| It’s one thing to be a creative person, and quite another to make a living being creative. When the economy slows down, fine artists are often the hardest hit by the slump. But if you’ve always dreamed about a career in the arts, consider these five careers that will keep you creating but also bring home a paycheck. Photography If you have a burning desire to create and work independently, professional photography might be the career for you. More than half of photographers are self-employed, which means they set their own hours and can decide what jobs they want to take on. Becoming a professional photographer can mean taking studio portraits of people or pets, capturing weddings on film, working for a newspaper or magazine, or taking product shots for companies. Photography equipment can be expensive, so why not let your art pay for itself? Professional photographers earn an average of $16.35 per hour. Besides having artistic talent and the right equipment, some training is necessary. These photography colleges offer programs geared toward developing both your artistic talent and your business sense. Film and Video Production Believe it or not, it’s possible to turn a passion for film into a viable career. Film and video technicians work as everything from camera operators and directors to broadcasters and sound engineers. You don’t even have to move to New York or Los Angeles. Local networks hire properly trained film and video technicians to produce everything from commercials to news segments. To learn more about what kinds of jobs are available in the film industry and the kind of training you will need, see “ Careers in Film and Video Production ”, you can also view a complete list of Film and Video Production Colleges . Graphic Design Graphic designers create everything from corporate logos and print advertisements to animation for commercials and website design. The creative possibilities are endless for graphic designers, both in the corporate world and as freelancers. Because the field of graphic design is highly technical as well as artistic, an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree is generally required to break into the field. The good news for artistic folks looking to pursue a career is graphic design is that the field is expected to grow at an average rate through 2016, despite the current recession. Graphic designers can make anywhere from $25,000 to $72,000 a year, with an average annual salary of $45,340. Here's a list of Graphic Design Schools to get you started. Interior Design Interior designers work with clients to come up with a design scheme for a home or business. While many interior designers are initially attracted to the field for the decorating aspects of design, there are also many opportunities for interior designers to create layouts for office buildings and stores. To have a career as an interior designer... | 