Login| Register

Painter

I want to be one
Who This Career is For?
This career is for people with a fine eye for detail. Not only does a painter need to pay close attention to detail, he needs to follow instructions according to the client’s will and be able to provide an end result that meets the client’s expectations. Painters need to be clean, neat and tidy.

Therefore, customer satisfaction is an essential indicator of success in this career. Some skills that a painter requires are precision, punctuality, and an ability to work as a team. This career is especially suited for people with a steady hand and the ability to judge color. A painter must be quick with the brush, have a smooth rhythm and be physically fit because the work requires extensive periods of standing & arm raising. If you have a good understanding of different materials like wood, cement, brick, & metal and a knowhow of the dynamics of color and how they mix and match to form various paints, then this career is for you.
Want to know more about it?
Painters prepare and apply finishing to surfaces like walls, ceilings by the use of paint, emulsions, varnish and lacquer. The surfaces can be both interior and exterior. Buildings can be painted to give them a fresh, finished look as well as protect them from dirt, water, mould & harsh climate. There are quite a few subcategories of painting as a career.

These include construction & maintenance, fine artistry, sculpting & illustrations, decorating & interior designing, spray painting, hand painting, brush painting & paperhanging. Painters can either have a jobs in large scale industrial companies or be confined to a small scale self employed work, for example painting houses, offices and shops.

Painters should preferably be familiar with construction and building architecture and at the same time have a knack for aesthetics. Painters for large industrial companies may require knowledge of the use of various equipment and techniques such as taping and use of drop cloth, trim cutting, and types of primer, number of coats & filling of nail holes etc.

A painter needs to master the preparation that needs to be done prior to the painting process. He is responsible to remove any dirt, grease or oil from the surface and for sanding & scraping off the previous coating. Tools that painters require include brushes, rollers, spray guns, sanders, scrapers, scissors & measuring tapes.

A painter must also demonstrate the art of working on ladders and scaffolds. No qualifications are required as such. Experience in the field is more important in this career than educational qualifications. Primary education & language skills are essential because a painter needs to communicate effectively with clients & contractors.

Beginners can gain exposure by applying for apprenticeship programs or work as helpers for experienced workers. An apprenticeship, however, requires a high school degree with a course in Mathematics. Some schools and vocational centers also provide training in such fields so that a painter can enhance his necessary skills. Background knowledge in building & construction is preferable.
What are Salary Prospects?
Salary for a painter depends on the type of work. In the U.K., a beginner employed by a large company may expect a salary of 13000 to 16000 Pounds Sterling per annum. As the painter gains more experience and becomes qualified, he can expect up to 17000 to 22000 Pounds Sterling. Self employed painters may have wages of up to 15 Pounds Sterling per hour.
How is Life?
Life as a

painter

is usually determined by the working conditions and will vary with each job. However, in most cases, the job will include working both indoors and outdoors, sometimes in harsh environmental conditions & from extreme heights, which may hamper or delay execution of work.

Painters may be required to work long shifts, at times extending over 40 hours per week although many work only part time. If a

painter

is self employed, he should plan ahead to accommodate as many jobs as possible within his time frame. A self employed worker must also take care of accounts & taxes and expand his business by way of local advertisements. Experienced painters can eventually become supervisors or superintendents and manage their independent contracting business.

A

painter

is usually part of a crew so he must get along well with peers. He must take special care of cleanliness and be aware of health & safety precautions.
What Perks come along with this career?
A self employed painter enjoys having the freedom of being his own boss. He can set up his work criteria, one he feels comfortable with and lay down his conditions to his client. A company employed painter may take advantage of the benefits the company has to offer such as holiday pay, health & life insurance.
Which Downsides are there in this career?
The major drawbacks of this career are the health and environmental threats. Painters working from heights, ladders & scaffolds may be more accident prone. Different chemicals in paint & varnish are potentially harmful to health. Inhalation of paint fumes can trigger an attack of asthma and also be carcinogenic.

Gradual ingestion of lead from paint may lead to anemia. Volatile organic compounds released from paint may be a source of environmental pollution. The strenuous physical work may take a toll on the body. There may also be an uncertainty in the amount of workload that a painter must accomplish in a given time period.
How is Competition?
Employment opportunities for painters depend on the economical development of the country. The more the economy prospers, the more the level of construction & need for maintenance. Although there have been advances in technology in the recent years, painting is usually done by hand,

so there is a great need for such workers in developed countries.
Locations where this career is good?
Cities in developed countries like U.S.A., U.K., Australia, Norway, France & Germany, and even countries with blooming economies like India, China, New Zealand & Singapore.
Career Path
You should be able to represent your thoughts by different mediums like pen, pencil, colours, etc. Also, practice, practice, practice — improve your drawing skills, keep a sketchbook and draw every day. Visiting exhibitions and studying well-known artists work and style helps you gain maturity in this field.

Prime Institutes for this career
More Institutes for this career
Other users who liked this career
Shambhavi Ghosh
Kratika Dixit

User Comments

Please Login to leave comments. Or use facebook.