Every artist begins their journey with a passion for art. Becoming a painter artist is a fascinating and fulfilling journey with many professional possibilities to enhance your artistic growth. Canada has a vibrant artistic landscape where emerging artists can cultivate their talents, connect with a diverse community of artists, and explore their creative voices.
Would you like to explore the journey to becoming a painter artist in Canada? Strive for artistic excellence and get inspired by the world of Canadian art! Here you will find the fundamental steps to follow your passion as a painter artist, build a career and live from your creativity and passions.
What is the right degree for painters?
A Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts (BFA) will give you all the knowledge you need to delve into the visual arts. With this Bachelor's degree, you can specialize in painting, drawing, or printmaking, and you will be introduced to oil painting, watercolor, and various drawing techniques. Also, these programs generally include focused study in art tools, styles, technical aspects of painting, art history, and critique. In addition, with a BFA, you may also choose photography and sculptural concentrations as part of your program.
Did you know that fine arts is one of the most popular fields to study in Canada? Many public and private universities and colleges offer undergraduate to graduate programs in Fine Arts. As an art student, you can choose a program based on painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, animation, and graphic design. Some of the best art schools in Canada you must consider to pursue an Arts degree are:
- Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts)
- Concordia University, Department of Visual Arts
- The Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design
- The George Brown College Center for Arts and Design
- The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD)
- The Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD U)
- The New Brunswick College of Craft and Design (NBCCD)
- The Ottawa School of Art
If you want to know how long it takes to be a Painter in Canada, here you will learn more about the professional experience and where to find the best degree in arts!
If you want to work as a painter artist in Canada, a minimum college or university diploma in fine arts or a field related to art may be required. However, we must mention that you do not need professional certification or licensing from any provincial or territorial regulatory bodies since artists such as painters, sculptors, and other visual artists are not regulated occupations in Canada.

How much do painters get paid in Canada?
The average hourly pay for Fine Artists, including painters, sculptors, or illustrators, is $24 in Canada. However, years of experience are crucial factors impacting the average wage. An entry-level painting artist or a new graduate in painting with less than one year of experience can make up to $15 per hour. An early career painter artist with 1 to 4 years of experience can make up to $20. A mid-career painter artist with 5 to 9 years of experience can make up to $28. And for Senior positions with 10 to 19 years of experience, you can expect to earn an hourly pay of $26.
Another factor that will impact the hourly pay is your location. Fine Artists in Toronto, Ontario, can expect to earn an average of 32% more than the national average, followed by Vancouver, British Columbia, Calgary, and Alberta.
Discover everything about the Salary Expectations for Painter Artists in Canada!
What qualifications do you need to be a painter?
If you plan to become a painter artist, you must identify the specific qualifications and skills required for these artistic careers since it will provide insights into the professional skills to succeed in your chosen career path and prepare yourself better for future employment opportunities.
The minimum employment requirements you need to work as a Fine Artist or painter artist in Canada, as well as a sculptor and other visual artists, are:
- A college or university diploma in fine arts, visual arts, or related fields.
- An art portfolio to showcase your work, whether to be admitted to an Arts degree or to find potential clients or collaborators in the field.
- How to use the materials, tools, and equipment.
- Depending on the type of job you are interested you may need to acquire planning, management, communication, designing and teaching, and training skills.
- Depending on the sector you would like to work you may need to develop knowledge in social sciences and arts, law and public safety, technology and design, and teaching and instruction.
- Creative ability, talent, and nothing more and nothing less than a passion for arts!
If you would like to learn about all the training needed to become a Painter in Canada, here you will find everything you will look for.

Can I have a career as a painter artist?
Of course! It is possible to have a career as a painter artist!
Establishing a career as a painter or artist requires dedication, perseverance, and a combination of artistic talent, skills, and entrepreneurship to pursue your passion for painting and build a successful career as a professional artist. And you can work in a large field of job options!
As a painter artist, you can design creative visual elements using a variety of mediums in collaboration with your clients. For this, gaining computer-related skills and software knowledge, such as Visio, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, and CAD/CAM, will be of great interest.
On the other hand, if you decide to pursue an artistic career in marketing or design firms, fine artists usually develop strategies and campaigns to promote artwork, exhibitions, or creative events, and they contribute to establishing and maintaining the brand identity of artists, galleries, or art organizations. Painter artists can also work in packaging design and advertisements working closely with other departments in production.
Because the labor field is so broad, we recommend you pursue a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts to explore all the possibilities that a fascinating art career can bring you and work on getting an art portfolio to illustrate your expertise.
And because understanding the various job opportunities in the field of painting will help you broaden your horizons and explore different career paths, helping you align your skills, interests, and career goals. Discover more about all the types of jobs for Painter in Canada!
Become a painter artist with Superprof classes!
If you were wondering: can anyone become a Painter in Canada? Well, yes! Anyone can become a painter in Canada. Artistic careers such as painting are open to people from all backgrounds. Whether you are a beginner exploring your creative passion or someone looking to transition into a career in painting, the first step is improving your painting skills and delve yourself into this fascinating art!
Even if there are many great drawing sites with tutorials to learn to paint, would looking for a much more personalized experience with the most experienced art tutors be the best idea? Improve your painting techniques with the private tutoring of Superprof!
Whether you choose to paint as a hobby or gain experience exhibiting your work in galleries, participating in art competitions, or selling your artwork, you will accomplish your artistic goals faster, leaning on the best art tutors in Canada.
In Superprof, you will find three main art tutoring:
- Face-to-face tutoring if you want to create your personal space of creativity with your art tutor;
- Online tutoring, if for you it's better to follow your painting classes from the comfort of your room or if you want to stay comfortable and warm during winter time;
- Group tutoring: If you are ready to be social and creative, share your passions with people with similar goals! What is more fun than improving your painting skills with your friends and maybe start making some networking?
With Superprof, you can take all the time in the world you need to choose your ideal art tutor and the type of tutoring that is best for you, and that suits your learning style better, your learning objectives, and, last but not least, your budget. Even many of the tutors on Superprof offer their first private lesson for free! This will be an excellent opportunity to see how they work, their teaching style, and whether you get along with them. Let yourself be carried away by your creativity and passion for art, and learn how to paint with the best drawing classes near you throughout Canada!
Are you ready to burst your creativity with Superprof?



















