuniv.in PDF). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

What people earn

Earnings vary a lot: a new artist may sell little for years, while established artists with gallery representation and steady buyers can earn well. The city, your reputation and whether you also teach or design all make a big difference.

Myth and fact

Myth: ~~You need a rare natural gift to become a painter.~~

Fact: Most of the skill comes from steady practice and training, and colleges teach technique. Most working artists build income slowly from sales, teaching, commissions and design work.

For girls and students with disabilities

Reservation rules apply. The Goa College of Art prospectus lowers the minimum marks to 40% for SC, ST and OBC students. The Delhi College of Art has supernumerary seats for hearing and speech impaired applicants, who study the practical subjects and are exempt from theory.

Try it now

Class 7–9Spend 30 minutes a day drawing from life, such as your room, a fruit or a face. Keep all your sketches in one book.
Class 10–12Visit a local museum or art gallery this month. Note three works you like and say why, then try to copy one technique in your own sketchbook.Open link ↗
College or afterStart a portfolio of 10 to 15 finished works. Look for a free open studio, workshop or community art centre near you.

Good to know

In many colleges, the practical test and portfolio count as much as Class 12 marks. Start your sketchbook now.
Entrance rules change every year. The Delhi notice I read was for 2025-26, so check the college's notice for the current session.
Painting income is uncertain. Many artists also teach, take commissions or do design work to pay the bills.

Sources: College of Art, University of Delhi: BFA admission policy 2025-26 (PDF) · Goa College of Art: BFA prospectus 2026-27 (PDF) · Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda: Faculty of Fine Arts programmes · Sir JJ School of Art fee listing (third-party, reported)